Elevate Classics: Ingrid Fetell Lee on the Leadership Purpose of Creating Joy
Feb 27, 2025
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Ingrid Fetell Lee, a design expert and author of 'Joyful', explores how our environments influence happiness and well-being. She discusses the transformative journey into joyful design and the distinction between happiness and joy. Lee highlights the impact of workspace design on employee engagement and how simple changes can uplift spirits. She also examines the emotional power of shapes and colors in our surroundings, advocating for joyful design to enhance healing and productivity. Discover how thoughtful design can revolutionize our spaces and enrich our lives.
Ingrid Fetell Lee emphasizes the vital role of joyful design in enhancing emotional experiences and productivity in various environments.
The distinction between happiness and joy underscores the importance of recognizing fleeting moments of joy for overall emotional resilience.
Deep dives
The Connection Between Design and Joy
The discussion highlights the profound relationship between design and the experience of joy. Ingrid Fatelli emphasizes a pivotal moment from her design education that led her to explore how physical objects can evoke emotions, particularly joy. Initially focused on functionality and sustainability, she was surprised to learn that her creations elicited feelings of joy, prompting her to investigate the deeper connections between our surroundings and emotional responses. Her journey reveals that tangible elements in our environment can significantly influence intangible feelings like joy, urging a reconsideration of how we approach design.
Understanding Happiness vs. Joy
Fatelli distinguishes between happiness and joy, framing happiness as a broad evaluation of life satisfaction over time, while joy is portrayed as an immediate, intense emotional experience. This distinction is crucial, as it reveals that moments of joy can be frequent yet easily overlooked in the pursuit of overall happiness. Recognizing and appreciating these fleeting moments can lead to greater emotional resilience and enhanced well-being. The emphasis on cultivating joy in everyday life becomes a vital aspect of fostering long-term happiness.
The Influence of Workspace Design on Emotional Well-Being
The conversation delves into the impact of workplace design on employee engagement and emotional health. Open-plan offices, while often designed for collaboration, can lack necessary 'refuge' spaces that help reduce anxiety and improve concentration. Fatelli notes that introducing elements such as natural light, color, and varied spaces within work environments can enhance emotional experiences and productivity. Creating spaces that acknowledge the need for both openness and privacy can significantly uplift worker satisfaction and overall workplace dynamics.
The Power of Environment in Shaping Behavior
In exploring the effects of environmental design, Fatelli presents compelling research demonstrating how surroundings influence human behavior unconsciously. For instance, access to nature in urban settings has been linked to reduced aggression and improved recovery in hospitals. Studies reveal that designs that prioritize aesthetic beauty and order can foster positive emotional responses, enhancing health outcomes. This understanding reinforces the idea that thoughtful design can be a powerful catalyst for positive change in various spaces we inhabit.
Ingrid Fetell Lee is an expert on how the design of our environment profoundly impacts our lives. In a world where productivity and functionality are critical to design, Ingrid has discovered the power of designing spaces that bring joy into people’s lives and change their experiences in the process.
Ingrid is the author of Joyful, and the founder of the website The Aesthetics of Joy, she empowers people to find more joy in life and work through design. Her immensely popular TED talk “Where Joy Hides and How to Find it” has been viewed more than 17 million times.
On this classic episode, Ingrid joined host Robert Glazer on the Elevate Podcast to talk about the power of effective design, the leadership value of creating joy and much more.