I’m just back from a week in Scotland. We stayed with good friends in Edinburgh and took in a number of Fringe shows… then it was three days by Loch Lomond, revisiting where I lived for an amazing few years up to the age of 8. I‘m back feeling both energised and relaxed. I feel alive!
And now I’m thinking about September and that long run up to Christmas. Darker evenings, worsening weather. I’m planning my marketing and business development activities and getting my head around the workshops and programmes I’m working on… I feel excited about the prospects and look forward to getting together with colleagues in Nottingham, London and overseas in the coming months. Yes, I still feel alive, I’m looking forward to giving of my best and really engaged by what I do.
According to Dan Cable, London Business School Professor and Author, that makes me fortunate. In his book, Alive at Work, he quotes research from Gallup (US and global polls) that show about 80% of workers don’t feel they can be their best at work and 70% are not engaged at work.
Our Organisations are letting us down
“I wonder what my soul does all day when I’m at work”
- Graffiti seen in London
It’s not for want of trying. People want to feel motivated. They seek meaning from their jobs. Dan quotes examples of ‘the way things ought to be’ which provides insights into ways that people can be engaged and be their best selves at work.
There’s some really interesting brain science in the book. The evidence is really well (and simply) presented. It helps us understand what happens to us in an environment where policies and structures activate our ‘fear systems’ and deactivate our ‘seeking systems’. Our seeking systems are where the good stuff happens; when activated we feel more motivated, purposeful, and zestful. That’s a much better outcome than learned helplessness – where people learn how to shut off and just take it.
Dan draws on decades of work and research around Positive Psychology. He presents three triggers for seeking system activation and gives clear examples of how they work and how we can use them. As Dan outlines, “the basic benefits of an activated seeking system are easy to see: when we’re excited and follow our body’s intrinsic urge to learn new things, the world feels like a better place to live, and we become more creative and productive. And we perform better, too.”
I’m fortunate in my work that I am always working on activating people’s seeking systems; it’s a natural part of facilitation and coaching.
In writing this I have a question in mind for those who employ others; “Is your business organised so that your people can bring their best selves to work?”
You might want to consider what that looks like - listen to Dan explain this during his TEDx talk at the London Business School. It’s a worthwhile 14 minute investment.
In the interests of openness, I should point out that I am certified by Dan Cable’s company, Essentic, to use The Point Positive Assessment, part of The Positive Method, in the design and delivery of programmes I facilitate and coach.
The Positive Method from Essentic is designed to release untapped individual and corporate potential in your team. Some of the world’s most respected brands and institutions work with Essentic to:
Develop strengths based leadership
Increase employee engagement
Stimulate experimentation and innovation
Promote a positive workplace culture
Boost creativity and problem solving skills