The Joy Strategy: Why Leaders Need More Joy (Not Less) in Challenging Times
The Efforting Trap
Yesterday at the end of a yoga class the instructor shared a sentence that made me pause. "We’ve got one body. We've got one life. Let's enjoy it."
This simple but profound reminder made me reflect on what's happening in my life and leadership right now – and perhaps in yours too. In our drive to succeed and overcome challenges, we often fall into what I call "the efforting trap."
Are You Efforting Your Way Through Leadership?
Are you efforting? Pushing? Trying to create something that doesn't really want to show up yet? Are you losing the joy in your daily routine because you're always thinking about your to-do list?
In this time of global uncertainty and disappointment in leadership we see around us, many of us default to grinding harder. We adopt that hustling, efforting energy because it feels productive, necessary even.
But what if that approach is causing us to miss the point entirely?
The Neuroscience of Joy: A Leadership Brain Hack
For those thinking, "I don't have time for joy, Diane. Things are serious right now," I want to offer a perspective that might change your mind.
When we cultivate joy, happiness, or playfulness, our bodies release neurotransmitters – oxytocin being one of them – that travel through our system and up to the brain. This chemical messenger actually opens up the prefrontal cortex – the exact part of our brain responsible for effective problem-solving, rational thinking, and strategic decision-making.
So if you want to think more strategically and effectively as a leader, using your emotions to activate that part of your brain isn't just nice – it's necessary. Joy isn't unproductive or frivolous. It's the essential fuel your leadership brain needs.
I love a good brain hack, and this realization felt too important not to share. Joy isn't the opposite of productivity – it's the pathway to our best thinking.
Making Joy a Priority: My Personal Strategy
In response to this insight, I'm doubling down on joy in several intentional ways:
More time outside: Connecting with nature resets my perspective.
Savouring my coffee: Rather than having it on my desk and absentmindedly sipping while working, I'm sitting with it and really enjoying the experience.
Moving my body more: I've returned to swimming, something I loved as a younger person. It's been wonderful for my tight neck and connects me to a different version of myself.
Having conversations that spark joy: Deliberately shifting discussions toward what inspires and energizes rather than dwelling on the challenges and disappointments we're all aware of.
Joy as a Team Culture Strategy
As leaders, our emotional state doesn't just affect our individual performance – it ripples throughout our entire team. When we operate from a place of stress, pressure, and joylessness, that energy becomes contagious. Conversely, when we intentionally cultivate joy, we create the conditions for a thriving team culture.
The research is clear on this: teams that experience positive emotions like joy collaborate more effectively, demonstrate greater creativity, show higher resilience in the face of setbacks, and ultimately deliver better results. Joy isn't a "soft" metric – it's a hard-edged strategic advantage.
Some practical ways to infuse more joy into your team culture:
Start meetings with small moments of connection rather than diving straight into agenda items
Celebrate wins visibly and genuinely, not just major milestones but daily progress
Create space for play and experimentation where failure is viewed as learning
Model work-life boundaries that demonstrate you value wholeness over hustle
Notice and acknowledge joy when you see it happening naturally among team members
Remember, a joyful workplace isn't necessarily a place without challenges. Rather, it's an environment where people feel safe, valued, and energized enough to tackle those challenges together.
Your Turn: Co-Creating a Culture of Joy
What brings you joy? What will you intentionally build into your days and your team practices?
In this time that can feel hopeless and helpless, activating more joy is something concrete we can do – not just for ourselves, but for those we lead. When we model joyful leadership, we create permission for others to find their own joy, even amid challenges.
The most effective leaders I know understand this truth: joy isn't something we earn after the hard work is done. It's the essential ingredient that makes the hard work possible, sustainable, and impactful for both individuals and teams.
I'd love to hear what activities spark joy for you and how you're incorporating joy into your leadership approach – your responses truly inspire me and this community of inspired leaders. Let's see what kind of joy we can co-create together!
Diane Lloyd is a leadership coach and founder of the Inspiring Midlife Leadership program which supports women to build their confidence and courage for leading in a complex world. Book a discovery call with Diane to learn more here.