Written By: Dr. Brian P. Higley
Ever since my friend and colleague John Spence published his book Awesomely Simple: Essential Business Strategies for Turning Ideas Into Action, he and I have been engaged in a robust, ongoing discussion. Our talks have focused on how the content of his book relates to my work on what I have come to call “the science of life, liberty, and happiness pursuit.” I use the acronym H2O to summarize this science because I believe it is so “Helpful to Ourselves and Others.”
The main question that John and I have been pondering together across all these years is this: If life, liberty, and happiness pursuit in the workplace is so Awesomely Simple and Helpful to Ourselves and Others, why is it so rare? I believe the answer lies in the following “Awesomely Simple H2O Equation”:
ABC + GRE = Awesomely Simple H2O
Here’s what the acronyms ABC and GRE in this equation stand for:
ABC
- Antecedent: What comes before a behavior (e.g., asking someone to complete a task).
- Behavior: Activity that is prompted by an antecedent (e.g., working on a task after being asked to do so).
- Consequence: What comes after a behavior (e.g., thanking someone after they have completed a task).
GRE
- Genuineness: Authentic self-expression of thoughts and/or feelings (e.g., “I really enjoyed working on that task”).
- Regard: The experience of deep appreciation for oneself and/or others (e.g., “I am extremely happy to see you”).
- Empathy: An accurate understanding of how people are experiencing themselves, others, and/or the world around them (e.g., “It sounds as though you really liked working on this task and you appreciate my being in your life”).
It’s been my experience that a culture of Awesomely Simple H2O is cultivated by people who are focused on being GRE-centered before, during, and after as many behaviors as possible as frequently as possible.
Here’s an example:
- While asking someone to complete a task: “John, do you have the time to look over this email? I know you are really busy, so if you don’t, I completely understand.”
- While someone is completing a task: “Hey. everyone. John’s looking over an important email for me, so I thought I’d ask you to support him by not bothering him for the next 30 minutes. Would that be OK with you all, or does someone need to speak with John in the next 30 minutes?”
- After someone completes a task: “John, I really appreciate your taking the time to look over the email I sent you earlier today. To show you how much this meant to me, I thought I’d ask what I can do to reward your taking on of an additional task. Can we talk about what this token of my appreciation might be sometime when you aren’t busy? I want to be sure that what I give you is something you truly value. No rush; I just want you to know how much I appreciate your extra effort today.”
To circle back to the question John Spence and I have been pondering together over the years, I believe that Awesomely Simple H2O cultures are rare because too few people have been exposed to the powerful equation ABC + GRE = Awesomely Simple H2O. The good news is that more careful attention to this equation can help us make such cultures more common. I hope this article helps spread this incredibly important equation into more organizations across the globe so more people can experience life. liberty, and happiness pursuit in their workplaces.
2025 is already underway, and this video is here to help you make it a standout year. In it, I share six key insights about what you should focus on that will have a strong positive impact on your organization. Six important ideas to make you more successful.
I’m confident you’ll find it valuable.
