Managing for Happiness

© 2012 Alex S. Bayley, Creative Commons 2.0http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexsbayley/7180872372

I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.

Pablo Picasso,Spanish painter(1881–1973)

Many organizations struggle with self-education of employees. A very effective way to make learning enjoyable is for people to organize exploration days. Sometimes called hackathons or ShipIt days, these days are meant to invite employees to learn and develop themselves by running experiments and exploring new ideas.

My favorite vacations have always been the ones where we fly to some faraway country, rent a car, buy a map, and start exploring. I like to believe this is similar to what they did centuries ago: sailing off across the ocean and discovering new continents, new cultures, and new diseases.

Exploration is also the most effective approach to learning—a topic that appears to be a challenge in many organizations. An emphasis on learning is crucial for all businesses, no matter how successful they already are. After all, you won't have a first mover advantage for long if somebody else has the fast learner advantage.

You won't have a first mover advantage ...