Q:        Last week a reader mentioned “The Happiness Advantage” by Shawn Achor, which advocates that a positive mindset can improve our work performance.  Does the book have suggestions for things managers can do to create a more positive and productive workplace?

A:   It does.   Because managers help define company culture and set an example with their behavior and attitude, they’re uniquely positioned to instill positivity throughout the workplace.  Their influence is also magnified because they interact with more people throughout the day.  Achor offers many good ideas but there are two -supported by research- which I found exceptionally helpful.

The first is the importance of choosing the right words to alter someone’s mindset and help them succeed.  For example, subjects who were reminded of a weakness prior to taking a test performed worse than those who were reminded of a strength or had no reminder at all.   In the workplace, this means managers who express confidence in an employee’s ability to improve will get better results –increased performance, morale and motivation- than those who don’t.   A few key words can make a huge difference.

The second concept is known as the Pygmalion effect, based on research done in 1965.  Elementary teachers were told certain students in their class had been identified as being poised to “bloom intellectually”, but not to discuss this with the students or classmates.  At the end of the year, those students showed a significantly greater gain in performance than their peers.  In reality, the children were chosen at random and the only difference among them was in the mind of the teacher.   The workplace lesson?  We unconsciously convey our expectations of others –good or bad- and they generally live up to them.  Higher expectations can promote greater achievement because –even unintentionally- we act differently.  We might telegraph support through non-verbal signals like nods, an encouraging smile, or a pat on the shoulder.  We might act more interested in them, engage them, give more specific feedback.

So, in the workplace, managers can apply these concepts by genuinely expecting the best from employees, and believing in their ability to improve and excel.  Then they can deliberately convey those beliefs and expectations with daily words and actions.

© Copyright Eva Del Rio