About Nic
I am a…
Change Agent, Entrepreneur, Environmentalist, Idea generator, Parent, Startup
Bio
I am currently in the throes of starting up a completely new business called Happiness Works. We think happiness is a serious business and build online tools to help people create happier workplaces. Whilst I first developed a "well-being at work" tool in 2008 it has taken some time before I have felt confident enough to commit my main efforts to this idea. I plan to spend at least the next five years mainly focusing on this area. Previously I founded the award winning centre for well-being at the UK think tank - new economics foundation. During this period from 2001 till 2012 we sought to form a bridge between academic research and the UK policy realm. Our best known pieces of work include The Happy Planet Index (2006, 2009 & 2012), National Accounts of Well-being (2009) and Five Ways to Well-being (2008). The centre continues its great work at the forefront of UK and global applied well-being research. I remain a fellow of the new economics foundation and the 'founder' of the centre for well-being. I am also on the Board of the UK charity Action for Happiness which campaigns for a happier kinder society. I am also associated with the US-based Delivering Happiness - founded by Zappos.com CEO Tony Hsieh. They are kind enough to call me their Happiness Minister of Measurement!
I'm passionate about
That people's lives could be happier and more fulfilling and that Western Societies have been focusing too much on wealth and not enough on well-being.
An idea worth spreading
That happiness works. Happiness has evolved as a human emotion to help us create and seize opportunities - this is in contrast to (so-called) negative emotions which help us deal with threats.
The TED story
First heard of TED about 5 years ago and was bowled over when asked to give a TED talk at the 2010 TEDglobal. Obsessed about my talk for six months before delivering it and was very relieved to deliver pretty much as I wanted to. Since have written one of the first TED books - The Happiness Manifesto - and attended Long Beach in 2011 ... and have done a few TEDx talks - the last with my partner who is an expert on genetics and happiness - will be fun to see when released on line soon as we had a staged argument (to reflect our normal relationship!) ...
Things you might not know
Tennis (well ok - I enjoy it anyway)