Lee Soo-tae / Panasia Chairman

[CEO Column] Happiness Management

A Conflict Republic full of exclusion and selfishness

We can make a Happiness Republic if we communicate with others through sharing and consideration

Last month, Pope Francis’ visit to Korea became a societal issue. He moved with a small car and KTX  instead of a bullet-proof vehicle, stopped his car and embraced kids on the way to his next schedule, and wore a yellow ribbon that commemorates those who were sacrificed in the Sewol incident even on the flight back home. Through his anti-authoritative actions, not only Catholics but also those with different religious faith were excited about his genuine leadership that healed the wounds of the minorities.

Korea is used to having a conflicting structure, historically with the conflict between noron and soron that represented the partisan politics during the Chosun dynasty and currently being the only divided country in the world. The separated structure between the ruling and opposition parties politically, dispute between labor and management in companies, and conflicts between generations in the society also serves as a catalyst that establishes a healthy society through mutual discussion. However, conflicts that are exclusive and full of selfishness have intensified, where we do not know how to compromise and are too busy attaining our respective thoughts. As long as we live in Conflict Republic, we cannot be happy even if our national income rises to the level of developed countries and our lives improve.

If we look at Choi In-ho’s novel Sangdo(商道), Lim Sang Ok, one of the largest merchants in the Chosun dynasty, owned Gyeyoungbae(戒盈杯), which is a special glass that empties everything in it if it becomes more than 70% full, as a symbol to not be greedy. Like this Gyeyoungbae, how about following the art of compromise which tells us that giving up 30% instead of pursuing something to the end actually frees us? Although it won’t be full by giving 30% and earning 70%, we will be together with others, more happier, and more relaxed, and we can free ourselves and not hurry ourselves by realizing that being slightly less is good.

The art of compromise is a task that cannot be postponed even in a company setting. Like the saying ‘3 years of lawsuit can destroy a household’, conflict and dispute damages everyone. The company should approach the employees first and put effort to solve the problems and communicate with them. In Donguibogam: Principles and Practices of Eastern Medicine, the following words are written: “It does not hurt if it goes through, it hurts if it doesn’t go through” (通卽不痛 不通卽痛). As such, a communicating leader must practice ‘family-friendly’ management, or ‘happiness management’ that is full of respect and trust through a communal awareness that ‘we are one’ like a family. This is even more important for small and medium sized companies than their large counterparts who have a more difficult time recruiting good talent. The happiness index of employees determines the office atmosphere, enhances ownership and creativity, and draws not only enhancement of productivity and benefits but also sharing vision.

As a spell that calls for happiness, there is a saying ‘MiYongGoSa’ in Korean. This refers to putting the fault on myself instead of blaming others and practicing happiness by saying 'I’m Sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you. I love you'. As part of such effort, the company that I manage has practiced the ‘Good Job!’ movement for a long time. This comes from the realization that complimenting and encouraging even the small accomplishments or tasks and boost employee morale enhances the desire to work and performance and helps company development in all areas.

For a small or medium size company to grow in a globally mature firm, annual salaries and bonuses that are comparable to large companies are very important. However, before creating a great workplace,  creating a happy workplace by establishing a fun and exciting space is important. Like ‘Easterlin’s paradox’ that income and happiness do not necessarily correlate, we should not just work in order to receive a lot of compensation, but prioritize employee welfare, experience self realization and a sense of accomplishment through hobbies or self development, and practice a family-friendly management, or happiness management so that work and family can go side by side.

If we consider others for even small things and spread words of thanks, we can establish happiness management. An American humanism psychologist Abraham Maslow proposed a hierarchy of needs that describes human needs into five levels, and his students added three more levels to expand it into eight level. The added Level 6 is aesthetic need, Level 7 is self actualization need, and Level 8 is the need to help other people’s self actualization. The selflessness in Level 8 makes one realizes not only his own happiness but also the importance of communication through sharing and consideration and becomes the foundation of leadership. By establishing a culture of giving up yourself, respecting others, and communication, societal development and a virtuous cycle will occur. Also in companies, creativity will be fostered and corporate development and a healthy labor-management culture will be established. By creating a social framework that transfers from a chronic Conflict Republic to Happiness Republic through such process, we can enter the lines of developed countries and open a true happiness management era where we communicate and harmonize.