Mikolaj's Monday Maunder - Languishing or flourishing?

Inspiration and lessons for your leadership journey!

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“New research into happiness, though, demonstrates that it can be lastingly increased.”
~ Martin “Marty” Seligman ~
Father of Positive Psychology

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Our opening quote was written in Marty’s bestselling book, Authentic Happiness, in 2002 and yet in that same year, researchers from Emory University reported:

• 50% of adults experience some sort of serious mental illness in their lifetime.
• 30% of adults currently meet the criteria for languishing or individuals with incomplete mental health; with low well-being living lives of emptiness, stagnation, and quiet despair.
• Less than 20% of adults meet the criteria for flourishing or individuals with complete mental health; with high levels of all three well-being factors (emotional, psychological, and social).

But why should any leader care about whether their team members (students, coworkers, etc.) are languishing or flourishing?

What the statistics tell us is that, on average, if you have ten team members or students in your classroom, three of them are languishing and suffering and only two of them are fully flourishing and doing well.  That leaves the other five team members or students to fall somewhere in between the two poles and they are only moderately mentally healthy.

It will be difficult and unlikely any of us can build a high-performing team with 80% of team members functioning at less than full mental health or flourishing.

In addition to the suffering and impaired social functioning, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality cites a cost of nearly $60 billion in 2006 for mental healthcare in the US – equivalent to the cost of cancer care.  But unlike cancer, much of the economic burden of mental illness is not the cost of care, but the loss of income due to absenteeism, decreased productivity, unemployment, expenses for social supports, and a range of indirect costs due to a chronic disability that usually begins early in life.

So, what can you do?  Like Marty says, happiness and flourishing can be lastingly increased.  As leaders from many paths, it is our responsibility to care for our team members and help them in any way that we can.

There are many ways outlined in Marty’s book or in my latest book, A Travel Guide to Leadership.  Those of you who read this blog are probably aware of many of the big ones such as, nurturing gratitude, forgiveness, dealing with ANTs (automatic negative thoughts), living in the present moment (as opposed to a negative past or future orientation), practicing mindfulness, prayer, or meditation, and; performing acts of love and kindness. 

In addition, the most seriously suffering should seek professional mental healthcare and as leaders we can support and encourage that in a myriad of ways.

As you go about your work with your team this week, ask yourself, “Are each of my team members languishing or flourishing?”

If you like this week's blog, I encourage you to share it with your family, friends, and colleagues and join me on my journey to empower and inspire millions of people around the globe.

Together we can spread words of Encouragement, Inspiration, Empowerment, and Loving Leadership!

Together we can make a difference!

Thank you and…

Have an amazing journey today!

Alan

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