Savouring the Positive at Work

Savouring the Positive at Work

Savoring the Positive at Work --- And why it helps the bottom line.

Remember that time your head designer did a spot-on imitation of the mother of the bride? Or when a customer called to say thank you between tears for the funeral arrangement? What about that all-nighter the entire staff pulled when a snowstorm threatened Valentine's Day?   These are the memories you should hold onto when work starts to drag you down (and everyone else seems to be on vacation), says organizational management professor Bret L. Simmons in this blog post about savoring the positive�and noticing it in others�at work.

Here are just a few suggestions on how to develop our capacity to savor at work:

Slow down enough to find the positive in your daily routine and activities. Find a way to appreciate and enjoy the seemingly mundane part of your work. Strive to bask in the feeling of accomplishment with the little things before you rush on to the next task. Find the excellence in the things that you and others do daily.
Celebrate good news. If you are the leader, make sure you do this as often as possible for your folks. If your leader is not doing this for you, do it for yourself. I am constantly on the lookout for ways to reward myself with some dark chocolate or my favorite beer.
Replay great days in your mind. No need to analyze that day, just replay it. What did you do, how did you feel? Did your great day involve doing great things for others? If so, can you remember the look on their faces or what they said to you?
Reminisce with colleagues. Remember that fantastic leader we used to work for? How about that time we impressed the socks off a customer and won new business? My first dean never missed an opportunity to tell me �You know, you were NOT our first choice for this job.� That still cracks me up and I tell that story to a lot of my colleagues.
Transport yourself to the time when you will accomplish your goal. How will you feel? How will you celebrate? How will you accomplishing this goal help those you have been given the privilege to lead?
Focus daily on your larger purpose. Maintain perspective. Daily savor why you do what you do and why it matters so much.

Consider it a responsibility to develop these positive capacities in you. Be a role model, and see what you can do to help others develop their own positive capacities.