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No less an estimable man than John Quincy Adams said it....
"The happiness of the people," he said, "(is) the end of all legitimate government on earth."
He learned well from his dad.
That seems at first blush to be simply a morally substantive statement. Certainly it's right morally to seek the happiness of others, knowing, too, that life pays you back when you do. Generally, the reward for making others happy is your own happiness.
That is incredibly convenient and a great set up if you ask me. Somebody was thinking when human nature was sculpted.
But there is something else. There is another extremely practical reason for any kind of leadership, political, business or otherwise, to want their people to be happy.
Happy people are content; they don't rebel; they are more cooperative; they work with greater focus; they work harder; are more efficient; more productive; they work faster; they work smarter; they hone their skills; they consistently seek improvement; they hit projections more often; they are higher achievers; they are better with customers; they are better sales people; they tend to be great team players.
Shall I go on?
Can I? you ask. I can...
Happy people encourage each other; gossip less; are not interested in political games; are more helpful; they will more often offer ideas; they will more often have ideas; they are more loyal; more committed; are more willing to sacrifice when sacrifice is necessary; will more likely pull together in tough times; are more successful in good times; make better employees; make better supervisors; make better CEOs.
A business filled with happy people is more profitable.
Okay, I'll stop.
To lead in such a way that takes the happiness and comfort of your people into consideration with every decision you make is a powerful key to unlocking their potential.
Now, lest you think I've done lost my mind, making people happy does not consist of giving them everything they want. If that's what you're thinking then I'm thinking you don't know real happiness and you don't know me.
A respectful, disciplined, orderly, high achieving work environment makes most people happy. How you get there is the trick.
Respect, accountability and appreciation beget happiness; happiness begets greater discipline which begets higher achievement, which begets greater happiness.
So JQA hit on an important moral principle...but even more, an important practical one.
Misery might love company...but happiness loves everything else.
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