Arthur Brooks, PhD

It’s difficult to get a seat in Professor Arthur Brooks’ MBA happiness class at Harvard, according to the Wall Street Journal. As political polarization gets crazy and workers face burnout, Brooks explains how happiness is an effective productivity tool, and how leaders can avoid the hyperpolarizing political pitfalls being experienced by Disney and others.

Brooks is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of Strength to Strength and Love Your Enemies. In this podcast, we discuss why happiness at work is finally taking center stage and why you need to tell the hateful minority to back off.

 

 

A Happiness Course

Brooks explains that only within the last 20 years or so, have we been able to access data around the impact happiness has at work, and just how controllable it is. Many people still don’t know you can directly impact your own happiness with lifestyle changes, fitness, diet, and other personal choices.

As depression rates climb, you can choose to be happier. Effective leaders don’t just get work done, but manage their team’s happiness. Brooks describes how self-actualization is where this journey starts. And for those of you who think this idea is fluff, he has the data to back it up- and a lot of it.

 

Disney, Racism, and Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson

Another topic we dive into is why people are so quick to throw around racist accusations against those that oppose Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, and how Disney should have acted to avoid being in the center of the new Florida bill controversy. Believe it or not, the wide majority of Americans don’t actually want the hyperpolarized state we’re living in.

Brooks suggests if we stand up to the whiners and tell even our own tribes “no,” there’s a much bigger group waiting to embrace us on the other side. Did you know 93% of Americans hate how divided we are? They want the hateful rhetoric and division to stop, but everyone fears the bullies on their own side.

 

Republicans are Grateful for Democrats?

Brooks spoke to a group of Republicans and made a fascinating discovery. They were actually grateful for Democrats! He told them they needed to start acting like it!

Of the many topics discussed, Brooks explains that to heal, we shouldn’t avoid conflict and disagreement, but seek it out. Passionate disagreement shouldn’t lead to disembowelment of each other’s character.

 

Get to know Professor Arthur Brooks

 

• Go to Professor Brooks’ website here.
• Check out his “Science of Happiness” column in The Atlantic
• Check out his “How To Build A Happy Life” podcast here

 

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