What Happy Companies Know
How the New Science of Happiness Can Change Your Company for the Better
Published on 17. March 2009
Book
Paperback/Softback
320 pages
978-0-13-701168-1 (ISBN)
Description
Happy companies are winning companies. Well-adjusted, psychologically healthy companies collaborate better. They innovate more effectively. They change faster. They see reality with exceptional clarity, but they know how to address it positively. They uncover opportunities where others fixate on obstacles and blame. What Happy Companies Know reveals the five crucial elements that happy companies share in common... and shows how to lead any company to happiness! This book reflects the experiences of the world's best companies, as well as the latest scientific research. Drawing on case studies from dozens of great businesses and exceptional leaders, this book's authors offer a complete blueprint, practical tools, and proven best practices for achieving organizational happiness and breakthrough performance. This book shows readers how to build a company where individuals at every level can apply their diverse strengths towards shared goals that are meaningful, positive, and profitable.
Reviews / Votes
Penned by three successful psychology and business writers, including the author of the worldwide bestseller, What Happy People Know, this book presents a strong case for introducing the new science of organizational happiness into the workplace.Because motivated employees are the keystone to business success, companies built around people, positive mindsets and long-term goals consistently out-perform unhappy companies. Illustrated with examples of positive and successful businesses, this book will teach readers how to apply the principles, priorities and motivation of happy companies to their own organizations. Filled with practical ways to master "the softer side" of business, this guide will help employers effectively implement change and produce more cooperative, innovative and dedicated employees. One of the most convincing aspects is the discussion of the evolutionary and behavioral science on which the "science of happiness" premise is based. Thanks to the authors' thorough research and accessible style, readers will understand not just how to improve their companies, but why it's necessary.
Original and intelligent-a "complete blueprint" for building a happy and successful organization.
--Kirkus Reports, Vol. 3, Issue 3 (March 31, 2006)
Distinguished by optimism and honesty, a happy company has a "culture in which personal respect, appreciation, and trust become a major reason for its business success." Employees won't need to sing "kumbaya" to accomplish this, assert the authors of this persuasive and encouraging if dense guide. But promoting "happiness" may result in an innovative, collaborative company with employees who are relatively stress-free and attuned to opportunity-plus, happiness will promote the bottom line. Baker (a psychologist and coauthor ofWhat Happy People Know ), Greenberg (a leadership coach) and Hemingway (a business writer and coauthor with Bill Gates ofBusiness @ the Speed of Thought ) investigate the underlying emotional, psychological and even neurological influences on good and bad business practices. Beginning with an examination of fear and aggression as motivators for negative or even passive business decisions, the book later delves into topics including strategies for combating stress both personally and as an organization, employing humility in leadership and developing emotional intelligence. This book is relevant to both the CEO concerned with motivating workers and the employee figuring out how to improve personal coping skills.(June 6)
--Publisher's Weekly (4/17 Issue)
Copyright (c) 1997-2005 Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
More details
Persons
Three professionals with unique yet overlapping backgrounds have come together to create a book that will change the way America does business. Dan Baker, a medical psychologist, has spent his life counseling business leaders and organizations and is a pioneer in applied positive psychology. Cathy Greenberg, a trained anthropologist, has been a partner with two of the world's largest consulting firms and is among the country's most respected executive coaches and leadership trainers. Collins Hemingway, a business professional and highly regarded author, brings 25 years of experience in a variety of challenging management positions.
Dan Baker, Ph.D., is founding director of the Canyon Ranch Life Enhancement Program. Since 1988, his mission has been to engage guests of Canyon Ranch-some of the world's highest-achieving people-in emotionally connecting with their well being. He often coaches and consults with CEOs, corporate officers, and their organizations. An adjunct lecturer at the University of Arizona Medical College, he has also facilitated and taught at Harvard Business School.
Cathy Greenberg, Ph.D., specializes in executive coaching, eLeadership, and personal and organizational transformation. Cathy served as a founding partner of Accenture's Institute for Strategic Change and was the founder and executive director of the Institute for Strategic Leadership, LeBow College of Business at Drexel University. A contributor to many articles and books, she is the co-author of Global Leadership: The Next Generation with Marshall Goldsmith.
Collins Hemingway, MA, who served as director of business development and international marketing for Microsoft's fastest-growing division, is best known for partnering with Microsoft CEO Bill Gates to co-author the #1 best-selling book Business @ the Speed of Thought. He is also co-author of Built for Growth, the most thorough book on creating, establishing, and renewing retail brands. Collins is an executive coach and marketing consultant.
Greenberg and Baker are co-founders of h2c-Happy People, Healthy Companies-the first organization to specialize in coaching leaders on the art and science of building happy, high-performance companies.
Dan Baker, Ph.D., is founding director of the Canyon Ranch Life Enhancement Program. Since 1988, his mission has been to engage guests of Canyon Ranch-some of the world's highest-achieving people-in emotionally connecting with their well being. He often coaches and consults with CEOs, corporate officers, and their organizations. An adjunct lecturer at the University of Arizona Medical College, he has also facilitated and taught at Harvard Business School.
Cathy Greenberg, Ph.D., specializes in executive coaching, eLeadership, and personal and organizational transformation. Cathy served as a founding partner of Accenture's Institute for Strategic Change and was the founder and executive director of the Institute for Strategic Leadership, LeBow College of Business at Drexel University. A contributor to many articles and books, she is the co-author of Global Leadership: The Next Generation with Marshall Goldsmith.
Collins Hemingway, MA, who served as director of business development and international marketing for Microsoft's fastest-growing division, is best known for partnering with Microsoft CEO Bill Gates to co-author the #1 best-selling book Business @ the Speed of Thought. He is also co-author of Built for Growth, the most thorough book on creating, establishing, and renewing retail brands. Collins is an executive coach and marketing consultant.
Greenberg and Baker are co-founders of h2c-Happy People, Healthy Companies-the first organization to specialize in coaching leaders on the art and science of building happy, high-performance companies.
Content
Acknowledgments xi About the Authors xv
Foreword xvii
Chapter 1 The Naked Ape Dons the Designer Suit 1
Chapter 2 What Is a Happy Company and Why Do I Want One? 15
Chapter 3 The Nerd from the Mists 25
Chapter 4 Scarcity Behavior in the Modern Tribe 43
Chapter 5 Aggression, Target Fixation, and the Crashes They Cause 61
Chapter 6 The Lesson of the Salmon, or Why Happiness Beats Going Belly Up 81
Chapter 7 What's a Body to Do? Personal and Corporate Strategies for Health 95
Chapter 8 Humility, the Most Courageous Form of Leadership 111
Chapter 9 From Guts to Sight to Heart, the Role of Visionaries 131
Chapter 10 Organizing for Innovation 149
Chapter 11 Only the Emotionally Intelligent Need Apply 169
Chapter 12 Return on People 189
Chapter 13 Engage with People 205
Chapter 14 Doing Well and Doing Good 223
Chapter 15 Tools for Building Constructive Culture 245
Chapter 16 Happy Companies Are All Alike and Yet Unique 261
Index 281
Foreword xvii
Chapter 1 The Naked Ape Dons the Designer Suit 1
Chapter 2 What Is a Happy Company and Why Do I Want One? 15
Chapter 3 The Nerd from the Mists 25
Chapter 4 Scarcity Behavior in the Modern Tribe 43
Chapter 5 Aggression, Target Fixation, and the Crashes They Cause 61
Chapter 6 The Lesson of the Salmon, or Why Happiness Beats Going Belly Up 81
Chapter 7 What's a Body to Do? Personal and Corporate Strategies for Health 95
Chapter 8 Humility, the Most Courageous Form of Leadership 111
Chapter 9 From Guts to Sight to Heart, the Role of Visionaries 131
Chapter 10 Organizing for Innovation 149
Chapter 11 Only the Emotionally Intelligent Need Apply 169
Chapter 12 Return on People 189
Chapter 13 Engage with People 205
Chapter 14 Doing Well and Doing Good 223
Chapter 15 Tools for Building Constructive Culture 245
Chapter 16 Happy Companies Are All Alike and Yet Unique 261
Index 281