Dubai has fully embraced the concept of happiness and positivity. There’s now a road called Happiness Street, companies and government bodies have appointed happiness advocates within their organisations and we’ve even got a government Minister for Happiness, Ohoud al Roumi!

Dubai’s Minister of Happiness, Ohoud Al Roumi

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, has recently published a book on the topic – ‘Reflections on Happiness and Positivity’.

There’s no denying that happy and positive teams are a good place to work and are more likely to succeed. And it’s pleasing to see that Sheikh Mohammed takes this seriously enough that he dedicates a whole chapter in his book to ‘Positivity in Team Building’.

In this chapter, Sheikh Mohammed demonstrates that he has an astute viewpoint on teams, identifying the important they have in every walk of life, and how some people unfortunately drag teams down through their ineffective leadership, desire to compete with their own team mates or place a personal agenda over that of the team.

“Some [people] choose weak allies so they can dominate them easily, while others keep looking for mistakes they can highlight to prove that they are always right, and therefore must deserve their position of leadership” says Sheikh Mohammed. Instead, he notes “When we realise that the collective intelligence is always greater than that of the individual, then we can use that advantage to achieve bigger, better and more creative feats”.

“Always view your team positively, give them positive energy, lift their morale and work to achieve their happiness, so they can, in turn, bring about happiness in their communities” – Sheikh Mohammed

Sheikh Mohammed is spot on with his thinking. He talks about how a positive approach and outlook can help to generate the right team spirit necessary for success. And he is not afraid to be honest about the failings that occur in the country. He writes “We have a government team that can reach Mars, yet another that cannot complete its paperwork! What do you imagine is the reason for this discrepancy between departments of the same government? The difference is the leader, the working environment and the spirit the leader provides for the team”.

I am an advocate of taking time to work on your team, to forge relationships and focus on developing the team skills, ethos and practices necessary for team happiness and success. It is hugely pleasing to know that a figure as important as Sheikh Mohammed shares this opinion. He mentions senior leadership retreats he holds regularly, at which he engages in leisure pursuits and entertainment in the evenings with his team. A friend once chastised him for what he perceived to be wasting time on these activities. Sheikh Mohammed says “These activities are more important to me than the meetings, because they foster team spirit. These are my brothers and sisters, my team, not only employees with whom my relationship ends at the close of our meetings”.

In a relatively few number of words, Sheikh Mohammed highlights some great points about teamwork; How it exists everywhere; how a positive outlook is vital; the leaders role in being a humble guide rather than hogging the limelight; and the need to spend time building the team and the relationships within it, outside of the day-to-day regular interactions within the team.

Sheikh Mohammed has always had tremendous vision and an ambitious plan for Dubai’s future; teamwork will be central to achieving the goals he sets and it’s great to know that he has a sound philosophy around how happiness and positivity is an integral part of good teamwork. Wise words and worth taking note!