Happiness is a Leadership Strategy

By Kimberley Priest

We all know what it looks like when someone’s off their game: a high performer starts

missing targets, becomes unproductive, their spark fades… we often know it even before it

shows up in the numbers.

When someone’s performance drops, we often assume it’s due to personal circumstances,

perhaps something happening at home that’s affecting their results. While this is frequently

the case, it doesn’t have to be the that way. Let me explain further:

Dr Sonia Lyubomirsky - one of the world’s most respected happiness researchers - shares in

her book ‘The How of Happiness’, that happiness is 50% genetic, 10% shaped by life

circumstances, and a surprising 40% driven by intentional actions. That shift in perspective,

when you truly let it sink in, changes everything.

Just 10% influenced by circumstances … It might seem hard to believe - but think of the

radiant joy often found in communities facing far greater challenges than our own. I believe

happiness isn’t reserved for those with perfect lives and lots of money, it’s shaped largely by

how we choose to engage with life.

Dr Lyubomirsky and her team have also found that happy people are 31% more productive,

three times more creative, and far more resilient in high-pressure environments. Happiness

is, according to her research, a proven performance enhancer.

In the business world, happiness is largely treated as ‘nice-to-have’. It’s treated as

something you would hope to feel after the deadlines; the deals; the hitting of targets. But

what if we flipped that? What if happiness was prioritised as the foundation, not the

reward? What if, instead of waiting until issues arise and offering reactive EAP services, we

proactively encouraged happiness practices?

By focusing more on emotional well-being in our work culture, we could empower more

leaders to be happier, long before stress takes hold and negatively impacts the bottom line.

Spending most of my adult life in sales leadership roles, I saw this pattern play out over and

over. The most consistent results came from teams who felt connected, confident, and

mentally strong. When someone’s emotional state began to unravel, their results followed

suit. When they were encouraged and supported back into feeling good, their performance

would bounce back too.

What’s amazing to me is how quickly that shift can happen. I’ve watched people bounce

back from the most awful life traumas, overcoming mental and emotional lows, simply by

implementing daily practices that helped them shift into a better state. A walk out in the

sunshine, a few minutes of presence, movement, laughter, connection – it doesn’t take

much to reset the brain chemistry during your day. Let me be clear, this isn’t about having a

‘positive mindset’ when things aren’t going to plan. That unrealistic expectation (to be

positive when in the middle of a difficult time) can be a toxic practice when encouraged in

your team.I firmly believe that your body is far more powerful than your thought patterns. I believe in

shifting physiology - and the thoughts then follow. We can take certain actions to force our

brains to release a mix of dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins. These are the

chemicals responsible for focus, motivation, collaboration, energy, and HAPPINESS. These

chemicals help us handle stress better, solve problems faster, and show up more fully.

Does that not sound like a good leadership strategy to you?

I created the BFM Method (Breathe, Feel, Move) – a daily practice to help leaders tap into

that state more intentionally. It’s simple, science-backed, and built for real life. I believe

feeling good isn’t a luxury or ‘nice to have’ – it’s a strategic tool to get better results in

leadership and in life.

In the world we live in, where pressure is constant and expectations are high, this matters

more than ever. The old model of success (push harder, grind longer, chase endlessly)

simply doesn’t work. Not for the teams I’ve led, or for the teams I coach now. In fact, it

causes high staff turnover, more burnout, stress and inconsistent results. Happiness, on

the other hand, creates stronger teams, clearer minds, and more sustainable success.

The happier, more inspired and growth-focussed leaders we have, the better our world

becomes. Not just for today, but for the generations to come.

It might sound bold to call happiness a leadership strategy, but I believe the boldest,

weirdest ideas often create the biggest change – and that’s what I am here to do.