thought leadership
On paper, Neil Pasricha seems to
have everything – multiple New
York Times best-selling books, a
career travelling the world inspiring
and motivating business leaders to
create happier organizations and devoted
family and friends.
But his road to success wasn’t without
its bumps and bruises. In 2008 and 2009,
Pasricha experienced a dark time. His
marriage was ending, and one of his best
friends – who had long suffered from mental
illness – took his own life.
“It was a really heavy time, and as these
dark clouds were circling me and I was
finding it really, really difficult to think of
anything good, I said to myself that I really
needed a way to focus on the positive
somehow,” he said during a Toronto TED
Talk.
“I came home from work one night, and
I logged on the computer, and I started
up a tiny website called ‘1,000 Awesome
Things’. I was trying to remind myself of
those simple, universal things that we don’t
talk about enough… and slowly, over time,
I started putting myself in a better mood.”
Pasricha’s blog eventually evolved into
the best-selling book, The Book of Awesome
– leading to a highly successful writing and
speaking career.
In his TED Talk – one of the most popular
in the world – Pasricha identifies the
“Three As of Awesome”: attitude, awareness
and authenticity.
“We’re all going to get lumps and we’re
all going to get bumps. None of us can predict
the future but we do know one thing
about it, and that’s that it ain’t going to go
according to plan,” he said, adding that
your attitude is what makes the difference.
“When that bad news washes over you
and that pain sponges and soaks in, I really
hope you feel like you’ve always got two
choices. One, you can twirl and swirl and
gloom and doom forever; or two, you can
grieve, and then face the future with newly
sober eyes. Having a great attitude is about
choosing option two, and about choosing
– no matter how difficult it is, no matter
what pain hits you – choosing to move forward
and move on.”
Secondly, awareness – “seeing the world
with fresh eyes” – and finally, authenticity,
are the other missing puzzle pieces to a
happier life, he says.
“When you’re authentic, you end up following
your heart, and you put yourself in
places, in situations and in conversations
that you love, that you enjoy.”
But Pasricha’s work isn’t just about being
happy when you’re off the clock – he
has dedicated considerable time and research
to discussing how to build a happier
workplace.
Pasricha draws on the latest research
in happiness to increase individual performance
and create a more positive and
productive workplace. In his twenties,
Pasricha partnered with Harvard
University to design one of the first global
leadership development programs inside a
Fortune 10 company, and as a management
consultant, he advised Fortune 50 companies
on top-level leadership strategies.
He spent a decade with Walmart, directly
working for two CEOs and as
the organization’s director of leadership
development. In the past few years, he has
spoken to over 200,000 people at hundreds
of events, including royal families
in the Middle East, Ivy League deans and
to CEOs at organizations such as Audi,
Abbot and GE.
His session at HRPA’s 2017 Annual
Conference and Trade Show will focus
on just that: happier people, happier
organizations.
The strongest companies in the world
have the happiest people working at them.
And according to Pasricha, that’s no coincidence.
During his session, you will discover
how to build support networks, manage
energy and stress, drive engagement and
high-performance results and create lasting
happiness at your organization.
Learn the secrets Pasricha uncovered
through research with top leaders
at Harvard, developing leaders inside
Fortune 100 companies and working with
clients like Shell, Kraft and Viacom.
Attend Neil Pasricha’s keynote address at
HRPA’s Annual Conference and Trade
Show, February 1 at 4:30 p.m.
“WHEN YOU’RE AUTHENTIC, YOU END UP
FOLLOWING YOUR HEART, AND YOU PUT YOURSELF
IN PLACES, IN SITUATIONS AND IN CONVERSATIONS
THAT YOU LOVE, THAT YOU ENJOY.”
28 ❚ SPECIAL CONFERENCE EDITION 2017 ❚ HR PROFESSIONAL