How to Be a Positive Leader

Foreword

Shawn Achor

author of The Happiness Advantage and Before Happiness

In one of my earliest attempts to bring leadership research into companies, I was invited to Zurich by a large Swiss bank during the economic crisis to give a lecture on Positive Leadership in Uncertain Times. Instead of reading my short bio, a disgruntled senior leader, who had been forced by the Human Resources (HR) Department to introduce my session, came to the front of the room and said, “Hello. As you know, we don’t have bonuses for everyone, but here is a talk on happiness … from a guy from America.”

You can imagine the response. There was immediate nonverbal stonewalling from these cool, reserved Swiss bankers. Honestly, I was already nervous for this talk. I ...