MAN final

What quotation was used to describe involvement in work politics? What does it really mean?

"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." "If you don't create your own destiny or your own reality control and create your own situations, people are going to push you, pull you, and bend you in all sorts of positions. If you don't get involved, other people will control you." -Socrates

Understand the major difference between "Bucking the Stereotype"discussion of millennial workers. Know the biggest difference is between how they view millennial workers as hard working.

People-savvy: 65% to 13% Tech-savvy: 35% to 86% Loyal to their employers: 82% to 1% Fun-loving: 14% to 39% Hard-working: 86% to 11%

Describe what you need to know about office politics while you're in your 20's. Be specific.

"The hardest lessons I learned in my corporate career were related to office politics. I entered corporate America with confidence in my talent. I believed wholeheartedly that my education prepared me to do a great job. In fact, I did a great job! But I learned very quickly that in order to make it in today's workplace, good performance is only part of the equation. In order to get ahead and stay ahead, it's critical that you learn how to navigate workplace dynamics, and that has everything to do with mastering the politics. " 1. It takes more than talent and hard work to get ahead. 2. It's important that others see you as reliable, consistent, and resourceful. 3. Understand workplace dynamics. 4. Build your internal network. 5. Build and nurture your external network. 6. Learn how to effectively communicate with others. 7. Establish good working relationships across generations. *All of these are dependent on your ability to manage often relations with other that may be toxic!

Know the statistics associated with "Risking Career Suicide".

1. A women and workplace survey from More magazine shows that 43% of the women surveyed say they are less ambitious now than they were a decade ago. And only a quarter of the 500 women ages 35 to 60 say they're working toward their next promotion. 2. 3 out of 4 women in the survey — 73% — say they would not apply for their boss' job. Almost 2 of 5 — 38% — report they don't want to put up with the stress, office politics and responsibility that often go hand in hand with such positions. 3. Only 16 fortune 500 firms have female CEOs 4. Polling Company Inc./Woman Trend surveyed women who had at least a college degree, were employed in a professional position and had at least a $60,000 annual income if single and $75,000 if married  2 of 3 of women reported they would prefer to have more free time than a bigger paycheck, and 2 of 5 said they would be willing to accept less money for more flexibility 5. 92% of women say they value workplace flexibility, but a third consider it career suicide to ask for more flexibility in their jobs. 6. 15% say that household or childcare responsibilities have held them back in their careers. Interestingly, while 62% of women with children say they would take more free time over more money, a larger number of single women — 68% — say they would.

Be able to discuss the "Rules of Engagement" that we discussed in the video. What were the types of politicians discussed as well?

1. Expand your influence - look for ways to work in teams and get outside of your social clique. It will raise your influence in the workplace. 2. Size up your company's culture - No one size behavior, so you need to go in and figure out how to fit in with the corporate culture. Look around at people who do well and model their behavior. 3. Find Mentors - Occasionally ask superiors for advice or council even if you don't normally see them. 4. Don't be a gossip - Don't spread anything that is negative, don't complain, and don't pass along questionable rumors. Stay forward moving! 5. Helping others - Help people, and when they help you make sure that you publicly acknowledge it because they are more likely to help you. Types of office politicians: 1. The Bully 2. The Spy 3. The Backstabber 4. The Gatekeeper 5. The Buck Passer

How does laughter physically (and positively) affect people?

1. Humor and a good laugh lead to many physiological changes in the body that include increased activity in the lungs, lowered blood pressure and the secretion of pain-reducing hormones that provide a sense of well-being. Laughter results in decreased muscle tension, enhanced digestion, and lowered levels of serotonin and endorphins (the body's natural pain killer). Even the immune system is given a boost, since laughter is usually followed by deep breathing, which helps to send oxygen-rich blood and nutrients throughout the body. Humor and laughter are linked to an increase in employee energy, productivity and creativity. Laugher effects the way blood flows around the body, reducing the likelihood of heart disease. 2. The health benefits of laughter may result from the social support it stimulates

Be able to describe the physiological (e.g., health) effects of laughter outlined in this article.

1. Humor in the workplace can increase productivity and creativity, as well as promote physical and emotional health. 2. Increases blood flow, boosts the immune system, reduces blood sugar levels, and contributes to healthier relaxation and sleep patterns. 3. Offsets the impact of mental stress and can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. 4. Appears to reduce serum levels of cortisol, dopac, and epinephrine. These stress hormones can certainly block creativity and reduce productivity levels so any opportunity to decrease them is beneficial not only to your health but also to your performance on the job 5. Great exercise!! 6. Managers who most frequently use humor have highest level of employee performance 7. Ability to use and appreciate humor increases emotional intelligence

Compared to other countries, what were reasons given for Americans' disliking work so much?

1. Survey of 8,00 workers from several countries; higher percentage of US workers dislike work 2. 53% of Americans reported they like their jobs, while 15% don't like it or hate it 3. Canadians are happiest 4. Europeans have more vacation days/ better work-life balance 5. Americans work too many hours (40 hours instead of the standard 35 that other countries do) 6. Americans don't get mandatory paid annual vacation or paid maternity leave

What aspects of the work environment are most likely to predict office politics? When does it occur?

15% say office politics are necessary to get ahead 41% say they're somewhat necessary 42% say they're not necessary at all 2% say they don't know Types of office politics: Gossiping and rumor spreading make up for 54% of office politics. Gaining favor by flattering the boss makes up for 20%. Taking credit for others work makes up for 17% Sabotaging coworkers projects makes up 2% Other makes up 7% When do office politics occur: 1. When there is uncertainty in the work environment. 2. Fighting over resources that are perceived as scarce. 3. When threats to ____ exist.(threats to jobs, coworker, promotion, anything of value) 4. Informal, not part of one's job. 5. When there is a disconnect between what a person does and what they receive from the company in return. (you shouldn't get an A in the class if you don't work for it)

Understand the paragraph that talks about millennial workers and office politics.

A history of communication devoid of verbal and visual signal makes millennial workers have a harder time gauging office politics and social situations. On the other hand, their capacity to use and develop social networks, as a resource to manage both internal stressors and external opportunities, may circumvent much of this strain caused by others' political activities.

Describe Americans' perceptions of governmental power (from slide).

As of 2013, 60% say that the government has too much power, 32% say that it's at about the right amount, and 7% say that they have too little power. Only 19% of people say that they think the government is going to do what is right always/most of the time.

Be able to tell the reasons why millennial workers are more interested about working for themselves.

Because they value freedom and work/life balance. Self-importance, self-esteem, and narcissism are on the rise. Easiest way to avoid having a boss. *Overestimate their own talents. Tech giants are now seen as greedy and corporate and aren't as attractive as an option. Don't want to work for others who are demanding and constraining.

In terms of joking in the workplace, what are some things to be considered (Can be joked about...should not be joked about)?

Cannot be joked about: 1. Don't make jokes about coworkers' sexuality. People are very uncomfortable with sexual innuendo in a workplace. Your friends may find it hilarious, but unless all the people you work with are close friends you've known for years, leave it at home, because someone is bound to be offended. 2. Don't make jokes about people's appearance. This is another emotionally charged area, and whether you agree or not, just don't go there. 3. Avoid jokes about religion, ethnic background, nationality, sexual orientation etc. 4. Avoid jokes about bodily functions. 5. Stay away from things that people cant do anything about. Can be joked about: 1. Yourself, your flaws, neuroses and inadequacies. When you make these jokes, people are brought closer to you because they can relate. And so far, no one's ever been sued for joking about him or herself. 2. The situation you all face, i.e., the upcoming merger, the new reorganization, the difficult customers you deal with, etc. 3. Personal characteristics in areas of low ego-involvement (not stuff they take personally)

According to the video that links bad supervisors with potentially lousy heart health, what are characteristics of bosses who are more likely to inflict strain? What are some suggestions and remedies from Dr. Stock?

Characteristics: Bad communicators Don't give enough control to employees *Don't set enough goals (gives employees stress and confusion) Suggested Remedies: Can't always control what people do, but you can always control how you react. Take steps to improve the relationship. Take time to relax (stress hormones make your heart work harder) Make healthy food choices. Keep doing things that reduces stress (go for a walk)

Why companies view hard skills compared to soft skills as essential? How can hard skills be developed?

Companies are much more result driven now, they are trying to close the skills gap and keep up with technological innovation. They're paying more attention to head count costs. To develop hard skills: Take classes Do an apprenticeship in your field Teach yourself (freelance projects, look online, etc.)

Know the attribute of leaders that have the most positive effect on millennial employees as noted in class.

From bosses: Help navigating a career path Give me straight feedback Mentor and coach me Sponsor me for formal development programs Is comfortable with a flexible schedule From company: Will develop my skills in the future Has strong values Offers customize-able options in my benefits/rewards package. Allows me to blend work with life Offers a clear career path To learn: Technical skills in my area Self-management and personal productivity Leadership Industry or functional knowledge Creativity and innovation strategies

What are some of the downsides of having fun at work? Be able to explain what is meant by emotional labor.

Downsides of having fun at work: 1. When you work too hard to obtain fun, you're almost guaranteed to fail 2. "Fun" activities can damage overall productivity 3. "Gamification" — turning work tasks into games, with scores and prizes — reduced the productivity and job satisfaction of those workers who didn't approve the notion. 4. The attempt to impose happiness is self-sabotaging (ask yourself whether you're happy and you'll cease to be) - Psychologists have shown that positive-thinking affirmations make people with low self-esteem feel worse; that patients with panic disorders can become more anxious when they try to relax; and that an ability to experience negative emotions, rather than struggling to exclude them, is crucial for mental health. 5. Manager with ulterior motives: such as discouraging too much focus on low wages or inherently unfulfilling work. 6. An office of all optimists would not be good - People who are oriented toward "defensive pessimism" play a valuable role, preparing organizations for worst-case scenarios. What is meant by emotional labor: The pressure to maintain a cheery facade in such workplaces can be stressful and exhausting in itself = Emotional labor

Describe research results related to employees' preferences for telecommuting as well as the reasons cited for an interest in working from home.

Employees' preferences for telecommuting/ other reasons for interest in working from home: 1. The distractions at home are easier to manage than in the work place 2. Survey of 1,500 job seekers by Flex Jobs (online service for professional seeking telecommunicating, flexible schedule, part-time and free-lance jobs); RESULTS: 54 percent of respondents said that their home, not the office, was their location of choice to undertake important job-related assignments. Another 19 percent said they would prefer to go to the office during regular working hours, and 18 percent said they would choose the office, but only outside standard hours 3. Flex Jobs survey that asked people why they thought they would be more productive at home  reduction in office politics=61%, reduced stress from commuting=60%, fewer interruptions from colleagues=59% 4. 20% said they would be willing to take a 10% pay cut in exchange for telecommunicating options 5. 22% of respondents would be willing to forgo health benefits if they could telecommute, and 18% would work more hours. 6. 82% of respondents said that they would be more loyal to their employers if they had flexible work option 7. 39% have turned down a promotion, not taken or have quit a job because of a lack of flexible work options. 8. 79% of respondents saying they were "open" to a job that was 100 percent telecommuting. 47% responded that they were open to an alternative or flexible schedule, while 44% were interested in partial telecommuting. *9. 74% of the FlexJobs survey respondents said their top reason for seeking flexible work was to achieve better balance. However, others cited a desire to reduce commuting stress and to save time and money. 10. 36% specify that high gas prices play a role, and approximately 1/4 said their health or their desire to travel more affect their decision 11. 1/5 cite the local job market, the environmental benefits of flexible working, the desire to exercise more, or the need to take care of a family member as other contributing factor. 12. Work from home days give the option of benefitting from more sleep and exercise 13. Able to simultaneously be great employees and parents: 92% of respondents with children said they could, while 6% were hopeful that it could be done and only 2% didn't think it was possible

Be able to identify "Shankman's own tips" for building leader credibility. Know just the top three in the list provided in the article.

Exceed relatively low expectations - work on building your reputation piece by piece. Do "unexpected follow-ups" daily - Keep in touch with people you have met professionally. Find out what people are doing - Send people congratulatory notes when earned.

Understand the factors associated with millennial workers living at home and having a hard time finding suitable work. How do millennials and other generations differ when it comes to finding work?

Factors associated with living at home: 1. The rise in the unpaid internship. A course credit now replaces payment, and parents have to pay for housing or keep them at home. "Internship to nowhere". 2. Entry-level jobs are scarce. Most entry level candidates have a ton of credentials and even those standard-entry jobs are hard to find. Companies either reduced the amount of entry level jobs or made them more difficult to obtain because of the recession. 3. The paradox of needing job experience and getting a job. This August, the unemployment rates for recent graduates was 10.8%. (10.6 Bachelor's and 17.2 Master's) 4.Incomes are down, and costs are up. Millennial workers can't afford to live alone. 5. Baby boomer's are not retiring. 6. Crippling student loans. Student's don't have much extra capital to work with. 7. The go-after-your-dreams philosophy. Millennial workers believe that they can follow their dreams and that they are special and can do whatever they want. Generational job hunting differences: Millennial workers are famously confident of their eventual success, so they won't move to alternate career choices in response to adversity. Millennial workers will sit around at home and wait for the perfect job.

According to the article, what factors have promoted an entitlement mentality for many younger people? According to Professor Twenge, how did narcissism contribute to the recession?

Factors that have promoted and entitlement mentality: They have been taught to put their own needs first and focus on their own personal feelings above those of everyone else. They have never known a world that put duty before self,also referred to as "generation me." Where you're born has more of an influence on personality than your parents do. They have been told they're special, and they follow the footsteps of people who they think are successful. They want the best clothes, house, and car because of materialism. Narcissism's contribution to the recession: Young people justify narcissism by saying "we have to be because the world is so competitive." It's the aftermath of people buying what they couldn't afford, lenders lending out too much money because they didn't care about the people, and people taking on more debt than they could realistically afford. Hochwarter says that it's because of how they were raised, and that parents and TV makes millennial kids think they are special angels. Twenge doesn't blame the millennial population for the way that they behave because they didn't raise themselves.

Understand what politics is... according to the professor

His definition: Politics is: power + influence + engagement = reality creation leading to... control People participate in politics to control things. "Office Politics" are strategies that people use to get ahead and gain something over someone else. Workplace politics are used to benefit the workplace and the people within it.Sometimes they can be for personal gain but provide side effects that help coworkers and also help the organization.

What advice was offered to women when faced with a political work environment?

If you want to have a voice, make an impact, and have a career, politics is simply part of the job. 1. Plug in - operating in "survival mode" can leave us isolated; plugging in means to forge internal alliances and tap into the grapevine (both the formal and informal networks) in the workplace. Even if you are a high performer at your job, if you are perpetually absent from the office you are missing opportunities to connect with the culture and stay attuned to the political context of your work environment. 2. Look Out - Imagine your career two to three moves ahead of where you are now and keep that image in your mind. Many women we work with are tightly focused on being perfect performers in the moment and don't think enough about positioning themselves to reach the next level in their careers. Projecting out into the future helps keep you alert and allows you to be nimble when opportunities arise. 3. Line Up - women are coached to build their careers as if they were running for office that means actively lining up a coalition of supporters- allies, advocates, mentors, sponsors; recruit people who are willing to expend political capital on their behalf; *reach out and align themselves with women who are higher up in their organization. *4. Act Powerfully - executive presence is important; work to make a strong positive impact; use "muscular language" meaning non-generic language. (allows you to control the conversation) 5. Get out - Speak up and actually ask for assignments, opportunities, perks, and promotions. In the process, don't handicap yourself. (This diminishes your power and gives you an obstacle to overcome) 6. Take Credit - sell yourself and don't be afraid to be noticed; have a voice and take pride in your accomplishments

Understand Harvard Business Review's discussion of office politics. Specifically, focus on its effects and pervasiveness.

Ignoring the toxic effect of office politics  All organizations are political, but most underestimate (a) just how political they are, and (b) the degree to which politics eclipses smart and rational decisions. For decades, psychologists have been studying office politics - defined as those informal, illegitimate, and largely invisible forces of influence intended to maximize the self-interest of certain individuals at the expense of the organization's interest. These studies provide compelling evidence for the adverse effects of politics on employees' productivity and well-being. Most notably, perceptions of office politics have been linked to higher levels of stress, turnover intentions, and burnout, as well as lower levels of job satisfaction and employee engagement. Most of these associations are found across different job sectors, age groups and cultures, which make organizational politics a global epidemic. Minimizing the influence of office politics can help companies outperform their competitors.

What can a baby boomer do when he/she has a Gen Y boss? How can one look successful when in this situation?

It helps both sides to abandon any stereotypes. Boomers should avoid talking about "the good ole days." If you want to reference the past you should do so in a respectful way that also acknowledges the standards of today and the new bosses methods. Know that a millennial have collaborative spirit, so coaching them is OK and acceptable. Don't tell them they "don't know what they're doing," instead say that "when I've tried doing things this way, I've had success."

Describe the many challenges that millennial workers face when they enter the workforce:

Likely to change jobs every three to four years. Technology has raced ahead. Millennial workers say "this is how we work" - they want a say in when and how they work. Managers prefer millennial workers because they want people who are willing to embrace change. Millennial workers make managers feel younger. Biggest challenge: expectations. Grew up in an environment prior to work life where everyone was helping them to succeed, making the workforce a culture shock. Managers can't be there all of the time to make sure that they are a success. First generation that didn't need an authority figure to access information, which changed their view on authority and didn't stress relationships as much. *One of the biggest challenges is misscommunication. They are used to communicating through text, which isn't acceptable. Put off things. More likely to co-habitate than get married.

How do the four generations differ in the terms of feedback and rewards they receive at work?

Look at the table in the study guide. Know that veterans appreciate a job well done Basically: Veterans - Hard working and individual Baby Boomers - Work all of the time, loves to have meetings Gen X - Very entrepreneurial Gen Y - Team oriented, multitasking, less direct communication

Describe the manner in which the study in this article was conducted. What were the principle findings?

Manner in which the study was conducted: (this question is essentially the same as #32) 1. Question: is the opposite true of the notion that "money can buy happiness" and instead Happiness buys money? 2. Researchers followed more than 15,000 individuals from high school age in 1994 to their late twenties in 2008, with a focus on sibling pairs, including twins and siblings who were not raised in the same household. They also accounted for factors such as genetics, health, education and IQ. Participants were questioned in surveys and during in-home interviews about their overall well-being and how many times certain statements were true in the past week, such as "You enjoyed life," "You were happy," and "You felt you were just as good as other people." Principle findings: 1. The study found that people who are already happy thanks to a positive upbringing tend to make more money as adults. 2. After following the participants for 14 years, the study found a clear link between a satisfying childhood and a higher salary as adults. Some of the reasons the researchers believe that happier children go on to become more successful is due to their positive, outgoing attitude and their greater likelihood of getting hired, promoted and earning a higher degree. 3. An unhappy adolescence is a statistical predictor for lower earnings later in life, even taking into account factors like genetics and education, as seen when comparing siblings.

What statement can be made with respect to U.S. Workers' satisfaction with workplace elements? Know the top three and bottom three of the chart. -----Know that money was women's less satisfied statistic

Men's workplace satisfaction: Top 3 - Physical safety conditions, relations with coworkers, and the flexibility of your hours. Bottom 3 - The amount of money you earn, your retirement plan, and health insurance benefits provided. Women's workplace satisfaction: Top 3 - Relations with coworkers, physical safety conditions, and flexibility of hours. Bottom 3 - Amount of money you earn, amount of on-the-job stress, and the retirement plan.

Know the most common ways that US millennial workers and US non-millennial workers describe the millennial generation.

Millennial workers: tech-savvy lazy innovative hip young cool awesome computers Non-millennial workers: lazy young entitled spoiled tech-savvy smart cool

Know the positive and negative attributes associated with Gen Y/Millennial workers ability to lead.

Negative: Entitled and concerned about primarily individual promotion. ( Gen Y scored low on an EY team player survey) Entitled workers feel as though they are owed things from the organization, and that excellence is a given, are less likely to lead team effectively and advocate for subordination. Entitled employees are more likely to feel frustrated on the job and lash out at colleagues. Inexperience - only 5% of Gen Y was prepared to lead in the survey. Gen Y members overall placed high value on workplace flexibility. 40% of Gen X and 36% of Gen Y males said that they would walk away from a job if it wasn't flexible enough. Fewer than half of Gen Y expects to be working normal office hours in the next five to ten years. Positive: Tech savvy; smart about ways to leverage social media. Inclusive leaders who display, "diversity skills," or the ability to build "culturally competent teams." Enthusiastic and adaptable. Ambitious - They value promotions as a perk more highly than older generations. Gen Y women more so than Gen Y men.

What factors have caused leaders to be less effective than those of the past?

People aren't happy with their boss. Surveyed more than 400 mid-level employees and found that 42% didn't like their boss, and that 40% wouldn't say hello if they saw them outside of the office. Bosses don't have the best tools. Often they haven't been trained how to manage people, or those that supervise aren't good employees either. Managers aren't being taught the notion of humanity. Bosses are trying hard, but in an environment that isn't "warm and fuzzy." A lot of bosses don't have much to work with. Resources and people leave,and employees aren't as good as they have been in the past.

Watch the "Cost of a Bad Idea" video. Be able to discuss physiological reactions (eg. bad health) that often results.

Physiological: 3/4 of people say that their boss is the most stressful part of their job. 44% say they have been abused at some point. 31% say their boss can't appreciate them. Costs the US economy 360 billion dollars each year from poor productivity. Health: It takes people 22 months to restore stress levels to a healthy range. When stuck working for a bad boss you are more susceptible to chronic stress, depression, and anxiety which lowers the effects of your immune system, which also results in money lost to doctors, etc.

Know the research question, the results, and conclusions outlined in the happy-prosperous article.

Research Question: Can money buy happiness? Proceedings from the National Academy of Sciences suggests the opposite: Happiness buys money Results: The study found that people who are already happy thanks to a positive upbringing tend to make more money as adults (Researchers followed more than 15,000 individuals from high school age in 1994 to their late twenties in 2008, with a focus on sibling pairs, including twins and siblings who were not raised in the same household. They also accounted for factors such as genetics, health, education and IQ. Participants were questioned in surveys and during in-home interviews about their overall well-being and how many times certain statements were true in the past week, such as "You enjoyed life," "You were happy," and "You felt you were just as good as other people.") Conclusion: The study found a clear link between a satisfying childhood and a higher salary as adults. Some of the reasons the researchers believe that happier children go on to become more successful is due to their positive, outgoing attitude and their greater likelihood of getting hired, promoted and earning a higher degree. An unhappy adolescence is a statistical predictor for lower earnings later in life, even taking into account factors like genetics and education, as seen when comparing siblings.

How does a bad boss potentially hurt an employees career?

Study conducted of 2,865 business leaders found that the best leaders had the happiest, most committed, most engaged employees - and that the opposite was true for bad leaders. How bad bosses can affect the organization: low morale, high turnover, lower productivity, marginalized customer experience. How bad bosses can affect the individual: Journal of Business and Psychology developed a study of 1,100 people that showed that a person's perception of their boss can impact the way that someone deals with their family and their personal health. A survey of about 2,000 adults by Harris Interactive and Glassdoor, revealed that about 2 in 10 people say that their boss hurt their career. Allison Green, in an article published by US news adds to the dismal and dangerous data by suggesting that employees "If you spend too long in a dysfunctional workplace or modifying your behavior to accommodate a bad manager, the experience can re-calibrate your ideas of normal in ways that can hurt your personality. Ex, if you work for a manager who always shoots the messenger and punishes dissent, you may never speak up or try to cover up your mistakes.

What factors have lead to an increase in helicopter parenting?

Teens have too many advantages from having their parents around, so they are less inclined to tell their parents to back off. First commonality is the feeling of guilt that parents have short-changed their children. Parents feel like they weren't around enough when the child was young,so they're doing it now. It's called the "Ill-make-up-for-it" mentality. Children have increasingly become an emblem of their parents success. An increasing sign of the influence of the middle class. Because the middle class is making more money, and people are comfortable, they have more time to focus on their children. 24/7 connectivity now makes it easier for kids and parents to be communicating all of the time.

Watch the linked TED Talks video on happiness. What is the happiness advantage? What does it lead to in terms of health, and how does it affect work?

The happiness advantage: 1. Researching linking happiness and success 2. If we can find a way of becoming positive in the present, then our brains work even more successfully as we're able to work harder, faster and more intelligently. 3. 90% of your long-term happiness is predicted not be the external world, but by the way your brain processes the world. 4. 75% of job successes are predicted by your optimism levels and your social support and your ability to see stress as a challenge instead of a threat 5. We need to reverse the formula for happiness and success; we've pushed happiness over the cognitive horizon as a society (because we think we have to be successful, then we'll be happier) 6. The real problem is our brains work in the opposite order. If you can raise somebody's level of positivity in the present, then their brain experiences what we now call a happiness advantage, which is your brain at positive performs significantly better than it does at negative, neutral or stressed. Your intelligence rises, your creativity rises, your energy levels rise. In terms of health it leads to: 1. The brain works 30% better and naturally we adapt to the world better 2. Our brains work more successfully (harder, faster) 3. Dopamine makes you happier and turns on all of the learning centers in your brain 4. Journaling about one positive experience you've had over the past 24 hours allows your brain to relive it. Exercise teaches your brain that your behavior matters. We find that meditation allows your brain to get over the cultural ADHD that we've been creating by trying to do multiple tasks at once and allows our brains to focus on the task at hand. And finally, random acts of kindness are conscious acts of kindness. We get people, when they open up their inbox, to write one positive email praising or thanking somebody in their social support network. Its affect on work: 1. Every single business outcome improves. Your brain at positive is 31 percent more productive than your brain at negative, neutral or stressed. You're 37 percent better at sales. Doctors are 19 percent faster, more accurate at coming up with the correct diagnosis when positive instead of negative, neutral or stressed.

Understand what was studied and what was found in the "Mirror, Mirror, on my boss's wall" article.

They studied the effects of narcissistic supervisors on employees with varying degrees of enactment strategies. They found that people with poor enactment strategies were affected more by narcissistic bosses, seen through increased frustration, tension, job performance, and resource availability. Perceived narcissism and work relationships were better with people who were high enactment employees.

Why are supervisors important?

To many employees, they personify the organization. They are responsible for allocating rewards and dispensing punishment. They have input into promotion decisions. *They are typically in charge of information sharing. In some ways they, "hold the key to the kingdom." They are often seen a lot.

As reported in the research, how did abusive supervision affect employees "depressed mood, exhaustion, and work-generated conflict at home?"

Twice as likely to suffer from a depressed mood at work. Reported exhaustion levels approximately 33% higher. Reported 50% more work-generated home conflict. Reported levels of negative emotions at a level 25% higher. Reported 33% more sleep disorders.