Sometimes we overlook how easy it is for women to be supportive of one another.
By Linda Kelly – Town Manager, Town of Windsor CA
Keynote speaker at the ICMA Annual Conference on Sunday, September 27, 2015 was Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work. He reminded all of us that it’s not our reality that shapes us but rather our individual lens. Ask yourself, do you see stress as a challenge or a threat? Think of how those two different ways of viewing stress could motivate you, or on the contrary cause fear. A positive, engaged brain is our greatest advantage in work and in life. Achor suggests that every business outcome that may be tested scientifically and rigorously rises when the brain is positive.
One simple thing Achor suggests to raise your level of happiness is the “two-minute positive habit.” Each day, take two minutes at the beginning of your day and write a two-minute positive email to someone as a way to start your day. Do it when you first log on to your computer! He also stated that social connection is the #1 predictor of long-term optimism. So…by writing that email you are not only lifting someone else up and bringing light to their day, you are lifting yourself up and strengthening a social bond which will support your own optimism and theirs.
Go ahead! Is there someone out there who could use a lift, use your support? Is it the team member who had a bad day yesterday? She sure could use your words of encouragement today. Is there a new young woman who joined your organization recently, who may have never worked in local government before? Why not send her an encouraging, welcoming email and while you are at it, encourage her to join her local municipal professional organization such as California’s MMANC or MMASC? Is there a working mom who has been busy with kids back in school, and doing the juggling act to keep it all together? Send her an email note and tell her how much you admire her work ethic and ask if she’d like to go for coffee sometime. Sometimes we overlook how easy it is for women to be supportive of one another.
Achor reminds us that happiness is a choice, and making that choice will support your career and personal success. Great news: “We have access to joy at any moment!” Choose joy and spread it today and every day by using the two-minute happiness habit! What’s preventing you from starting that email habit today?
