Making Someone Happy

There is an old truism that goes something like this: "No one can make you happy but you." Even though I myself have said that to others and I have heard lots of others express that sentiment over the years, I confess to never have fully embraced it. For instance, if someone were to give me a million dollars, then their fingerprints would certainly be all over the happiness I would be feeling. But if that same person, instead, just slapped me across the face, then my negative feelings would definitely be due to them. My point is emotions we feel are influenced by forces outside ourselves. While at times we may choose to feel happy, sad, angry, etc., to deny the impact of what others say and do has on us is to simply deny reality.

I mention this as recently I learned of a survey conducted by Gallup in which it was found that nearly 70 percent of members the workforce are unhappy with their jobs. These men and women suit up everyday with little more on their minds than doing what they have to do to get through their eight hours behind their desks or on the assembly line. What an awful way to live! Yet, according to the survey, this is the reality of the average American worker. To me, it points to the sorry state of both leadership and communication in the work place. Competent and caring leaders can make a significant difference in the work lives of those who report to them. Also, how well those same leaders communicate with their subordinates can also help turn lemon into lemonade for their staffs. 

As has been pointed out by such people as Abraham Maslow and others, people have a need to feel good about themselves, feel appreciated, and believe what they are doing makes a positive difference. Effective communicating can help workers meet these basic and important needs. Further, professional communicators can play a key role in this effort. They can focus on devising internal  programs designed to enhance the level of interaction between management and workers, highlight the achievements of the workers, and help coach bosses on ways to show how greatly they appreciate those who report to them. Without question, such initiatives can greatly enhance morale within any organization as well as help raise the entity's overall level of productivity.