Page 245 - How Great Leaders Build Abundant Organizations That Win

WHAT DELIGHTS ME? (CIVILITY AND HAPPINESS)

of which we have enough and to spare. Employees who find
delight at work are often employees who stick around, who
make a difference, and who invest their discretionary energy
in the creative and challenging aspects of work.
When we talk to leaders about the ideas in this book,
the idea of making room for delight sticks. It smacks of cre-
ativity, playfulness, pleasure, and fun. It is approachable,
reachable: “I’m going to bake cookies and take them to work
tomorrow—that’ll shock people!” “I’m going to learn more
people’s names, and not just the people above me on the
organizational chart.” “I’m getting a book on tape for the
commute home and turning off the talk radio.” “I want to
thank someone sincerely every day.” “I am going to have
a dress down day at the office.” “I am going to begin staff
meetings with a good news, non-work-related moment.”
These simple choices remind them that harder choices can
also be broken down into more manageable pieces, that
they are not alone, that they have a capacity for creativity
and change that doesn’t emerge only when strong-armed by
relentless production schedules or hefty rewards.
Delight is not just about jokes or cookies, although it is
about jokes and cookies. Delight is about noticing little
things, breaking out of ruts, feeding creativity. Delight is
about appreciation, about beauty, about playfulness and
fun. Delight is picking up the cell phone to check in—or
maybe turning off the cell phone to check out. Delight is
doing someone a favor, choosing a new screensaver for our
computer, taking day-old bread to a battered-women’s shelter,
picking berries with the kids. Delight is about appreciating
and learning from people who come from different back-
grounds and cultures. Delight may start with a leader’s sense
of humor or from a group of employees who find joy at work.

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