There is a little bit of backlash against smiling lately. Some people feel like asking people to smile is also asking them to be inauthentic or superficial. They think it’s a way of ignoring more complex emotions. In some situations, that’s true. But that’s not what this article is about.
I’m not suggesting you ask others to smile, and I don’t want you to constantly mask your feelings. Instead, I’m encouraging business leaders to put their best selves forward. Don’t hide smiles. Try being kind and fostering happiness. Choose to show your humanity and warmth in the workplace. If leaders can smile more at work, it may just help your business.
The Science Behind Smiles
When people smile, it triggers the production of stress-reducing endorphins. Endorphins are hormones that reduce anxiety, boost self-image, and can even relieve pain.Smiles also reduce stress-producing hormones like adrenaline. That means smiling elevates mood and reduces erratic behavior. Sounds good, right?
So, when you smile, you can actually improve your mental health a little bit. But did you know that facial expressions are contagious? When you smile, it also impacts the frame of mind of the people around you. That’s why I make an effort to enter my building each morning with a smile. I know that my staff is going to take cues from me. If I’m smiling and enthusiastic, they tend to follow my example.
In fact, anyone who enters a room with a smile and optimistic energy can lift the spirits of the people around them. So in the workspace, this means employees can be more relaxed, less stressed, and set in a positive – thus productive, mindset.
The Power of Friendliness
Is it weird that I’m telling people to be friendly? I mean, kindness is what we teach our kids at home and school, so it seems like it should be built into us. It’s a fundamental part of being a good human. But sadly, many workplaces discourage friendliness. They think it gets in the way of productivity. How many of you have heard managers say things like “Less chit-chat” or “Talk on your own time.” Maybe they’ve said, “You’re not here to make friends.”
These managers think they’re boosting productivity, but in my experience, friendliness (and making friends at work) is a productivity booster. The office runs better when coworkers are kind to each other, greet one another with a “good morning” or “hello,” and exchange pleasantries. People relax. Fewer mistakes happen. Cooperation skyrockets.
So here it comes: friendliness starts at the top. Friendly supervisors have friendly employees. Their staff gets along with each other. Morale is higher. Turnover is lower. Workers are more likely to be loyal and engage from a place of compassion. And that’s all good for business.
Stay Positive
We all have bad days, but that doesn’t mean we have to have negative outlooks. In fact, one of the interview questions we ask manager candidates is designed to determine how we can best support them if they are having a bad day (again, because we all have them). We know that if someone feels alone in their funk, they have a tendency to stay in that feeling longer. Our goal isn’t to force someone to feel better but to instead give the individual the type of support they need so they don’t feel unseen, unsupported, or alone. From this springboard, the individual’s spirits begin to lift simply by the support they experience from their supervisors.
Building in intentional optimism, in how we interact with one another as a team and how we interact with our clients and customers, is how we consciously tell ourselves to focus on hope. That’s a valuable business asset. After all, what’s the use of having a business if you don’t believe that you are doing good work and that it will eventually produce positive results? While optimism motivates, pessimism chips away at confidence and generally destroys morale. So, I vote for optimism and positivity! How about you?
Depersonalize Outside Negativity
As a person who works in social services, I know that when an offer of help is met with resistance, it isn’t personal. It’s not about me or what I did. In social work, we recognize that clients come to us with complicated histories that can trigger irrational responses. So, when a client lashes out, I remind myself that I just happen to be the person standing in front of them at that moment. Maybe they got word that their parent won’t be able to visit them tomorrow, or they just got laid off from work, or maybe they just don’t feel well. The “what” isn’t necessarily the thing one needs to focus on. Instead, it’s important to focus on our ability to deflect the resistance which is directed at us in that moment.
That same ability can extend beyond my field. There have certainly been many businesspeople that have gone into a meeting happy and optimistic and come out demoralized, unsure of what went wrong. Usually, disproportionate responses in a business setting mean you’re getting the fallout from other arguments or unrelated struggles. They are “taking it out on you.”
It’s easy to let that kind of behavior demoralize you (you don’t deserve it!) But if you experience unexpected or undeserved rudeness, I challenge you to remember that everyone is fighting a hard battle. Instead of feeling hurt or angry, remember that you just happened to be the person standing in front of them at that moment. Instead of taking it personally, think for a moment about what could be making your client, coworker, or customer act in a hurtful way. Then remind yourself that it is not about you. Get re-centered and smile. You know you.
Do Your Own Experiment
Okay, science tells us that smiles boost moods and that positivity is contagious. So, if you’re still a doubter, do your own experiment. Next time you walk into a room that feels filled with nervous or negative energy, stop. Take a moment and refocus your mindset to be cheerful and pleasant. Greet everyone with a smile on your face.
Did their energy change? Did they sit up straighter, lean forward, or smile back? I bet most of them did. And if there were negative holdouts, you’ll get them next time. After all, when you repeat positive behaviors, more and more people model it each time.
So, focus on the good you do – remind yourself of the good around you, start smiling, and smile often. Not only does it help people around you feel better, but it can also increase productivity and decrease turnover in the long run. And who doesn’t want to smile about that?