Creative Reaction

David Rock‘s Your Brain at Work blog explores the importance of dopamine levels in having a positive attitude and staying inspired. Managers and creatives can find a number of simple, practical suggestions, but since you probably do not want to spend your time wading through a bog of psychological wonkdom, I’ll do my best to make a pithy summary here.

Rock explains the tendency for moods to either spiral upward positively or downward negatively, and dopamine levels play a key role. Managers should pay attention to this for two reasons:

1. Higher dopamine levels correlate to positive, cheerful attitudes and
2. Higher dopamine levels are necessary for clear thinking.

According to Rock, dopamine is created in three ways;

1. Novelty – taking delight in new, often “small” things
2. Social Connections – at work and especially outside of work
3. Positive Expectations – being part of some bigger than oneself

Moods and attitudes are heavily influenced by those of others around us, so it is of utmost importance for managers to carefully guard their own attitudes and take time to be inspired. In addition, we should take a look at the above list, ensuring that our management skills and workplaces are conducive to positive, inspirational experiences.

Last week I posted my transcription (with some editing) of Netflix’s HR Reference Guide, which was quite a project. Today I’d like to explain what I love and what I’d love to see. Maybe we’ll see some of the slides get updated one of these days.

(To follow along, you may want to open my transcription in another browser window)

I love that Netflix starts off by stating the importance of culture, something that most folks don’t even think about. Netflix stakes its future on it!

“Culture gives Netflix the best chance of continuous success for many generations of technology and people.”

This is completely true. A business’ strategy, goals, or mission will not last very long unless everybody in the company, from the leadership down, espouses them. However, the presentation doesn’t actually define culture. Creating and Sustaining a Winning Culture at Harvard Business Publishing offers this definition:

“Culture (is)… the values, mindsets, and behaviors that constitute an environment conducive to success. (It is) what holds an organization together and motivates the people within it to do the right thing rather than the easy thing.”

This definition ties in well with other elements of the presentation, though they may need to reframe things in terms of “mindsets” and “behaviors”.

To me, the most thought-provoking concept in the reference guide had to do with growth, rules, creativity, performance, freedom, and responsibility, where they took concepts that tend to be antithetical and rearranged them in a way that work together in a system of checks and balances. It goes something like this:

Most companies – Great Idea>Great Culture>Success!>Growth>Mistakes>Knee-jerk Reaction>Rules & Procedures>Beaurocracy>Brain Drain>Mediocrity>Crappy Culture>Murky Vision>Slow Death

Netflix – Great Idea>Great Culture>Success!>Growth>Mistakes>Recovery>Post Mortem>Fewer Rules>Flexibility>Better Talent>Better Company>More Great Ideas>More Success!

It’s brilliant!

I love their stress on personal responsibility as well. Responsible people deserve more freedom. They shouldn’t be punished (with Rules and Procedures) when someone acts irresponsibly. Responsible people own up to their mistakes, then have an opportunity to wow a customer by making things right.

Another awesome idea – basing compensation on market value. Wow. You want a raise? Don’t work harder; make yourself more valuable. You want to keep your head down and not be noticed? Here’s a nice severance plan for you. Buh-bye! There’s no tolerance for dead wood. And if you salary goes down a bit, it’s because the market as a whole went down. So learn a new skill. That is so refreshing.

A few things I’d like to see?

• Some mention of the importance of good physical health (diet & exercise), which boosts performance. (See Brain Rules and The Power of Full Engagement)
• Some mention of the importance of proper rest and vacations, which boosts performance.(See The Power of Full Engagement)
• Some mention of the importance of workplace friendships, which boosts performance. (See Vital Friends)
• Some mention of the importance of  healthy family life, which boosts performance. (See Brain Rules)

Bravo, Netflix! Let me know if you’d like to compare notes.

Let’s see some other companies step up to the plate!