Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Ep 39: Stop Chasing Happiness (Do This Instead)
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Ep 39: Stop Chasing Happiness (Do This Instead)
Why can chasing universal happiness actually undermine leadership and team performance? In this episode of Headflex, co-hosts Rebecca Walker and Diane Williams dig into why striving to keep everyone happy isn’t just exhausting and how it can actually backfire in the workplace.
From slippery behaviours (like avoiding conflict) to tangles between personal values, Rebecca and Diane examine the emotional draw of happiness as a leadership value and explore why assuming responsibility for others’ happiness can distract from genuine leadership, such as giving clear direction and setting expectations.
Expect coaching insights on navigating assumptions, managing control, and how to address the real issues behind workplace dissatisfaction.
Here are the highlights:
00:00 Intro: Leadership and universal happiness rarely coexist
01:25 Some leaders equate strong leadership with making others happy
03:35 Values like happiness can cause tricky behaviours
05:02 People may prefer clarity and achievement rather than being made happy
06:52 Avoiding difficult work in favour of chasing happiness isn't helpful for leaders or their teams
07:07 Taking responsibility for others’ happiness can be exhausting
08:38 Some organisations launch multiple "happiness" initiatives while ignoring real workplace issues
09:11 Reframing happiness as an outcome of hard work and effort to lead well
12:08 The importance of letting go of the need to control others' happiness.
About Headflex:
If you're curious about coaching, Headflex offers a range of coaching programmes to suit different needs. 1:1 coaching, team coaching, group coaching and their Headflex in Residence programme. We also offer Headflex Lunch and Learn sessions. Visit www.headflex.co.uk to find out more.
Connect with us at Headflex:
Email: [email protected].
Website: www.headflex.co.uk
Instagram: www.instagram.com/head.flex/
Connect with Rebecca Walker: www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccawalker13/
Connect with Diane Williams: www.linkedin.com/in/dianewilliams1
Produced by Winter Audio
View all episodes
By Rebecca Walker & Diane WilliamsWhy can chasing universal happiness actually undermine leadership and team performance? In this episode of Headflex, co-hosts Rebecca Walker and Diane Williams dig into why striving to keep everyone happy isn’t just exhausting and how it can actually backfire in the workplace.
From slippery behaviours (like avoiding conflict) to tangles between personal values, Rebecca and Diane examine the emotional draw of happiness as a leadership value and explore why assuming responsibility for others’ happiness can distract from genuine leadership, such as giving clear direction and setting expectations.
Expect coaching insights on navigating assumptions, managing control, and how to address the real issues behind workplace dissatisfaction.
Here are the highlights:
00:00 Intro: Leadership and universal happiness rarely coexist
01:25 Some leaders equate strong leadership with making others happy
03:35 Values like happiness can cause tricky behaviours
05:02 People may prefer clarity and achievement rather than being made happy
06:52 Avoiding difficult work in favour of chasing happiness isn't helpful for leaders or their teams
07:07 Taking responsibility for others’ happiness can be exhausting
08:38 Some organisations launch multiple "happiness" initiatives while ignoring real workplace issues
09:11 Reframing happiness as an outcome of hard work and effort to lead well
12:08 The importance of letting go of the need to control others' happiness.
About Headflex:
If you're curious about coaching, Headflex offers a range of coaching programmes to suit different needs. 1:1 coaching, team coaching, group coaching and their Headflex in Residence programme. We also offer Headflex Lunch and Learn sessions. Visit www.headflex.co.uk to find out more.
Connect with us at Headflex:
Email: [email protected].
Website: www.headflex.co.uk
Instagram: www.instagram.com/head.flex/
Connect with Rebecca Walker: www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccawalker13/
Connect with Diane Williams: www.linkedin.com/in/dianewilliams1
Produced by Winter Audio