Why Cheerfulness Can Be a Powerful Leadership Trait
"Cheerfulness, gracefulness, silence, self-control, purity of intent, these are called penance of the mind." Bhagavad Gita 17.16
Happiness is about more than objective wealth or what you do in life--it's about your perspective, and about how you react to things that happen around you.
Even a king may be constantly grumbling but a pauper could be cheerful always. Possible because “Happiness is a state of mind”.
We have seen this in Mahabharath and Ramayan. Dhritharashtra felt unhappy that his justful right to be coronated as the king was taken away from him, but he did not find his happiness even after becoming the king. After becoming the king, he started worrying about retaining the power for his son(s). After his son Durydhana was appointed as the 'prince', he started worrying about the prospect of war with the powerful pandavas. He never managed to be happy until his death. Lord Rama on the contrary remained cheerful even when his right to be the king was taken away from him unjustly and was banished to the forest for 14 long years.
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Happiness is a State of Mind
Some people constantly worry about something or the other like Dhritharashtra. They worry if it rains, worry if it does not rain as well. I jokingly refer to them as those who 'get up daily with their list of worries and at times worrying about nothing to worry for the day'.
Happiness isn't about reaching a destination or achieving a goal; it's about enjoying the journey that is life. Staying grateful for what you have, focused on the present, and a positive outlook can help you finally unlock the happiness you deserve.
We like people who have a cheerful outlook, who have something positive to say. We’re less keen on those who moan all the time, because they drag others down with them.
Humour is a big part of our daily lives; it oils communication and relationships and is often used to lighten things up. We like friends who make us laugh, and on those occasions when we just can’t stop laughing, we finally emerge from the experience feeling a whole lot better!
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'Being Cheerful' Feels Better… and It is Better, for Your Heart, Mind, and Body!
Being cheerful has long been understood to influence happiness at work and therefore productivity. Cheerful leaders broadcast confidence and capability. Would you like to work for a cheerful boss or a gloomy and moody boss? We don’t need to run a survey for this.
Making your organization a happy place to go to work is an essential component to the successful long-lasting business.
Britain’s Royal Navy is known for consciously and carefully fostering cheerfulness as culture in the organization. Cheerfulness and storytelling are two important skills inculcated in Royal Navy among many other softer skills.
Andrew St George authored a book 'Royal Navy Way of Leadership', the British Navy’s standard leadership manual, commissioned by the Commander in Chief of the Royal Navy and issued to 15,000 personnel. He wrote about 'cheerfulness' as a distinct culture carefully cultivated in Royal Navy.
"I spent long spells at sea on all types of vessel; I followed officer training with the Surface Fleet and with the Royal Marines. Never have I found a more cheerful, consistent, and yet flexible and innovative working environment" Andrew wrote in his book.
The Royal Navy assiduously records how cheerfulness counts in operations. For example, in 2002 one of its ships ran aground, triggering the largest and most dangerous flooding incident in recent years. The Royal Navy’s investigating Board of Inquiry found that "morale remained high" throughout demanding hours of damage control and that "teams were cheerful and enthusiastic", focusing on their tasks; "sailors commented that the presence, leadership, and good humor of senior officers gave reassurance and confidence that the ship would survive".
Royal Marine commanders understand particularly well that cheerfulness is fuelled by humour. The practice of "banter"—a peculiarly British form of playful, gently mocking, communication—is also openly encouraged as an upbeat and informal way to regulate relationships and break down hierarchy. Banter occurs at all ranks and quite often between them.
It is not surprising that four ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name "HMS Cheerful".
An interesting story especially for the "worry wasters".
Once upon a time, an affluent and successful businessman lived in a city. Though he had everything he wanted, he could not find happiness. He went to a sage for advice. How did the sage help the man to find the elusive happiness? We will see in the next blog.
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