Can Leaders Truly Make Employees Happy?
The modern workplace puts extraordinary pressure on leaders to be everything to everyone. But when leaders take on the unrealistic goal of "making employees happy," they often end up burned out and ineffective. In this session, we’ll explore a more sustainable approach rooted in intrinsic motivation, organizational culture, and purpose. Drawing from research and real-world insights, we’ll unpack what leaders can do to build thriving cultures—and why happiness isn't the job, but a byproduct of the right environment.
Dr. Julia Wiener | Private Investor, JW Strategies
Learning Objectives: By attending you will:
Challenge the myth that leaders are responsible for employee happiness—and understand why that belief sets everyone up to fail.
Explore the foundational role of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in employee motivation, based on the Basic Psychological Needs Theory (BPNT).
Learn practical strategies to help teams thrive by designing culture, not chasing happiness—through structure, development, and connection.
LOCATION
Maggiano’s Little Italy
6001 W Park Blvd.
Plano, TX 75093
SCHEDULE
4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Check-in & Networking
5:30 - 6:20 p.m. Program | 1 CPE
6:20 - 6:30 p.m. | Networking & Wrap-up
STRATEGIC INVESTORS
Financial Additions
Bridgepoint Consulting
BVWD
Truist
ExponentHR
MarshMcLennan
REGISTRATION
Registration deadline | Tuesday 1/6/26
Open to FEI Dallas members, and non-members with financial or executive roles.
FEI Members – Register on this page.
Non-FEI Members (including Strategic Investors) – Contact Nancy Ehlers at nancy.ehlers@feidallas.org with the following information by the registration deadline.
Name
Company name
Job title
Address, City, State, ZIP
Email
Phone
Mobile phone (if different)
LinkedIn address
CPE CREDIT
This event offers 1.0 CPE credit via FEI’s CPE Center to attendees who complete pre-registration and sign in/out at the meeting.
Financial Executives International is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.
For FEI CPE credits, one credit hour equals 50 minutes according to NASBA guidelines. Some States boards may differ on how many minutes constitute a credit hour. Contact your state board for more information.
CONTACT
Nancy Ehlers
FEI Dallas CPE Manager & Event Support
nancy.ehlers@feidallas.org