We love Unhappiness? Do we? Really?

One thing I have learnt in my 32 year life is that humans are most insecure, dissatisfied and whining fellows. We just don't know how to be Happy or rather we just don't want to be Happy. I mean a few days ago I was playing the Age of empire, a strategic game. You build farms, food, infrastructure, you build your empire, make friends, allies and what not. Eventually after I spent around 8 days building a good set of empire, I started feeling uneasy, I decided to build an army, I wanted to grow my power, money and designation in the game. I was unhappy about them and I wanted to do more... In turn I made a few allies, attacked others. Huh? Tension grows.. wars, battlefields, blood... Darn it, even in a game? One can just not stay happy.

No??? tell me one game you have played that where you are happy and you keep playing? Lets take caveman.. once he is reaching his destination after playing all those difficult levels.. the Game ends... For that matter even the movies... it starts all good, romantic then some blunders and unhappiness, sadness and then the moment you get to be Happy the movie ends. Huh?

I think we humans are trained to become unhappy :). OK OK.. I am not teaching you about happiness here. Last when I wrote about Happiness quotient I emphasized on this part. In fact when I asked the question If I am happy years ago, I learnt I tried to be one. Well we spent most of our times at work, and hence work plays an important role in our happiness.

A few years ago the place I worked got me the experience of happy and unhappy people. I still remember the lessons and I have to say I am happy I learnt them. A few days ago I overheard someone whining to others about morning, traffic, day, office, parking, work, salary, job, role and I don't know what not, it made me feel he/she was not Happy. Since I wrote in my previous post about it, I asked the person what is it that is keeping him blocked? Why is he/she not able to enjoy work, be a part of the momentum or create one? I guess the answer I would say as for all whining lords was missing.

Unhappiness is an attitude, that gets more and more deeper into you. The more time you stay unhappy, the more your attitude turns ugly. It reaches a level where you have no turning back. I think over period I have realised that several companies spend their energies not in making their workforce happy... they spend there effort on working to not have them unhappy. The later is disastrous. I have experienced it, the more you try the more it grows, because the one's that are unhappy will always be unhappy. But don't get disappointed some psychology experts have figured out that Love can help improvise the situation.

Love...

Ask yourself, your teams, people who surround you to answer the following questions and actions:

1. Do you love the people you work with? If not what will make you love them?

2. Do you think the people you work with love you? If not what is it you think can make them love you?

3. Do you love what you do? If not what do you love to do? and can you tell the people you love on what you want to do?

4. Do you enjoy what you do?

5. Do you tell what you are unhappy about others?

6. Do you tell yourself what you are unhappy about?

7. Do you like to admit your mistakes? Do you like to improvise?

8. Do you think love can make a difference?

9. Do you love to be happy? If not unhappy? insecure?

10. Do you enjoy love and being loved?

Ask these and a few more, confront, talk, speak, learn and yes Love. Happiness at the place you spend most of your time is as important as oxygen. If you cant be happy and you have not made any efforts to be happy, you maybe on the path to be a whiner or a looser. Lets change path. Lets find ways to be Happy with people you are surrounded with.

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What is it like to have a healthy workspace?

Some body asked a question on Quora .. on how to create a healthy work environment with respect to the workspace not a cultural aspect included really... reminded me of a post written way back in September on Healthy Environments But I think that is not enough.. I missed to cover the healthy workspace issue for which I am fighting and struggling now for almost months.. So what is a healthy workspace structure?

Free Will
A structure that helps engineers or team members push their chairs and roll to the desk of his pair or team mate. A structure that will help the engineers to freely move in and around the office. No heavy cubicle structures, no heavy barriers. I really think the studio type structures helps free space all over and also effects the luxury to have a free will space for the engineers. Of course if you are not a development team and you have clients and customers visiting you very often, it doesn't make sense to have this type of structure. In such cases better keep a separate space a bit away from the development section.

Loads of NON CHAIR related sitting arrangements
Sofa, cushions, bean bags , lazy rolls help the engineers take a break from the regularly back-aching chairs.. A set of bean bags lying around helps people to pick there laptops and start working from there.. of course helps the teams light approach.

Fun
A bit of fun, jokes around is very much required. People obsessed with silence and concentration phobia are the only blockers, but there is always this need to get them involved. Fun activities needs to be done only in the workspace and not in conference rooms.. I sometimes prefer gatherings and announcements in the open areas.. so other teams can also have a glimpse of it. Builds a liking towards a team as a whole..

The bit of Noise
Light music is always inspiring, people talking , debating around is highly effective. If you have everyone with their headsets on listening to their own choices of music it is like working in a graveyard. I also prefer rotational DJ's unfortunately not many takers always. A central music system lets you learn choices of people.. helps people go and ask DJ to demand for specific music to be played.

UnPrivate Affairs
NO to Cubicles and cabins.. If managers and leads are going to sit in cabins, they are away from what is happening. Not that you should be placed to supervise / monitor people.. but been with the team helps you understand the day to day issues. You will always find leaders sitting with teams to be more interactive and pleasant than ones sitting in cabins.. of course not to forget you have to face those meaningless cribbers who whine about everything and some scared goats who cannot give you feedback openly. Who cares for them anyways?

Loaded Interactions
Promote and prosper the culture of open interactions.. I always like to jump into conversations and talk about things.. this helps build a good rapport and understanding of people's principles, values and attitudes. No matter people call you nosy or not.. ensure that open interactions are a part of your culture.

A decent floor plan for an interactive agile team

Smiling faces
If there are none.. you were as well good at those government offices with fat bellies all around you.

Visible walls
Have walls that puts Team events, status of teams work and agile boards.. of course visible to everyone. Try to not keep these walls with stale data.. a stale wall represents the laziness of the team.

Play areas 
Small areas where you can play a short few handy games.. like a mini cycle, a game of one touch cricket, a bit of golf etc. Rolling soft toys, balls and gadgets whats the harm if you have a developer with a barbie doll on his desk?

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A Healthy environment!!!

The success of your teams depend on how healthy environment you create for them to work. A healthy environment is where they speak there mind without hesitation, where they move around without fear, where they challenge , where they question, where they ask, where they demand.

A healthy environment empowers freedom , Innovation , fun and laughter.. above all it develops a respect within.. The Team that likes each other is the Team that moves forward. The Team that loves each other is the Team that knows how to win.

A healthy environment spreads the positivity in the Team and helps people understand and achieve greater goals.

So if you are a part of any Team.. see how you can build a healthy environment.. an environment where problems and issues are seen as opportunities. Where troubles are seen as a way to gather experience, where pressure is seen as a way to relax, where learning is seen as oxygen, where Innovation is seen as life.

Lets build one for ourselves, and one for all of you wherever you are!!!!

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