Episode 204 – Innovation through Compassion: Creating Happy, Productive Project Teams

Manage This - The Project Management Podcast

The podcast by project managers for project managers. Happiness isn't just about feeling good—it's a strategic advantage in the professional world. In this episode we’re taking a look into the powerful connections between happiness, project success, and compassion. Emma Seppälä reveals how team happiness directly influences project outcomes and how a compassionate culture can reduce stress, boost productivity, and enhance team cohesion. Table of Contents 03:10 … Happiness Fuels Success05:07 … Impact of Stress on Creativity06:36 … Culture, Values and Happiness07:54 … Take Care of Yourself09:35 … How to Guage your Internal Landscape13:40 … Having the Right Attitude16:11 … Self-Critical vs. Self-Aware18:15 … Are You Being Too Nice?20:48 … Kevin and Kyle22:01 … Showing Compassion in the Workplace24:12 … Physiological Impact of Compassion26:55 … Compassion and Resilience28:28 … Learn to be Compassionate29:46 … Sovereign31:10 … Closing EMMA SEPPALA: And a compassionate leader makes room for the human moments, makes the workplace not just a place of transaction but interaction, and gives grace when grace is needed, when suffering is present. And what doesn’t make sense about that? It just makes sense. And when that happens, the employee’s loyalty gets really strong because their leader had their back at a time when they needed it. WENDY GROUNDS: Welcome to Manage This, the podcast by project managers for project managers. I’m Wendy Grounds, and in the studio with me is Bill Yates. We want to take a moment to thank our listeners who reach out to us and leave comments on our website or on social media. You can find us on Velociteach social media, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. And we love hearing from you, and we always appreciate your positive ratings on Apple Podcast or whichever podcast listening app you use. Velociteach is a community of leaders, project managers, and hard-working team members, here to support your growth and success. InSite is our project management mobile learning platform where you can prepare for your PMP certification or get better at your job by choosing from over 70 high quality and engaging courses. These courses cover a variety of topics such as communication, leadership, status reporting, the work breakdown structure, and more. Each course aligns with a PMI Talent Triangle, making earning and reporting PDUs easier than ever. We designed InSite for project managers who prefer a flexible and convenient method of learning from industry experts. Visit us at velociteach.com today to get started. Today we are looking at the intersection of happiness and compassion, and in this episode, we have the privilege of speaking with Emma Seppala. She’s an expert in the science of happiness, emotional intelligence, and social connection. Emma teaches executives at the Yale School of Management and is faculty director of the Yale School of Management’s Women’s Leadership Program. She’s a psychologist and research scientist by training. Her bestselling book “The Happiness Track” has been translated into dozens of languages, and she’s just published a new book, “Sovereign.” Emma is also the science director of Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education. And so, she definitely has a lot of really great information on happiness, on success, and on compassion, which are the things we’re talking about today. We’re going to explore the intricate relationship between happiness and success, and we will uncover how cultivating happiness isn’t just a feel-good endeavor, but a strategic advantage, particularly in the professional realms, and how we can apply this to our projects. We’ll also examine how team happiness can directly influence project outcomes. Fostering a culture of compassion doesn’t only alleviate stress, but also enhances overall productivity and cohesion amongst team members. So, let’s get ready to be inspired by Emma. Hi, Emma.