LM Jan 2024

Change requires the LEADER to buy in 100 percent

for there to be any chance of success.

benefits of happiness. I asked them, why wouldn’t you participate if I could change your life by making you a happier person and help you live longer?

I think most of us have learned a lot in our careers about what it takes to implement real change, what works and why our great ideas fail. Change requires the LEADER to buy in 100 percent for there to be any chance of success. I knew I had to lead the charge, to be the cheerleader and to keep reinforcing the message whenever possible. I needed our employees to learn about the research and see the potential benefits that happiness could bring to their individual lives. They needed to believe and see that being happy would make them a better spouse, parent, Havana #126 employee and how that would make their school and the district better. Mr. Achor provided seven principles to help individuals become happier in his book. We challenged everyone doing the book study to choose one principle and follow it for 30 days. The focus of the first year was on helping individuals evaluate themselves, their happiness and to make an effort to gain all the advantages that happiness brings. It took all year for the administrators to work all of their building personnel through the book studies. I knew this initiative could be different and that I needed to take a more

little note thanking them for the work they do and that I hoped this small gift made them smile. Research shows we all like to get things/gifts. Silicone bracelets are another super cheap gift and a way to reinforce the message. I passed out bracelets in school colors that reminded employees every day to Focus on the Positive, See the Good and BE HAPPY!!! Next, it was little yellow smiley face bouncy rubber balls that showed up on their desks with another message of thanks and appreciation for all that they do. I am pretty tight with a district dollar, so I am telling you that you can find very inexpensive things that help reinforce the message. At the mid and end of the year institutes when I always address the team, I would also pass out lottery scratch off tickets (that I purchased myself) to those wearing their bracelets. I had to stop that practice because it was getting too expensive. I started sending all employees emails in the months that didn’t have a gift to update

them on things I was working on to make our district better and using the opportunity to let them know how much I valued them and how they were the ones making the

active role than I ever had before. I kept promoting happiness and the message by doing little things for our employees every couple months. I went online and ordered 150 little rubber ducks (we are the Havana Ducks) and left them in every employee’s space with a

Focus on the Positive, See the Good and BE HAPPY!

Happy people live longer

continued...

27 LM January 2024