Becoming a happy leader should be at the forefront of every manager’s methodology. As Andrew Carnegie once famously stated, “There is little success where there is little laughter.” 

Great leaders are often known as those who can facilitate effective movement inside of an organization. But what about being a leader who is both effective and spreads happiness like confetti? Now that’s the tricky part.

There is a lot of confusion about what happiness is, why it’s more than a fluffy concept, and the importance it plays in the success of an organization.

To keep it short and sweet, to be happy is to be engaged… and to be engaged requires enthusiasm. It turns out that our happiness and enthusiasm is not actually caused by external factors (that promotion, a more prestigious title) but by events filtered through our own perception.

Happy leaders inspire those around them because they experience a heightened sense of self-assurance. 

This is often labeled “self-efficacy” by cognitive psychologists such as Albert Bandura, the father of social learning theory. 

Strengths-Based Development is one of the most powerful ways to strengthen self-efficacy because it identifies and nurtures what’s intrinsically satisfying to us, creating deep levels of engagement– and therefore, happiness. 

Here’s a question to help you start thinking about your strengths and how you might bring a little more joy to your work today: What was the best day at work you’ve had in the past three months? Think about what you were doing and why you enjoyed it so much.

We’ve been working on something special all about the science of happy leadership, which we love to discuss on our social feeds. Want more happiness in your work life? Give us a follow @getleadology, and make sure to drop into the DMs and say hello! 

In the meantime, if you’re interested in learning more about how Strengths-Based Development can make you and your team more successful, we’ve got a little taster available to everyone. Check out the 21-Day Strengths Challenge, and become a happier leader!