Keep it Positive in the Workplace, Brandi Advises

5. Create connection to people and purpose — a “cause.” There are three phases to happiness, Brandi noted: pleasure, engagement and meaning. Meaning is connected to something, because it gets people attached to the cause.

6. Shift from “power over” to “power with.” The old “my way or the highway” attitude among managers still exists in some form at many companies, she pointed out. “Believe in employees’ brilliance,” she advised. “Everybody teaches, everybody learns. Master the art of letting go.”

7. Use positive leadership practices. Managers tend to get locked into a negative model, Brandi said, and can only see what’s wrong. Honor the place that negative thinking has in business, but get over worshiping that place, she said. Five times more energy comes out of positive feedback. And there’s a clear link between positive emotions and longevity on the job.