Alice Schmidt Consulting
  • Home
  • About
    • Vision
  • Consulting
    • Projects
  • Speaking
  • Publications
  • Contact

A sustainable world
Enjoy. Comment. Share.

Can a format make you happy? Discussing the rules of happiness.

11/9/2016

2 Comments

 
Picture
Earlier this month I was invited to speak on a panel about the rules and standards for happiness. The event was held at Vienna’s MuseumsQuartier, one of the largest art and cultural complexes in the world.
 
Happiness has become a popular topic for research and discussion. Given the fact that happiness has many dimensions – from neurological to political and economic – it was only fitting that panellists came from very different backgrounds. While I reflected on happiness from a research angle and focused on measuring happiness and societal progress, other discussants brought in a business philosophy perspective or represented the Archdiocese of Vienna and focused on history and theology.
 
What made the format particularly exciting was that it touched on all senses: at regular intervals during the discussion, a violin player brought music to the audience’s (and panellists’) ears; a chef was preparing gnocchi al funghi right next to the stage (using an electric water boiler rather than the a conventional hotplate or stove); and an artist (who had changed into a bathrobe just prior to the discussion) did the moderation. The format also included a gender component: It was emphasised that camera women rather than men were filming the event, thus literally bringing new perspectives to the way the various dimensions of happiness are perceived.
 
Unconventional, ey? What might have been a rather intellectual and to some people tedious discussion was actually a pretty sensual and very enjoyable event, allowing for deeper engagement than conventional formats. To me this is certainly a format which the organisers of those many meetings bringing together academic, corporate, UN, NGO and other actors can learn from.

Perhaps this is something to consider when you’re next involved in designing a conference, workshop or other type of event!


2 Comments
essayedge review link
11/24/2019 12:56:36 am

I cannot even look at this planet anymore. It used to be a great place, however, after what we did, I do not even consider it as a planet. We humans are really the worst things that has ever happened to this planet. If it were not for us, then it would have remained the beautiful planet that it used to be. I hope that we try to be responsible about what we do to this planet, we do not own it.

Reply
Kale S link
7/1/2022 07:35:00 pm

Great reading your bloog post

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Alice Schmidt sustainability speaker

    This blog

    This Blog discusses a range of topics from social development to sustainable business. I get inspired in all sorts of settings: when working with women in rural areas of Africa on demanding better healthcare from the authorities; when working with large multinationals on measuring their social impact; when teaching students from around the globe on sustainable business and management for the future; when writing reports about politics and happiness; or when discussing my own work-life balance with family and friends. I also discuss selected photos. Please enjoy, share and comment - THANK YOU!

    Get in touch
    e: office@aliceschmidt.at
    in: www.linkedin.com/in/aliceschmidt

    Archives

    November 2021
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    March 2019
    December 2017
    July 2017
    November 2016
    January 2016
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

 Contact

e: office@aliceschmidt.at
in: www.linkedin.com/in/aliceschmidt

Check out the book

w: www.sustainability-puzzle.org

In this book Alice Schmidt and Claudia Winkler explore how looking at the bigger picture and then zooming in on climate action, circularity and social transformation can improve health, wealth and wellbeing for all.

Picture
© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.