Broadcasting Happiness

The Science of Igniting and Sustaining Positive Change
by Michelle Gielan | BenBella Books © 2015 · 224 pages

In this book, Michelle Gielan takes her background in broadcast journalism (as a CBS News anchor) and combines it with her background in positive psychology to show us how we are ALL broadcasters. Big Ideas we explore include the 3 key factors that account for 75% of success (!), power leads and how to use them, rational optimism vs. irrational optimism, fact-checking your story to find fueling facts that catalyze rather than paralyze and how/when to H.A.L.T.!


You are a broadcaster, which comes with a great deal of power and responsibility.
Michelle Gielan

“Throughout this book, you’ll see what I saw over the course of the five years that followed my leaving CBS. You’ll see how people can change the trajectory of their families, companies, and communities when they change the stories they communicate. How a single leader at a massive national insurance company changed the way his team thought about its work and tripled revenues. How a news series focused on fostering happiness during the recession, which didn’t mention a single negative story, got the highest viewer response of the year. How a pair of estranged brothers, each facing the threat of losing his home, reunited to live together. How managers at a certain company trained their brains to experience 23 percent fewer negative effects of high stress. How a high school district raised its graduation rate from 44 to 89 percent in a few short years—and how it’s not done improving yet. How a two-minute habit can change someone from being a lifelong pessimist into an optimist. How shifting their mindset about getting older can scientifically alter the aging process for a group of seventy-five-year-old men. How a forward-thinking media mogul is using positive research to transform news coverage. And how you can use all of the incredible research from positive psychology and the phenomenal stories in this book to better your life.

I didn’t stop being a broadcaster when I left CBS. I learned that we are all broadcasters, and by changing the stories we transmit, we can create positive change.

We do it by broadcasting happiness.”

~ Michelle Gielan from Broadcasting Happiness

Michelle Gielan is a former CBS News anchor who left to get a Master of Applied Positive Psychology degree from the University of Pennsylvania under Martin Seligman.

She’s now married to another leading positive psychologist, Shawn Achor. The two of them created the Institute for Applied Positive Research and work with Fortune 500 companies and schools to increase employee engagement, productivity, and happiness at work.

In this book, she takes her background in broadcast journalism and combines it with her background in positive psychology to show us how we are ALL broadcasters. (Get a copy of the book here.)

It’s packed with great stories and Big Ideas. I’m excited to share a few of my favorites we can apply today so let’s jump straight in! :)

P.S. Check out Michelle’s Journalist Manifesto on Transformative Journalism for some inspiration on we can change the landscape of media on a cultural level!

P.P.S. Check out this cool Infographic by happify that beautifully captures the book’s wisdom!

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About the author

Authors

Michelle Gielan

National CBS News anchor turned positive psychology researcher.