I just returned from a 3 day conference in Chicago (AME International Conference). The theme was "leading on the edge." There are many insights from this conference and the one that is the most significant is from Richard Sheridan. He wrote two books, Joy Inc and Chief Joy Officer. I recommend checking these out. His focus is on how to make a workplace more joy filled and the power that this can have. He used the analogy of an airplane. There is : Lift that is created by human energy and positive attitude. Counterforce - weight - bureaucracy, meetings, things that slow down the speed of work. Thrust - focusing on the purpose that moves people forward, this is the "why" behind the work being done. Drag - fear that holds us back, micro-managing, long communication feedback loops that slow things down. Then there is left/right balance which is influenced by stability and positive work and instability and negativity. So, the first place I'm looking at is focus and purpose. Why I do what I do and who benefits from the work I do. Being aware of the positive attitude and how that affects my ability to lead. There is Joy in everyday, we as leaders have the power and natural ability to influence that amount of Joy. How do you bring joy into your work?