Chapter 10 Happiness<\/p>\n
.<\/p>\n
Happiness is the core of our well-being. Typically, happiness is related to our objective circumstances, but it also depends on how we think and feel about these conditions. Happiness encompasses our well-being and our evaluation of the five important domains of life: career, social, financial, physical, and community. These domains add up to our true total net worth, which is well-being. Those of us involved in activities that we believe are meaningful and where we can use or signature strengths are destined to be happy. Happiness and leadership are partners.<\/p>\n
You can\u2019t directly measure well-being, but you can measure its five elements: Positive emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Achievement (PERMA). The route to scientifically assess each one of them is by measuring the amount of happiness contained in each element, then you add all five elements together and\u2014Bingo!\u2014you have a reading on your well-being. Remember, there are five different types of well-being: career, social, physical, financial, and community. You can be high in one domain, average in another, and low in another. It may sound complicated, but it isn\u2019t. Our goal in this chapter is to show you how to flourish\u2014to really be as happy as you want to be.<\/p>\n
Happiness is not about being blind to the negatives in our environment; it\u2019s believing that we have the power to do something about them.<\/p>\n
Contents<\/p>\n
\u2022 Positive Psychology<\/p>\n
\u2022 Why Positive Psychology?<\/p>\n
\u2022 How Does Positive Psychology Relate to Strengths-Based Leadership?<\/p>\n
\u2022 What Has Positive Psychology Done To-Date?<\/p>\n
\u2022 Well-Being<\/p>\n
1.. Career<\/p>\n
2.. Social<\/p>\n
3.. Financial<\/p>\n
4.. Physical<\/p>\n
5.. Community WB<\/p>\n
\u2022 Happiness = PERMA<\/p>\n
\u2022 P = Positive Emotions<\/p>\n
\u2022 E = Engagement<\/p>\n
\u2022 R = Relationships<\/p>\n
\u2022 M = Meaning<\/p>\n
\u2022 A = Accomplishments<\/p>\n
\u2022 The Future of Well-Being<\/p>\n
\u2022 Check-Up<\/p>\n
\u2022 Strength Builders<\/p>\n
Question: What does happiness or well-being have to do with leadership?<\/p>\n
Answer: Everything!<\/p>\n
Leaders by their very nature are optimistic, positive, and smile\u2014yes smile. If you\u2019re more prone to accentuate the pessimism, negativity, and scowl, we\u2019ll show you how and why to morph to the bright side\u2014elevate your well-being. All it costs you is building some new habits and using a little willpower; it\u2019s worth it if you want to be a strengths-based police leader.<\/p>\n
What you\u2019ll experience here is not happiology fluff or pop psychology fiction. Everything is drawn from solid research conducted by leading scientists in the field of positive psychology (e.g., Martin E. P. Seligman, Ed Diener, Robert Biswas Diener, Sonja Lyubomirsky, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Barbara Fredrickson, and scores of others at the University of Pennsylvania; the Gallup Corporation; and the U.S. Army). All of the evidence so far points to one conclusion\u2014happiness is good for you and those around you.<\/p>\n
Our aim is to give you the incentive and tools to increase your happiness and in turn your well-being in all five domains of your life. However, happiness is not a continual high of elation, ecstasy, and endorphins, and it is not an absence of all negative emotions. The search for intense highs and avoiding all unpleasant emotions can even be harmful. Happy and sad moments occur, and we should deal with both, making certain that the sunny side prevails. Raising your set point of happiness means feeling positive most of the time, not unbridled bliss. Our goal is to help you to flourish, not to be foolish\u2014and this is also the goal of positive psychology.<\/p>\n
Positive Psychology<\/p>\n
Seligman and Thomas Jefferson believe that we have a fundamental human right to pursue and build happiness. Aristotle not only endorsed their proposition, but he thought that all human action was to achieve happiness. To this end, in 1998, Seligman and a few of his colleagues initiated a tectonic upheaval in psychology called positive psychology\u2014a scientific and professional movement. We\u2019ll address three questions: (1) Why positive psychology? (2) What does it have to do with strengths-based leadership? and (3) What has positive psychology done to-date?<\/p>\n
Why Positive Psychology?<\/p>\n
After World War II many military personnel returned home with a psychiatric diagnosis of combat fatigue. (This also occurred after World War I, but it was labeled shell shock.) The medical profession responded with drugs and psychology with counseling and therapy. It was the therapists\u2019 job to minimize negative emotion\u2014to make the veterans less anxious, angry, or depressed. According to the World Health Organization, depression is the most costly disease in the world. This focus on treating negative emotions accelerated when posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was defined in 1976 and subsequently applied to 20% of veterans returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The point here is that the twentieth century witnessed the vast majority of psychologists concentrating on what\u2019s wrong with us\u2014the dark side of humanity.<\/p>\n
Seligman and his small select crew of fellow psychologists shouted: \u201cEnough! Stop! Listen!\u201d Think about the void in what we\u2019re doing with our drugs and therapy, with only a 65%-relief rate. They said that granted, we have negative emotions, but what about the positive ones? Moreover, can the positive emotions such as happiness be developed as social fitness and well-being? They proposed that our positive emotions can be nurtured to the extent that they\u2019ll protect or at least soften the impact of bad stuff when it occurs. They told the U.S. Army that it\u2019s possible to turn trauma into growth, and they proved it by showing them the magic of human resiliency.<\/p>\n
How Does Positive Psychology Relate to Strengths-Based Leadership?<\/p>\n
Since 1998 research has consistently shown that getting people in touch with their strengths, rather than trying to correct their weaknesses, is particularly beneficial. This finding is the very reason we asked you, from the beginning, to identify your key signature strengths. Much of your happiness, personally and as a leader, depends on you knowing them and using them.<\/p>\n
Given the new data on the contagion of positivity, the right leadership among police units becomes crucial. Research has found that optimistic work groups performed better after a defeat; pessimistic teams did worse.<\/p>\n
Positive psychology puts the strength into strengths-based leadership. It is the platform for flourishing as a police leader.<\/p>\n
What Has Positive Psychology Done To-Date?<\/p>\n
In a very short time period (less than twenty years), the positive psychologists have confirmed that Seligman, Jefferson, and Aristotle were correct about us having a human right to happiness and well-being. Seligman and associates went a step further by scientifically proving not only that it is a natural right, but also it is a right that leaders can expand and capitalize on.<\/p>\n
We are not suggesting that leaders engage in mindless positive fluff. What\u2019s coming is not a nefarious scheme to brainwash you with an \u201ceverything is great\u201d mind-set. What we encourage you to do is to think critically about your well-being. The studies to-date have found that leaders are usually well above average in \u2022 well-being \u2022 optimism \u2022 resiliency \u2022 happiness.<\/p>\n
Here are some highlights of what the positive psychologists have substantiated or are still researching.<\/p>\n
Resilience Training<\/p>\n
Teaching people before or during traumatic events how to recover and restore their well-being significantly increases recovery. More than 2000 U.S. Army sergeants have completed courses on this subject with exciting outcomes; for example, divorce rates cut by 50%, increased retention in the military service, and improved performance ratings.<\/p>\n
Perma<\/p>\n
They identified five key elements to foster in our well-being: positive emotions, engagement, positive relationships, meaning, and positive achievement. By working on each one of these, your happiness factor is highly likely to spike. Remember: PERMA should be practiced in all of the five domains of our life: career, social, financial, physical, and community.<\/p>\n
Teaching Well-Being<\/p>\n
Some subjects are tough to research and easily taught, and vice versa. Researching well-being is demanding but doable. Teaching it is tricky. Thankfully, positive psychologists have numerous programs, ranging from doctorates to grade school curriculum. One component we train in our leadership courses is the Losada ratio, which deals with positive versus negative input\/feelings. In an organizational setting, one slam requires three positive inputs to recover; any less than three results in a feeling of negativity. Note here: the guru of good marriage\u2014John Gottman\u2014computed the same statistic for couples and found\u2014again, note this\u2014the ratio of FIVE positives for every one negative!<\/p>\n
Well-Being Exercises<\/p>\n
The positive psychologists have validated dozens of exercises that will increase and fortify our positive emotions. Structured Exercise 10-1 is an example others will follow in this chapter; they are intended to make you happier\u2014even flourish. Each one of them will connect to one of the five elements in PERMA.<\/p>\n
Structured Exercise 10-1 Losada Ratio<\/p>\n
This is an excellent group exercise on the power of positive emotions (the P in PERMA). Have one member of your group ask someone to mention something\u2014anything\u2014negative, sad, depressing. It can relate to police work or not. Once expressed (e.g., \u201cThe cost of our medical health benefits has been increased.\u201d), the next three people are asked to express a positive situation that may or may not relate to the prior comment (e.g., \u201cWe have health benefits, when many people do not.\u201d). After three positives, then ask the next person for a downer, again, it doesn\u2019t have to be related to any of the prior statements (e.g., \u201cIt\u2019s snowed for ten days in a row!\u201d). Once more, go for three affirmatives. Typically, the sense of optimism and hope prevail\u2014three plusses will offset a single unhappy input.<\/p>\n
There is a schism among the positive psychologists over the issue of a set point for one\u2019s happiness. Some argue that we\u2019re genetically wired for a given degree of happiness or optimism. Others argue that the set-point can be permanently elevated and retained. Still others claim that with daily exercises in positivity, you\u2019re able to flourish, but once you stop, you return to your birthright happiness set point. The researchers continue to tackle this question. In the meantime, we\u2019ll bet on the latter of the three hypotheses.<\/p>\n
Accomplishment<\/p>\n
The word accomplishment is the A in PERMA. The scientific evidence so far confirms that one\u2019s accomplishment is a formula of skill \u00d7 effort. Effort is time spent on a task (e.g., time spent in comprehending the department\u2019s budget). The sheer time you spend on a task multiplies how much skill you have in achieving your goal. The main character qualities of how much time you devote to a task (e.g., team building) are your self-control and willpower (see Chapter 12).<\/p>\n
Research thus far tells us that the real leverage we have for increased achievement is increased effort. Effort is no more or no less than how much time you practice the task. This finding suggests that leaders\u2014strengths-based leaders\u2014are made, not born. All of this underpins the idea that willpower and character are indispensable objects of the science of positive psychology.<\/p>\n
Psychologically Fit<\/p>\n
There are many compelling reasons for us, in one way or another, to maintain our fitness. For an example, do you prefer to be physically fit or overweight and borderline diabetic? Do you prefer to be mentally fit, or out of touch and just basically slow to cerebrate? Now what about psychological fitness\u2014your psychological wealth quotient? Do you prefer to be on the sunny side of the street\u2014cheerful, hopeful, and optimistic\u2014or are you content with despair, rumination, doubt, and negativity?<\/p>\n
A group of highly talented and motivated positive psychologists, in conjunction with the U.S. Army, has constructed and tested a rigorous set of methods to assist us in our quest for psychological fitness. Granted, the fitness program is not foolproof, but it works well for the majority of us most of the time, and that\u2019s good odds, unless you want to randomly flirt with the dire consequences of depression.<\/p>\n
If the U.S. Army can have a comprehensive soldier fitness program, why can\u2019t the police? What our military is doing has significant implications for morale among groups of police personnel and their leaders. Being psychologically fit\u2014pumped up\u2014involves PERMA, and we\u2019ll get to it in a few more pages.<\/p>\n
The Biology of Optimism<\/p>\n
The research to-date has concluded that (1) optimism promotes cardiovascular health and pessimism lowers it, (2) positive emotions protect us from infectious disease and negative ones increase our risk of illness, (3) the evidence is mounting that highly optimistic people have a lower risk for developing cancer, and (4) happy people are at less risk for death from all causes. Curiously, it was only 40 years ago that it was first hypothesized that emotion has any connection with immunity and disease\u2014it was referred to as a psychosomatic interaction.<\/p>\n
Structured Exercise 10-2 Smiling<\/p>\n
Think about ten leaders whom you know or know about. Write their names down and then rate them in the frequency and quality of the smiles.<\/p>\n
Leader\u2019s Name Smile Frequency 1\u20135 (5 is high) Smile Quality 1\u20135 (5 is high)<\/p>\n
How do you compare with those you\u2019ve listed? Where, if at all, should you smile more often and better?<\/p>\n
The reasons for the above findings are threefold: (1) optimists take action and have a healthier lifestyle, (2) optimists have more friends and social support, and (3) the biological mechanisms of optimists have a positive response to physical threats.<\/p>\n
Contributing<\/p>\n
Have you heard the proverb \u201cIt is more blessed to give than to receive\u201d? A crew of scientists decided to test this debatable truism in 132 nations. The results were so powerfully affirmative that they retested prior to releasing the findings. They discovered that the giver is emotionally rewarded three times more than the receiver of the gift, benefit, or positive stroke. So if you really want to bump up your well-being, be a cheerful giver.<\/p>\n
Smiling<\/p>\n
Scientifically, we know that emotions are contagious; good ones beget good ones, and bad ones breed bad ones. Several reliable studies report that smiling (or frowning) is also contagious. To the point: smiling is a powerful transmitter of positivity. \u201cI\u2019m happy to be here . . . to see you . . . to lead you . . . to capitalize on your signature strengths.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now science tells us that not only do we respond positively to smiles, but the bearer of the smile is equally\u2014and often more\u2014happy. The research data on smiling is relatively new (last three years), so the conclusions here are more open to question, but in the meantime the two of us are going to keep smiling, just like so many leaders we know and admire.<\/p>\n
Note: A smile costs nothing but gives much. It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever. Some people are too tired or miserable to give you a smile. Give them one of yours, as no one needs a smile as much as those who have no more to give.<\/p>\n
Well-Being<\/p>\n
Before we go any further, we\u2019ll pause and get a read on your well-being by having you complete Structured Exercise 10-3.<\/p>\n
For more than 50 years, the Gallup Organization has researched more than 150 countries, giving us a penetrating lens into the WB of more than 98% of the world\u2019s population. They discovered five universal domains of WB that differentiate a thriving life from one spent drifting or suffering. In descending order or importance they are: (1) Career, (2) Social, (3) Financial, (4) Physical, and (5) Community.<\/p>\n
While 66% of the people are doing well in at least one of the five, just 7% are thriving in all of them.<\/p>\n
Structured Exercise 10-3 Well-Being Inventory<\/p>\n
Your degree of agreement or disagreement with the statements that follow will provide you with a baseline well-being (WB) score. It is best that you respond in pencil or make a photocopy of this questionnaire so that you can complete it again in the future. Many of us keep track of our physical and financial WB\u2014now is a good time to start recording your psychological WB. On the line preceding each question, put the number that best describes how you feel (not WANT to feel) at this precise moment. When finished, add up your scores and compare the total number to the standard (the possible range is 12 to 84). 1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = slightly disagree, 4 = mixed\/neutral, 5 = slightly agree, 6 = agree, 7 = strongly agree<\/p>\n
____ I have a purposeful and meaningful life.<\/p>\n
____ I am engaged and interested in my daily activities.<\/p>\n
____ I enjoy contributing to the welfare of others.<\/p>\n
____ I am optimistic about the future.<\/p>\n
____ My social relationships are supportive and rewarding.<\/p>\n
____ Most of the time I am moderately happy.<\/p>\n
____ I am pleased with my achievements.<\/p>\n
____ I am competent in the use of my skills and strengths.<\/p>\n
____ I generally trust others.<\/p>\n
____ I strive to participate and give to my community.<\/p>\n
____ My material wealth is adequate.<\/p>\n
____ People respect me.<\/p>\n
____ TOTAL SCORE<\/p>\n
80\u201384 = extremely high WB<\/p>\n
74\u201379 = very high WB<\/p>\n
68\u201373 = high WB<\/p>\n
60\u201367 = average WB<\/p>\n
48\u201359 = low WB<\/p>\n
32\u201347 = very low WB<\/p>\n
12\u201331 = extremely low WB<\/p>\n
This section and the next offer ideas and steps toward advancing your WB.<\/p>\n
When we have finished this section, you will have a scientifically balanced view of what contributes to your WB over a lifetime. What you enjoy each day, how to get more out of life in general, and more important boost the WB of your family, friends, colleagues, and others in your community. Further, the study of WB over the past 10 years has irrefutably confirmed that leadership is driven by WB; the higher your WB, the better your performance as a leader!<\/p>\n
The section following this one presents the PERMA formula, which shows you how to increase your WB in each of the five domains. Now we\u2019ll turn to the first and most prominent SB domain: Career.<\/p>\n
1. Career<\/p>\n
Findings<\/p>\n
According to the 2008 Economic Journal, people with higher career WB are more than (1) ____ (two, three, four) times as likely to thrive in their life overall. (Career WB encompasses volunteering, raising children, or basically being engaged in fulfilling meaningful purpose.) The answers for this and following statements are at the end of the chapter.<\/p>\n
More than (2) ____% (10, 20, 33, 50, 66) of people around the world can hardly wait for the \u201cbell to ring\u201d! They are disengaged from their work.<\/p>\n
Engaged employees have good weekends and good workdays. The time they spend at work is as enjoyable as the time they spend away from it.<\/p>\n
A transition from a leisurely Sunday to Monday morning in a workplace where we are not engaged, it adversely affects our health. The highest incidence of heart attacks for workers is on a (3) ____ (Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su).<\/p>\n
Being disengaged at work means you are (4) ____ (two, three, four) times as likely to be diagnosed with depression over the next year. As an employee\u2019s level of engagement increases, depression disappears and his\/her total cholesterol and triglyceride levels significantly decrease.<\/p>\n
The person we least enjoy being around is our (5) ____ (Guess Who?).<\/p>\n
If your manager ignores you, there is 40% chance that you are actively disengaged or filled with hostility about your job. If your manager is at least paying attention\u2014even if he is focusing on your weaknesses\u2014the chances of your being actively disengaged go down to 22%. But if your manager is primarily focusing on your strengths, the chance of your being actively disengaged is just (6) ____% (5, 10, 20, 30, 40).<\/p>\n
The more a leader truly cares about an employee, the more Gallup found (among 15 million workers) that people:<\/p>\n
Are likely to be top performers<\/p>\n
Produce higher-quality work<\/p>\n
Are less likely to be sick or to be injured on the job<\/p>\n
Are less likely to change jobs<\/p>\n
More on this later. (These findings are intergenerational.)<\/p>\n
A 1958 study conducted by the late George Gallup found that Career WB is one of the major differentiators that helps us live into our 90s. As part of this classic \u201cold-age study,\u201d Gallup conducted in-depth interviews with hundreds of Americans who were 95 and older. While the standard retirement age for men in the 1950s was closer to 65, men who lived to see 95 did not retire until they were (7) ____ (50, 60, 70, 80) years old, on average. Even more remarkable, 93% of these men reported getting a great deal of satisfaction out of the work they did, and 86% reported having fun doing their job. (This study has been replicated several times and the results, which now includes females, have totally supported the 1958 research.)<\/p>\n
Because of past and present ongoing work force and thanks to the U.S. Army and Seligman (see Flourishing, 2011) a Global Assessment Toll has already demonstrated (more than 800,000 soldiers have taken it):<\/p>\n
As rank and experience go up, so does psychological fitness.<\/p>\n
As emotional fitness goes up, PTSD symptoms decline.<\/p>\n
As emotional fitness goes up, health care costs decline. (The U.S. military is spending billions of dollars annually on PTSD.)<\/p>\n
By 2012 the database will answer these questions:<\/p>\n
What strengths protect against suicide?<\/p>\n
Is optimism contagious from the commander to the troops?<\/p>\n
Does a high sense of purpose in life result in better physical health?<\/p>\n
Does high trust predict more posttraumatic growth?<\/p>\n
Who is best psychologically fit to serve as a leader?<\/p>\n
And more<\/p>\n
All of the research, technology, and proof that WB is a major factor in our careers exists and is available for application beyond the U.S. Army. Name a sheriff or a police chief who you think will be the first to implement a comprehensive police-officer fitness program.<\/p>\n
With a slight tweaking the database can tell us who is likely to be . . .<\/p>\n
A hard-working career-oriented cop<\/p>\n
An officer who obeys the rules<\/p>\n
An officer who is a team player<\/p>\n
A whole boss and not a bosshole<\/p>\n
More good news: all of the above is trainable. Since 2010, 150 U.S. Army sergeants have been coming to the University of Pennsylvania each month for eight days of residence training, which consists of (1) building mental toughness, (2) building psychological strength, and (3) building strong relationships.<\/p>\n
Recommendations for Career WB<\/p>\n
Find a career, an assignment, or a boss whereby every day you are able to use your signature strengths.<\/p>\n
Find a boss who will empower you. Empowerment is the key to engagement. No empowerment, no engagement!<\/p>\n
Find a leader who cares about you as a person and then work your heart out for him\/her. A caring boss is the second key to engagement.<\/p>\n
Every work day, write down five reasons to be thankful for your job.<\/p>\n
Return to the Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (Structured Exercise 7-1) and examine your score. Are you pleased or disappointed with it? Any surprises? How about the responses to the questions about your boss and the number of friends you have at work? Research has shown that, in order of significance, the better you do with Question 3, the higher your overall score. It discloses the degree to which you feel empowered to use your signature strengths. The second major influence is your relationship with your boss, and the third is the number of friends you have at work. (Daniel Goleman, the scientist who discovered emotional intelligence, refers to the boss\u2013employee relationship as the \u201cvertical couple.\u201d) Pay is not among the top three influences. Okay\u2014what five choices should you make to increase your career WB? Write them down and then take action.<\/p>\n
_____________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n
_____________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n
_____________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n
_____________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n
_____________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n
2. Social<\/p>\n
Findings<\/p>\n
If a friend of your direct connection is happy, the odds of your friend being happy increase by fifteen percent, and the odds of you being happy increase by (8) ____% (5, 10, 15), even if you don\u2019t know or interact with this second-hand connection. (Framingham Heart Study, 2008)<\/p>\n
An increase of $10,000 in annual income produced only a two-percent increase in happiness as compared to a three-degree-of-removal happiness-connection increase of (9) ____% (3, 4, 5, 6).<\/p>\n
When it comes to smoking, you are (10) ____% (41, 51, 61, 71) more likely to smoke if you have a direct connection with a smoker (compared with the likelihood based on chance). At the second degree of separation, you\u2019re still 29% more likely to smoke if your friend\u2019s friend is a smoker. And at the third degree, you are 11% more likely to smoke.<\/p>\n
Over time our diet and exercise habits mimic those of our friends. If your best friend is very active, it nearly (11) ____ (doubles, triples) your chance of having a high level of activity. We found that people with a best friend who has a very healthy diet are more than five times as likely to have a very healthy diet as well. Your best friend\u2019s diet is a stronger predictor than the dietary habits of your parents as to whether you have a healthy diet.<\/p>\n
Relationships serve as a buffer during tough times, which in turn improves our cardiovascular functioning and decreases stress levels. On the other hand, people with very few social ties have nearly (12) ____ (twice, triple) the risk of dying from heart disease and are (13) ____ (twice, three times) as likely to catch colds, even though they are less likely to have the exposure to germs that comes from frequent social contact. Results also revealed that it took almost (14) ____ (twice, three times) as long for wounds to heal for couples who reported having hostility in their relationship.<\/p>\n
Proximity matters! A friend who lives within a mile of you will likely have more influence on your WB than a friend who lives several miles away. Even your next-door neighbor\u2019s WB has an impact on yours.<\/p>\n
In addition to close relationships and proximity, the sheer amount of time we spend socializing matters. The data suggest that to have a thriving day, we need (15) ___ (2, 4, 6, 8) hours of social time. When we get at least ____ hours of daily social time, it increases our WB and minimizes stress and worry. The ____ hours includes time at work, at home, on the telephone, talking to friends, sending e-mail, and other forms of communication.<\/p>\n
A study of more than 15,000 people over the age of 50 found that among those who were socially active, their memory declined at less than half the rate of those who were the least social.<\/p>\n
Gallup research revealed (among 15 million subjects) that just thirty percent of employees have a best friend at work. Those who do are (16) ____ (4, 5, 6, 7, 8) times as likely to be engaged in their job, are better at engaging customers, produce higher quality work, have higher WB, and are less likely to get injured on the job. In sharp contrast, those without a best friend in the workplace have just a one in (17) ____ (9, 10, 11, 12) chance of being engaged. They found the single best predictor of WB at work is not what people are doing, but who they are with.<\/p>\n
Human beings are inevitably social, and it is our sociality that is our secret weapon. A cooperative group will bring down a malcontent more readily than an asocial group will. Our social WB depends on our collective abilities, not on our individual might.<\/p>\n
The 2008 Towers Watson global study found that 64% of people are engaged in their work. When Social WB teamwork was introduced, engagement increased to (18) ____% (68, 70, 75).<\/p>\n
Which of the following is the characteristic that differentiates a good team (high Social WB) from a breakthrough team (very high Social WB)? (A) Trust, (B) Communication, (C) Goal Setting, (D) Recognition, (E) Accountability. Answer (19) ____. This finding is from a 350,000 database and was collected during the depths of our Great Recession (2008\u20132009)!<\/p>\n
Many managers have turned to teamwork to save their floundering organization, but in only the most superficial way. What\u2019s missing? Social WB!<\/p>\n
Recommendations for Boosting Your Social WB<\/p>\n
Spend six hours a day socializing with friends, family, and colleagues (this time includes work, home, phone, e-mail, and other communication).<\/p>\n
Strengthen the mutual connections in your network.<\/p>\n
Mix social time with physical activity. For example, take a long walk with a friend so you can motivate each other to be healthy.<\/p>\n
Participate in annual team building.<\/p>\n
Increase recognition, gratitude, and appreciation for each other.<\/p>\n
3. Financial<\/p>\n
What we found was that financial security\u2014the (20) (fact, hope, perception) that you have more than enough money to do what you want to do\u2014has three times the impact of your income alone on overall well-being. Further, a lack of worry about money has more than double the impact of income on overall well-being.<\/p>\n
\u2014Gallup World Poll (2009)<\/p>\n
The outcome of wealth accumulation alone leads us astray. Focusing solely on this goal can even reduce our WB. There are plenty of people who make a lot of money but don\u2019t feel financially secure, and they worry about money regularly, which in turn drains their WB. Conversely, there are lots of people with a lower income who do feel financially secure and worry very little about money, which builds up their WB.<\/p>\n
Wealthier countries have citizens with higher WB. So although money doesn\u2019t guarantee happiness, being in a wealthy country certainly increases the odds of having a good life. (One hundred and thirty-two nations were included in this study.)<\/p>\n
Money can increase (21) ____ (short-term, long-term) happiness by giving us more control over how we spend our time, whether that means a shorter commute, more time at home with family, or additional social time with friends.<\/p>\n
When a team of Harvard researchers surveyed people about their spending on themselves, their spending on others, and their happiness, the team found that spending on oneself does not boost WB. However, spending money on others does, and it appears to be as important to people\u2019s happiness as the total amount of money they make. (Journal of Science, 2008)<\/p>\n
Even though we don\u2019t realize it, a bad mood could lead to a cascade of poor financial decisions. We spend the most when we feel the worst. So much for \u201cretail therapy.\u201d<\/p>\n
For years, traditional economists have assumed that people make rational decisions that are in their best interest. But the relatively new discipline of behavioral economics is proving otherwise. Which of the following two scenarios would you choose?<\/p>\n
An annual income of $50,000, while the people around you earn $25,000 a year.<\/p>\n
An annual income of $100,000, while the people around you earn $200,000 a year.<\/p>\n
Put either a 1 or a 2 here ____.<\/p>\n
Using a classic economic model, everyone should choose an income of $100,000 over $50,000. Instead, nearly half of those presented with these options picked the lower salary of $50,000. It seems that the amount of money we make or the size of our home is less relevant than how we compare to others\u2019 income and possessions.<\/p>\n
Credit cards act as a \u201cdecoupling device\u201d because they separate the joy of the immediate purchase from the pain of the payment, which is off in the distant future.<\/p>\n
Most people won\u2019t participate in a retirement plan if they have to consciously opt in. Research has shown that when a company requires employees to explicitly opt in to a retirement plan, most workers do not participate. But when the default is for employees to be automatically enrolled, more than (22) ____% (50, 60, 70, 80) participate in the retirement plan. This is referred to as a (23) ____ (rip-off, positive default, negative default).<\/p>\n
The annual household income needed to make Americans happy is (24) $________. Earnings above that have no further effect on contentment. (Time, 2011)<\/p>\n
Improving Your Financial WB<\/p>\n
Buy experiences such as vacations and outings with friends or loved ones.<\/p>\n
Spend on others instead of solely on material possessions for yourself.<\/p>\n
Establish default systems (automated payments and savings) that lessen daily worry about money.<\/p>\n
Engage in delayed gratification.<\/p>\n
4. Physical<\/p>\n
Having less than (25) ____ (4, 5, 6, 8) hours of sleep per night for seven nights is equivalent to a blood alcohol level of .10%.<\/p>\n
Findings<\/p>\n
Given the influence our genes have, it\u2019s easy to feel as if a lot of our health is beyond our control. However, new research is revealing that we might be able to control the expression of our genes. So even if you have a gene that predisposes you to a chronic disease, there are things you can do to either silence or amplify the expression of that gene. One study found that men who have a specific gene that predisposes them to prostate cancer were able to suppress the expression of this gene substantially by eating the equivalent of just one portion of (26) (a type of vegetable) per week.<\/p>\n
Scientists have thought that our genes are the only way biological traits are passed down through generations, but this conventional wisdom is turning out to be false. Instead, biologists are discovering that events during our lifetime can be passed on not only to our children, but also to future generations. This newly discovered phenomenon is known as (27) (sexual intercourse, luck, epigenetic inheritance, cognitive therapy). So as an added incentive for improving your own health for the next few hours, weeks, and months, consider that your lifestyle choices might also influence the health of your children and grandchildren.<\/p>\n
Our early ancestors maintained a (28) ____:____ (1:1, 2:1, 3:1) ratio of Omega 6 (found in meat and vegetable oils) to Omega 3 (from fish, nuts, and seeds). In Western countries, that ratio has spiked to as high as 20:1. In 2009, researchers fed healthy people a controlled diet that mimicked our early ancestors\u2019 diet to see if it would create physiological changes. They discovered that many critical signaling genes that promote inflammation (pain), autoimmune (diabetes), and allergic responses (asthma) were markedly reduced in just five weeks due to these dietary changes.<\/p>\n
Among 400,000 Americans surveyed in depth, only (29) ____% (20, 25, 27, 33) get the recommended thirty minutes or more of exercise five days per week. People who exercise at least two days a week are happier and have significantly less stress. Just (30) ____ (10, 15, 20, 25, 30) minutes of exercise can improve our mood for several hours after we finish working out. A Mayo Clinic publication states: \u201cA lack of energy often results from inactivity, not age.\u201d<\/p>\n
It might seem counterintuitive, but one of the best ways to combat fatigue is by exercising. We might use being too tired as an excuse to avoid working out, but that\u2019s the worst time to skip exercise. A comprehensive analysis of more than seventy trials found that exercising is much more effective than prescription drugs at eliminating fatigue.<\/p>\n
Getting a good night\u2019s sleep is like hitting a reset button. It clears our stressors from the day before. We now sleep an average of (31) ____ hours during a weeknight. This means that many of us are falling well short of the recommended (32) ___ to ___ hours of sleep per night. As a result, we move slower, have trouble concentrating, become forgetful, make bad decisions, are more irritable, show visible signs of sleeplessness, and are three times as likely to develop a cold. Worse yet, the European Heart Journal found that people who sleep less than six hours per night are 48% more likely to get heart disease and 15% more likely to have a stroke.<\/p>\n
Here are some economics of health: 1.5 billion people are not doing what they want to do today because of physical pain. Even in the United States, the percentage is alarmingly similar to this global average. In the United States, health care costs represent 16% of the total economy and are projected to reach 20% of the nation\u2019s GDP in the next decade. According to a Harvard study, in 2007 (33) ____% (42, 52, 62, 72) of all personal bankruptcies in the United States had a medical cause. Repeated studies have found that more than half of all health care spending in the United States is consumed by just 5% of the population. (34) ____% (25, 50, 75) of medical costs are due to largely preventable conditions (stress, tobacco use, physical inactivity, and poor food choices).<\/p>\n
What might be most encouraging is the speed at which healthy lifestyle changes can improve even the most chronic conditions. Researchers studying type-2 diabetes, for example, found that by being on a healthier diet, people could significantly reduce glucose, triglycerides, and cholesterol, while decreasing the use of prescription medication by 43%, in just (35) ____ (3\u00bd, 4\u00bd, 5\u00bd) months.<\/p>\n
The sun provides our skin with vitamin (36) ____ (A, B, D, C, E), also known as the \u201chappiness\u201d vitamin, which naturally increases the level of the feel-good chemical serotonin in the brain. Deficiency in this vitamin doubles the risk of heart attack and stroke, and is linked to diabetes and hypertension. It is estimated that (37) ____ (1\/3, 1\/2, 2\/3) of Americans don\u2019t get enough of it. For details, consult Alan Rubin, M.D., Vitamin D for Dummies (2011).<\/p>\n
The only state in our nation with an adult obesity rate below 20% is (38) ____ (Utah, Arizona, Colorado, California, Oregon).<\/p>\n
One in (39) ____ (5, 10, 15, 20) young adults (18\u201331 years) has high blood pressure (140\/90).<\/p>\n
While researching PTSD for the U.S. Army, Seligman discovered evidence that directly underscores Nietzsche\u2019s assertion: \u201cWhat does not kill me makes me stronger.\u201d His teams of researchers were shocked to find that people who experience a horrible event have more intense strengths (higher WB) than those who have not had such an experience. Moreover, people who\u2019d been through two awful events were stronger than those who\u2019d experienced only one. This is referred to as Post Traumatic Growth.<\/p>\n
Recommendations for Boosting Physical WB<\/p>\n
Get at least 20 minutes of physical activity each day, ideally in the morning, to improve your mood throughout the day.<\/p>\n
Sleep enough (generally seven to eight hours) to feel well-rested, but not too long (more than nine hours).<\/p>\n
Set positive defaults when you shop for groceries. Load up on natural foods that are red, green, and blue.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re into vitamins, be certain to include vitamin D.<\/p>\n
5. Community WB<\/p>\n
Findings<\/p>\n
Some volunteers get a \u201chelper\u2019s high\u201d\u2014they feel stronger, more energetic, and more motivated after helping others even in the smallest ways. When surveyed on this topic, more than 23,000 people\u2014nearly (40) ____ (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) in ten people\u2014reported getting an emotional boost from doing kind things for other people.<\/p>\n
Several studies have shown a strong link between altruistic behavior and increases in overall longevity.<\/p>\n
People with high Community WB make their interests known to friends, colleagues, and family members. Those with a vested interest actually have more to offer because of their knowledge and personal mission.<\/p>\n
As we mentioned above, donating money results in a greater return for our WB than buying material goods for ourselves. Neuroscientists have discovered that the regions of the brain that are activated when we receive money (based on MRI brain scans) glow even brighter when we give money.<\/p>\n
It concluded that (1) optimism is robustly associated with cardiovascular health, and pessimism with cardiovascular risk; (2) positive emotions are associated with protection from colds and flu, and negative moods with great risk for colds and flu; (3) highly optimistic people may have a lower risk for developing cancer; and (4) healthy people who have good WB are at less risk for death from all causes. (Seligman, Flourishing, 2011)<\/p>\n
As part of Gallup\u2019s global research, they routinely ask people if they have volunteered in the past month. Across 150 countries, they have found that people who are engaged in their career are (41) ___% to ____% (5 to 10, 10 to 15, 15 to 20, 20 to 25) more likely to give back to their community.<\/p>\n
For fifty years it has been fashionable within evolutionary theory to regard humankind as basically selfish and self-addictive, but \u201caltruism\u201d (e.g., Christians hiding Jews in their homes in Nazi-occupied European countries during WWII) has proven to be an explosive puzzle for the \u201cselfish\u201d theorists. The research quoted above is a clear case for altruism. By the way, what nation is the highest in charitable giving on a global basis? (42) ____ (Canada, Germany, Sweden, China, United States) Darwin puts it this way . . .<\/p>\n
A tribe including many members who, from possessing a high degree of the spirit of patriotism, fidelity, obedience, courage, and sympathy, were always ready to aid one another, and to sacrifice themselves for the common good, would be victorious over most other tribes, and this would be natural selection.<\/p>\n
Isn\u2019t he saying that community and teamwork are better than individualism and self-centeredness?<\/p>\n
Recommendations for Boosting Community WB<\/p>\n
Identify how you can contribute to your community, based on your personal mission.<\/p>\n
Tell people about your passions and interests so they can connect you with relevant groups and causes.<\/p>\n
Opt in to a community group or event. Even if you start small, start now.<\/p>\n
Happiness = Perma<\/p>\n
Happiness should not be approached as a destination, but rather as a healthy way we experience our travels. Briefly, leadership and happiness are processes, not fixed places. Overall, the facts of life and the dictum of science have shown that happiness (1) comes from doing rather than having, (2) is not a constant (\u201cthing can never go wrong\u201d), and (3) searches for new challenges and goals, or our life becomes dangerously boring. Happiness is far more than feeling good; it is helpful, healthy, and the centerpiece of strengths-based police leadership. The happiest police employees are those who are able to use their special strengths every day at work!<\/p>\n
Happiness is not a singular positive emotion; actually it is known as a hive or constellation emotion (e.g., joy, achievement, meaning, contributing, and more). We\u2019ll employ the PERMA formula for dealing with this potent part of well-being. All five of the PERMA components contain one or more structured exercises designed to move your happiness set point upward. The more you practice the exercises, the more likely you\u2019ll be happier, and so will the people around you. More good news: your well-being\u2014career, social, physical, financial, and community\u2014is also destined to robustly rise.<\/p>\n
P = Positive Emotions<\/p>\n
The first element in well-being theory is positive emotion (the pleasant life); we encourage you to become an active participant in capitalizing on the opportunities that come from positive emotions. The forthcoming exercises will give you several tools to become an active participant. In fact, by cultivating positive emotions, we are able to learn, grow, and flourish. Also, a locker filled with positive emotions can absorb the impact of the negative ones\u2014and police leaders get hit with a lot of emotional downers. By the way, one of the best responses to an incoming negative spear is to ask, \u201cDoes this really belong to me?\u201d<\/p>\n
Positive emotions actually can be valuable\u2014we think essential\u2014for a police leader, but many of us do not realize that we have the power to create them. We have the power to figure out what inspires us, what makes us laugh, and gives us hope. We\u2019re capable of setting up moments of genuine positivity for ourselves. Do not underestimate the benefits of doing this. Remember: the positive effects of your emotions are transmitted to the members of your work team.<\/p>\n
The first structured exercise below is presented as a one-time weekly event. To be effective, at least four weeks of practice are required. The one minute per day spent completing it will reap months of flourishing. We\u2019ve been using it for over three years. The second exercise (on gratitude) is one (if not the) of the most powerful of all well-being exercises. We use it in our police management training courses. It actually spans all five components of PERMA\u2014being grateful for, and expressing gratitude to, someone is a positive emotion, is engaging, fosters social relationships, is<\/p>\n
Structured Exercise 10-4 What Went Well<\/p>\n
Every morning this week, write down three things that went well yesterday and why they went well. Next to each positive event, answer the question \u201cwhy did this happen?\u201d<\/p>\n
Event Why<\/p>\n
Monday<\/p>\n
________________ ________________<\/p>\n
________________ ________________<\/p>\n
________________ ________________<\/p>\n
Tuesday<\/p>\n
________________ ________________<\/p>\n
________________ ________________<\/p>\n
________________ ________________<\/p>\n
Wednesday<\/p>\n
________________ ________________<\/p>\n
________________ ________________<\/p>\n
________________ ________________<\/p>\n
Thursday<\/p>\n
________________ ________________<\/p>\n
________________ ________________<\/p>\n
________________ ________________<\/p>\n
Friday<\/p>\n
________________ ________________<\/p>\n
________________ ________________<\/p>\n
_________________________________<\/p>\n
Structured Exercise 10-5 Exercising Your Gratitude<\/p>\n
The expression of gratitude is a kind of meta-strategy for achieving happiness. Gratitude is many things to many people. It is wonder, it is appreciation, it is looking at the bright side of a setback, it is fathoming abundance, it is thanking someone in your life, it is thanking God, it is counting blessings. It is savoring, it is not taking things for granted, it is coping, it is being present-oriented. Gratitude is an antidote to negative emotion and a neutralizer of envy, avarice, hostility, worry, and irritation. The average person, however, probably associates gratitude with saying thank you for a gift or a benefit received. We invite you to consider a much broader definition.<\/p>\n
Robert Evans, the world\u2019s most prominent researcher and writer about gratitude, defines it as \u201ca felt sense of wonder, thankfulness, and appreciation for life.\u201d You could strive to feel grateful by noticing how fortunate your circumstances are (and how much worse they could be), by calling an old mentor and thanking him for guiding you through one of life\u2019s crossroads, by relishing moments with your child, or by recalling all the good things in your life at present. The practice of gratitude can involve a focus on the present moment\u2014on appreciating your life as it is today and what has made it so\u2014or it can be a sense of appreciation for things past. It can also be thankfulness for future things (optimism).<\/p>\n
Expressing gratitude is a lot more than saying thank you. Emerging research has recently started to draw attention to its multiple benefits. People who are consistently grateful have been found to be relatively happier, more energetic, more hopeful, and they report experiencing more frequent positive emotions. They also tend to be more helpful and empathetic, more spiritual and religious, more forgiving, and less materialistic than others who are less predisposed to gratefulness. Furthermore, the more a person is inclined to gratitude, the less likely he or she is to be depressed, anxious, lonely, envious, or neurotic. At first these research findings were correlations, meaning that we did not know conclusively whether being grateful actually causes all those good things (or inhibits bad things), or whether possessing traits such as hopefulness, helpfulness, and religiosity simply makes people feel grateful. Fortunately, several experimental studies have now been done that causally link gratitude to mental and physical health rewards (including career rewards).<\/p>\n
Who do you know who is now living and deserves a word of gratitude from you? Think: who merits words of praise, appreciation, loyalty, trust, or whatever? Now write the first name of the person here _______________.<\/p>\n
Your assignment over the next several weeks is to convey your gratitude to that person. This is best done face-to-face, but a telephone conversation or handwritten letter is okay (no e-mail).<\/p>\n
Be certain to make notes about what transpired in your conversation. If in a work team, share with one another what happened. If you sincerely want to pump up your well-being, continue this exercise. Remember: who benefits the most? You do!<\/p>\n
very meaningful, and gives the giver an enormous feeling of accomplishment. This is an exercise that really good bosses, good supervisors, good parents, and good friends practice daily.<\/p>\n
E = Engagement<\/p>\n
Engagement occurs when we get so immersed in a project, an experience, a thought, that any connection to a time frame disappears. You\u2019ve probably experienced engagement\u2014as we have\u2014in a great movie, a great vacation, a great book, and in an application of one of your signature strengths.<\/p>\n
Engagement is different from positive emotion because if you ask someone who is engaged in an activity or thought process what he or she is thinking and feeling, the person will usually say, \u201cnothing.\u201d Engagement is frequently referred to as flow, because it occurs when your key strengths are deployed to meet the highest challenges that come your way. In flow we merge the challenge. When it comes to our career, flow is best described this way:<\/p>\n
If you love your job (if you are engaged in it) you\u2019ll never have to work a day in your life.<\/p>\n
Structured Exercise 10-6 Engagement<\/p>\n
List below your five key strengths. If you don\u2019t recall them, shame on you\u2014return to Chapter 1, where they\u2019re listed.<\/p>\n
________________________________<\/p>\n
________________________________<\/p>\n
________________________________<\/p>\n
________________________________<\/p>\n
________________________________<\/p>\n
This PERMA-building exercise should be completed in a few days. Find (or create if necessary) an opportunity to engage one of the five strengths in each of the five segments of your well-being. You may discover that you\u2019re engaging more often than you realize. Be certain to report how you felt at the time of application.<\/p>\n
Well-Being Engaged Signature Strength Emotion\/Flow<\/p>\n
Career _________________ _________________<\/p>\n
Social _________________ _________________<\/p>\n
Financial _________________ _________________<\/p>\n
Physical _________________ _________________<\/p>\n
Community _________________ _________________<\/p>\n
Stop. Think about what you have experienced\/learned and how it underpins your quest to be a strengths-based police leader.<\/p>\n
R = Relationships<\/p>\n
There is a wealth of evidence, both scientific and experiential, showing that our social relationships are the best predictors of happiness, high performance, and teamwork. So even though our basic instincts might entice us to turn inward, we should know better. In everyday life, at work, and at home, our social connections can prove the difference between succumbing to mediocrity and not achieving our fullest potential.<\/p>\n
Does it surprise you that a national survey of 24,000 workers found that those with few social ties are two to three times more likely to suffer from major depression than people with strong social bonds?<\/p>\n
In the volatile world of police work, positive social interactions provide a foundation for managing physical and psychological stress. Where police employees work in tight teams and where they find meaning in what they do together, they effectively combat turmoil. Why? Because it has been proven that those who invest in their social support system are significantly better equipped to thrive in even the most difficult circumstances, while those who withdraw from those around them essentially cut off every lifeline of protection they have available, at the very moment they need them the most.<\/p>\n
Some police supervisors we encounter believe that the path to success is one they must travel alone, but this is wrong. The most successful police supervisors we\u2019ve worked with know that they are better-equipped to make tough decisions when they pool their resources and capitalize on one another\u2019s signature strengths. Just as social support is a prescription for happiness and an antidote for distress, it is also a prime reason for achievement in police work.<\/p>\n
The more team members invest in their social networking, the better the results of their work.<\/p>\n
The Vertical Couple<\/p>\n
Of all the social ties we have at work, the boss\/employee relationship (what Daniel Goleman calls a vertical couple) is the single-most vital social bond you can cultivate at work. Studies have found that the strengths of the bond between supervisor and employee are the prime predictor of both the quantity and quality of work\u2014and the length of time people stay at their job. Exit interviews with police employees who have quit discovered the number-one reason was not a dislike of police work, terrible hours, or poor pay, but a bad supervisor.<\/p>\n
Some police supervisors do not put in the time required to forge strong connections with either other supervisors of their staff. The reasons given vary: not enough time, getting too close to those they command, and the belief that work is for work, not building a supportive relationship. In fact, the more a supervisor ignores the power of social investment, the more he\/she undermines both his\/her department\u2019s performance and his or her own performance as a potential strengths-based leader.<\/p>\n
Being There<\/p>\n
Building supportive work relationships does not require that the group become best friends or even like one another all the time; this is impossible. But what does matter is that there be mutual respect and authenticity. A leader does this by being there, both physically and emotionally, when someone is in need and during good times as well. Sharing upbeat news with a staff member is called capitalization because it helps multiply the benefits of the positive event and strengthen the nexus between them.<\/p>\n
Being there is a time commitment: time for team meals, team meetings, time for fun, and time for recognition and feedback\u2014gratitude. Gratitude sparks an upward spiral of individual relationship growth and injects social cohesion into the whole team. Obviously, the prior Structured Exercise 10-5 (Gratitude) applies here. The next well-being exercise has proven for us to be very helpful in advancing mutual support . . .<\/p>\n
Structured Exercise 10-7 Roll Call Pizza<\/p>\n
A while ago we witnessed a highly respected police supervisor\/leader bring two pizzas into roll call. She said to the twelve officers, While you\u2019re munching some savory pizza, I want you to pair up with one of your patrol partners (if it\u2019s an odd number, then one can join the sergeant) and convey something you\u2019re pleased with, happy about, proud of, would like known. The subjects can be work or non-work-related. While enjoying pizza, each pair exchanges their information. Afterward, one member of the pair tells the entire group what his or her partner had to say. Then it\u2019s the other person\u2019s turn to share his\/her partner\u2019s information. The whole process takes 15 minutes. It\u2019s fun, easy, informative, and great for team-building. Incidentally, this sergeant is now a lieutenant, and she plans to use this relationship-enhancement exercise with her new command of 47 officers on an all-hands quarterly meeting. By the way, she knows and is capitalizing on the signature strengths of each officer.<\/p>\n
Structured Exercise 10-8 A Meaningful Life<\/p>\n
Visualize the best possible future for yourself in any domain (career, social, financial, physical, and community) of your life you choose. Think about it and then write how you anticipate experiencing a meaningful life in the coming years. Envision yourself over the next five to twenty years, after everything has gone as well as it possibly could. You\u2019ve applied yourself and succeeded at accomplishing all your life goals. Think of this as the realization of your life\u2019s dreams\u2014accomplishing meaningful goals. Do this four times over four separate days. Each edition should take around 20 minutes and result in one solid paragraph. Put them away for a week and then read them one more time. What means a great deal to you right now and in your future, as well, should be a lot clearer. Good news: your well-being also will be boosted.<\/p>\n
M = Meaning<\/p>\n
You can have the best police job in the world, but if you can\u2019t find the meaning in it, you won\u2019t enjoy it! The fastest way to disengage a police employee is to tell him his or her work is meaningful only because of the pay check. All jobs are not equal in the eyes of others. But if you find a good reason to be engaged\u2014make the task meaningful\u2014then you feel a sense of purpose at the end of the work day. Only you can make police work meaningful; not someone or something else.<\/p>\n
Humans are unique among animals; chief among our uniqueness is our ability to be purposeful. As humans, we actually require a sense of meaning in order to thrive.<\/p>\n
Those who are flourishing are characterized by the ability to see what is good in and around them, while remaining grounded in reality. They are engaged in activities that they believe are meaningful and significant. They have discovered activities in which they can use their strengths. The more we can say yes to our meaning as a leader, the more we can say yes to our WB as a leader.<\/p>\n
A = Accomplishment<\/p>\n
Earlier, accomplishment was defined as skill \u00d7 effort. (While covered earlier, accomplishment merits more attention.) You can believe that you have high accomplishment and be dead wrong, even deluded. Accomplishment cannot just exist in your head\u2014you have to do something and then measure what you did. Note: accomplishment is often pursued for its own sake, even when it brings no positive emotion, no engagement, no positive relationships, and no meaning. This is referred to as the \u201cachieving life\u201d\u2014a life dedicated to accomplishment for the sheer sake of accomplishment.<\/p>\n
Structured Exercise 10-9 Accomplishment<\/p>\n
Listed below are the five domains that comprise our WB, along with the two components of accomplishment: skill and effort. This exercise will help you look diligently at the more powerful of the two components: effort. First, using percentages, allocate the application of your skills over the five domains. Second, again with percentages, allocate the effort you\u2019re currently expending on each domain (EC), then multiply the skills and effort. Third, think about where you plan to exert more effort per domain (EP). Record the percentage, then multiply it with the skills. Note the changes from EC to EP. What did you learn?<\/p>\n
Domain Skill \u00d7 Effort Current (EC) Score \u00d7 Effort Planned (EP) Score EC:EP Change<\/p>\n
Career __________ ___________ __________ ____________ __________ __________<\/p>\n
Social __________ ___________ __________ ____________ __________ __________<\/p>\n
Physical __________ ___________ __________ ____________ __________ __________<\/p>\n
Financial __________ ___________ __________ ____________ __________ __________<\/p>\n
Community __________ ___________ __________ ____________ __________ __________<\/p>\n
100% 100% 2000 100% 2000 Total*<\/p>\n
*The total change is the absolute difference (no minus or plus) difference between the EC and EP scores. The higher the score, the great the amount of effort you are displacing from domain to another.<\/p>\n
Our skill in the accomplishment formula depends on the rate and type of learning, and this includes our cognitive processes. Our effort includes the amount of time and energy we\u2019re willing to commit to achieving something we value. Is one of the two ingredients more powerful than the other? Well, yes! Research has confirmed that while our skill counts, our energy counts more when pursuing an accomplishment. To repeat in the way of emphasis, willpower, plus self-control, plus persistence, make the big difference in getting what we want. In a word, this is GRIT. The real leverage we have for a more achieving life is more energy.<\/p>\n
If you want WB, you will not get it if you care only about the getting. For WB, two things must be involved: (1) that it be a positive accomplishment, and (2) that it be measured. Achieving distance and not having a goal in mind is ridiculous.<\/p>\n
The Future of Well-Being<\/p>\n
We not only see Aristotle, Jefferson, and Seligman joyously shaking hands on their proposition that the pursuit of happiness is a natural human right, but we also see that there are several viable strategies for increasing our happiness to the point of flourishing. Thanks to a confluence of social and physical scientific efforts, we know more and more about boosting our WB in police work, police leadership, and in our life.<\/p>\n
We see the work accomplished in comprehensive fitness being enhanced and transferred into police work, and especially adding more strength to strengths-based leadership.<\/p>\n
We see happiness or WB as a natural human right being a part of policy making in business, government, and our daily work and life.<\/p>\n
Finally, we see an answer to Nietzsche\u2019s question: \u201cTo what can we say \u2018yes\u2019\u201d?<\/p>\n
We can say \u201cyes\u201d to more positive emotion.<\/p>\n
We can say \u201cyes\u201d to more engagement.<\/p>\n
We can say \u201cyes\u201d to better relationships.<\/p>\n
We can say \u201cyes\u201d to more meaning in life.<\/p>\n
We can say \u201cyes\u201d to positive accomplishment.<\/p>\n
Basically, we can say \u201cyes\u201d to more well-being.<\/p>\n
Check Up<\/p>\n
___________ 1. Happiness is an absence of all negative emotions. (True\/False) p. 146<\/p>\n
___________ 2. Seligman, Jefferson, and emphasize that happiness is a natural human right.<\/p>\n
Plato<\/p>\n
Aristotle<\/p>\n
Lincoln<\/p>\n
Madonna p. 146<\/p>\n
___________ 3. Leaders are usually well above average in<\/p>\n
height<\/p>\n
intelligence<\/p>\n
resiliency<\/p>\n
extroversion p. 147<\/p>\n
___________ 4. Which is not a part of PERMA?<\/p>\n
positive emotions<\/p>\n
empowerment<\/p>\n
positive relationships<\/p>\n
engagement p. 147<\/p>\n
___________ 5. Which is not one of our life\u2019s five domains?<\/p>\n
social<\/p>\n
physical<\/p>\n
community<\/p>\n
self-awareness p. 147<\/p>\n
___________ 6. The Losada Ratio of how many positive strokes it takes to overcome one negative experience is .<\/p>\n
one<\/p>\n
two<\/p>\n
three<\/p>\n
four p. 148<\/p>\n
___________ 7. Accomplishment = skill \u00d7 enthusiasm. (T\/F) p. 148<\/p>\n
___________ 8. Happiness is not a singular positive emotion. (T\/F) p. 157<\/p>\n
___________ 9. Engagement is different from positive emotions. (T\/F) p. 159<\/p>\n
___________ 10. is\/are the best predictor of happiness.<\/p>\n
positive emotions<\/p>\n
engagement<\/p>\n
meaning<\/p>\n
social relationships (p. 159)<\/p>\n
Strength Builders<\/p>\n
The timing is perfect to merge WB domains, PERMA, and your signature strengths. While a summation, it\u2019s best seen as a barometer for your WB now and the hopes you have for making it flourish.<\/p>\n
Instructions: On a scale of one (1) to five (5) (1 = low; 5 = high), rate yourself on the degree\/amount of application you have for each domain on PERMA and your strengths (insert your strengths on the space provided). For example, if you feel you are fully engaged in your career, then the response should be a five. If one of your strengths if, for example, \u201clove of learning\u201d and the use is low for physical, then the response might be a one or two. By adding up the vertical columns, you can discern a pattern of WB. The higher the score, the higher your WB and vice versa.<\/p>\n
WB: Inventory and Hope<\/p>\n
DOMAINS<\/p>\n
Career Social Financial Physical Community<\/p>\n
PERMA Positive Emotions <\/p>\n
Engagement <\/p>\n
Relationships <\/p>\n
Meaning <\/p>\n
Accomplishments <\/p>\n
STRENGTHS 1. <\/p>\n
2. <\/p>\n
3. <\/p>\n
4. <\/p>\n
5. <\/p>\n
TOTALS <\/p>\n
Flourishing = 201+ Happy Camper = 174\u2013200<\/p>\n
All\u2019s WELL = 101\u2013174 Not Happy = 76\u2013100<\/p>\n
Miserable = 50\u201375<\/p>\n
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS<\/p>\n
In Domains 1\u20135<\/p>\n
Domain 1 Career WB Domain 2 Social WB Domain 3 Financial WB Domain 4 Physical WB Domain 5 Community WB<\/p>\n
1.\u2002Two<\/p>\n
2.\u200266%<\/p>\n
3.\u2002Monday<\/p>\n
4.\u2002Two<\/p>\n
5.\u2002Boss<\/p>\n
6.\u2002One percent or 1 in 100<\/p>\n
7.\u200280<\/p>\n
\u2002<\/p>\n
8. 10%<\/p>\n
\u20029. 6%<\/p>\n
10. 61%<\/p>\n
11. Triples<\/p>\n
12. Twice<\/p>\n
13. Twice<\/p>\n
14. Twice<\/p>\n
15. Six<\/p>\n
16. Seven<\/p>\n
17. Twelve<\/p>\n
18. 75%<\/p>\n
19. Recognition<\/p>\n
20.\u200260%<\/p>\n
21.\u2002Sort term<\/p>\n
22.\u200280%<\/p>\n
23.\u2002Positive default<\/p>\n
24.\u2002$75,000<\/p>\n
25.\u2002Five<\/p>\n
26.\u2002Broccoli<\/p>\n
27.\u2002Epigenetic inheritance<\/p>\n
28.\u20022:1<\/p>\n
29.\u200227%<\/p>\n
30.\u200220<\/p>\n
31.\u20026.7<\/p>\n
32.\u2002Seven to eight. Researchers have found that both short (5\u20136 hours) and long (9\u201310 hours) sleep periods can cause health issues.<\/p>\n
33.\u200262%<\/p>\n
34.\u200275%<\/p>\n
35.\u20024\u00bd<\/p>\n
36.\u2002D<\/p>\n
37.\u20022\/3<\/p>\n
38.\u2002Colorado<\/p>\n
39.\u2002Five<\/p>\n
40.\u2002Nine<\/p>\n
41.\u200220\u201330%<\/p>\n
42.\u2002(E) United States<\/p>\n
STRENGTH FIVE Self-Control<\/p>\n
Have you ever worked with\u2014or worse yet, for\u2014a person who either lacked or lost self-control? We have\u2014and we didn\u2019t like it! It made us feel uncomfortable, uncertain, and even scared. Let\u2019s face it: when you lose self-control, you at once lose your ability to lead. In other words, leading others and not mastering and maintaining your self-control is virtually impossible.<\/p>\n
Strengths-based leaders are known and admired for their consistent exercise of self-control. Will power evolved because it was crucial for our ancestors to get along with the rest of the clan, and for someone to step forward\u2014and based on inner discipline\u2014lead that clan.<\/p>\n
Our willpower has made us the most adaptable creatures on the planet, and we\u2019re rediscovering how to help one another use it. We\u2019re learning, once again, that self-control is the strength that sets our species apart, that makes each one of us strong, and makes some of us strengths-based leaders.<\/p>\n
Until fairly recently, most people relied on maintaining self-control by outsourcing it to their religion, family, and friends. Now some of us have turned to smart phones, to Web sites, and to social networks linked electronically to enhance our self-discipline.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, more and more of us have come to recognize that weak willpower is central to personal, social, and work-related issues. Self-control is ultimately essential for much more than leading others. It\u2019s essential for savoring time at work and sharing the joy of police service with your team members.<\/p>\n
Charles Darwin wrote in The Descent of Man, \u201cThe highest possible stage in moral culture is when we recognize that we ought to control our thoughts.\u201d However, in the twentieth century, many psychologists and philosophers doubted willpower even existed. Scientists of the twenty-first century have discovered it in the laboratory, with neurologists pinpointing where it physically exists in our brain. They have concluded that it gives us strength to persevere and that we lose self-control as our willpower is depleted. Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney wrote in Willpower that \u201cWillpower, like a muscle, becomes fatigued from overuse, but can also be strengthened over the long term through exercise.\u201d<\/p>\n
The chapter that follows will tell you how to improve your willpower and thus your leadership. (Incidentally, our inner discipline has become one of the most intensely studied topics in the physical and social sciences.)<\/p>\n
A lot of our willpower is linked to our habits. Researchers have found that more than 40% of the actions we perform each day aren\u2019t actual decisions\u2014which require willpower\u2014but are in fact habits. Habits emerge because the brain is always searching for ways to save effort. The brain will try to make almost any routine into a habit, because habits permit our mind to gear down and relax. This effort-saving instinct creates an efficient brain, which helps us to stop thinking constantly about basic behavior (e.g., walking, bathing, eating). A habit consists of a three-step loop that tells the brain when to cede control to a habit, and which habit to use. Habits shape our lives far more than we realize. Habits are so strong, in fact, that they cause our brain to cling to them at the exclusion of all else, including common sense!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Chapter 10 Happiness . Happiness is the core of our well-being. Typically, happiness is related to our objective circumstances, but it also depends on how we think and feel about these conditions. Happiness encompasses our well-being and our evaluation of the five important domains of life: career, social, financial, physical, and community. These domains add […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[10],"class_list":["post-80451","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-research-paper-writing","tag-writing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/papersspot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80451","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/papersspot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/papersspot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/papersspot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/papersspot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=80451"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/papersspot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80451\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/papersspot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=80451"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/papersspot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=80451"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/papersspot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=80451"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}