How to Find Happiness at Work

Happiness. Zappos believes in delivering it. Coke wants you to open it. Countless books try to help you achieve it. Research demonstrates that you are more productive with it. And yet the truth is that so few people feel it at work. Why? Is it because leaders don’t create "happy" workplaces? Is it because work is inherently miserable? Or perhaps it's because of our attitudes about work? There's really no definitive answer here.

A negative boss, bad working conditions and a toxic culture can certainly make people unhappy. I’ve also seen how leaders can create happier and more productive employees by creating the right culture and work environment. However, I believe the biggest determinant of our happiness at work is... us.
Our happiness has less to do with forces outside of us and more to do with what's inside of us.

Happiness is an inside job.

I’ve met bus drivers, janitors and fast-food employees who are more passionate about their jobs and happier than some professional athletes making millions of dollars. Our happiness comes not from the work we do but from how we feel about the work we do. And to feel great about the work we do it’s essential to fuel up with passion and purpose. As I wrote in The Seed, happiness is a byproduct of living and working with passion and purpose.

But Jon, I don't know what my passion and purpose is, you might say.

It's ok. The first step is to be the SEED, plant yourself where you are and begin to serve and make a difference. When you plant yourself and make a difference passion flows through you, purpose begins to reveal itself, people want to be around you and you feel happier.

When you work with passion and purpose you don't have to seek happiness, rather it finds you.

Start planting and cultivating it today!

Written by Jon Gordon
www.JonGordon.com

Positively Contagious

The Flu is not the only thing you catch at work. Turns out you are just as likely to catch someone's bad mood and negative attitude. Yes, the latest research demonstrates what we've all known to be true, emotions are contagious. Researchers call them emotional contagions and they impact our work environments, productivity, teamwork, service and performance in significant and profound ways.

As we know all too well, one negative employee can pollute an entire team and create a toxic work environment. One negative leader can make work miserable for his/her team. An employee in a bad mood can scare away countless customers. Complaining can act like a cancer and spread throughout the entire organization and eventually destroy your vision and goals. And pervasive negative attitudes can sabotage the morale and performance of teams with great talent and potential.

That's the bad news... but there's also good news.

Positive emotions are just as contagious as negative emotions. One positive leader can rally a group of willing people to accomplish amazing things. One Chief Energy Officer who sits at the welcome desk can positively infect every person who walks in your business/school/workplace. One positive team member can slowly but surely improve the mood and morale of her team. And pervasive positive attitudes and emotions at work can fuel the productivity and performance of your organization.

Emotional contagions are the reason why when I speak to businesses, schools and sports teams I say that everyone in the organization contributes to the culture of it. You are not just a creation of your culture but rather you are creating it every day through your thoughts, beliefs and actions. What you think matters. How you feel matters. And the energy you share with others, whether it's positive or negative, really matters.

You can be a germ and attack your organization's immune system or you can act like a dose of Vitamin C and strengthen it.

So the next time you head into work with a bad mood you might want to stop before you walk in the door and consider what your leader would say if you had the Flu. She would tell you to stay home until you are healthy and not contagious. And in that moment, as you stand at the door you have a choice: You can go home so you don't infect anyone with your bad mood, or you can choose to get healthy right there, change your attitude, and decide to be positively contagious.

Written by Jon Gordon; www.JonGordon.com

Farewell Benjamin

AIRES has many great staff.  We are always sad to lose good people but understand when opportunities come someone’s way.  Recently we had a DSP in Tucson resign as he will be attending college in Massachusetts.  Benjamin Salzman submitted a very touching resignation letter.  It included how AIRES and the people he supported at AIRES have influenced him.  Benjamin, we all wish you the best!  We know you will go far in life.  Stay in touch.   Thank you for the passion, mutual respect, accountability and teaching you have done.  

Dear Trevor Bryson,

I was recently granted the opportunity to attend college in Massachusetts.  As a result, I am tendering my resignation from AIRES LLC effective July 15, 2016.  I wanted to make sure that I gave you and the AIRES team enough notice so that there was enough time for you all to find staff to take my shifts.  (Detailed shift)

I am grateful for having had the opportunity to serve our clients for the past year.  This job has truly been the most rewarding experience I have had.  The clients I have been so lucky to serve, both at Emily and other houses, have taught me so much about myself and what I would like to do with my life.  Since working for AIRES LLC, I have been able to pay for my first apartment, received my first car, gone back to school, and been able to do well enough academically to receive several scholarship offers.  This job has given me a newfound sense of success and self-confidence that had been lost on me.  

The thought of no longer seeing the clients of Emily House on a daily basis truly makes me want to cry.  They have become like my children.  Working with the developmentally disabled has helped me to feel more confident, responsible and driven.  The consumers have inspired me to always try harder, and to remove myself from the equation.

I will never forget my time here at AIRES and I offer my best wishes for the continued success of the company and the clients it serves.

The Grass Isn't Greener

We often think that the grass will be greener somewhere else.
We believe we'll be happier and more successful anywhere but where we are.
And so we pursue happiness.
And chase success.
Thinking one day we will magically find them. But rarely will we find happiness and success by seeking them.
I've learned if you want success you can't chase it.
Instead, you must decide to make a difference where you are... and success will find you.
I've learned if you want to find happiness don't seek it.
Instead, decide to work with passion and purpose... and happiness will find you.
Happiness is a byproduct of feeling fulfilled.
The key to experiencing real success and true happiness is to be The Seed and plant yourself.
When you plant yourself where you are with a passionate desire to make a difference you'll grow into the influencer you were born to be.
When you serve in small ways you get more opportunity to serve in bigger ways.
Too many people want instant success and gratification right now! Too many athletes want to be traded because think they'll be more successful on another team. Too many employees complain that their co-workers aren't working hard enough and this affects their own performance. Too many sales people compare themselves to others and because frustrated and disengaged. Too many people worry about what everyone else is doing instead of focusing on what they are doing. Too many people run from challenges instead of developing stronger roots.
If you are like me, you've been one of these people. Most of us have at one time or another. It's human nature after all.
That's why I want to encourage you to remember that your job is not to worry about things you can't control.
Your job is not to run away from where you are in the hope of finding greener pastures.
Your job is to plant yourself each day and be the best you can be and bring out the best in others.
Your job is to grow yourself and grow others.
When you do this and allow yourself to be used for a greater purpose, a greater purpose will move through you and bring greater opportunities, greater success and greater joy and happiness to you.
The greenest pasture is not somewhere else. It's the place where you plant yourself and grow into the leader you were born to be. When you do, you'll produce an abundant harvest filled with real success and true happiness.

Written by Jon Gordon; www.JonGordon.com

Quality Is Not Just A System; It Is A Culture

What is quality? Webster's dictionary defines quality as A) How good or bad something is; B) A characteristic or feature that someone or something has, something that can be noticed as a part of a person or thing; C) A high level of value or excellence.

How do you measure quality? In the human service industry, there are many quality indicators. Some of these include: Are our facilities safe? Are our staff appropriately trained? Do we provide the required medical attention for the people we support? Is our paperwork accurate and updated as required? Do we report incidents that occur in an accurate, timely manner?

AIRES takes great pride in excelling at all of these necessary and important indicators of quality, as well as many more that are part of our industry standards. We also look at quality from a holistic and altruistic point of view, which in some aspects, is the most important indicator of quality. In providing supports to people, we examine whether the people we support are happy and healthy. We look at whether the people we support are living fulfilling lives. We try to ensure that the people we support have their days and lives filled with love and laughter. It is important to us for the people we support to feel as if they have a greater purpose in life other than just existing. When we provide the type of supports that encourage the people we support to strive towards excellence in their lives, and we are able to assist people in achieving milestones that all of us try to achieve, it gives greater purpose and meaning to the word "quality". Providing support in which we are able to help people identify their dreams, put a plan in place to realize their dreams, and then celebrating with them when those dreams are accomplished, is an important aspect of quality. The people we support are our family, our friends, and some of the most important people in our lives. Quality is providing "legendary service" and is something that I am proud to say we here at AIRES do on a daily basis!

Robin Moise
Director of Quality Enhancement
AIRES, LLC

The AIRES Values

There are many great things about AIRES, but one of my favorite things is our company values. It is a part of our work culture for all staff to incorporate these company values into our daily routines. It is our expectation at AIRES that each of us guides our actions by these values.

The AIRES values are really a way that everyone can live:

• Think about how the other person feels (empathy).
• Help others to be the best they can be (empowerment).
• Treat others how you would like to be treated (mutual respect).
• Enjoy every day (passion).
• Be responsible for your actions (accountability).
• Help others when you can (teach).
• Be truthful with yourself and others (honesty).
• Stay positive and always keep on trying (yes we can).

Lots of people have heard me say that I believe our world would be a different place if everyone really followed these values in all of their actions. It's true, I do believe that. I think that by following the AIRES values I can be a better person. I believe that to be true for anyone - AIRES employee or not. The EMPATHY values are a great way to live life.

I'm not saying that any of us can be perfect all of the time, but I do think that all of us can always try to do better. We can always strive to be a better person. Be a better friend, a better spouse, a better parent, a better neighbor, a better employee. When we follow these values, it's surprising how many people around us will start to do the same. And it just spreads from there. To me, that makes the world a better place to be. And who doesn't want that?

Living a life of EMPATHY is a great way to start making the world a little bit better. I know it makes a difference for all of us at AIRES. I'm so proud to be a part of this company with our EMPATHY values. These values not only enhance our own lives, but most importantly, our values enhance the lives of the people we support.

AIRES currently provides services to people with disabilities and the elderly in the following areas of Arizona: Phoenix, Tucson, Prescott Valley, Casa Grande, Sierra Vista and the White Mountains. We have a number of service options in each geographic area, including group homes, day programs and home-based services.

If you have an interest in becoming a care giver who demonstrates the EMPATHY values, please check our website at www.aires.org to complete an online application.

Diane Logan

Vice President / Chief Administrative Officer