Local psychologist and leadership trainer David Larson recently returned from Sacramento after spending three days training 30 leaders of the state of California June 25 through June 27.

Larson and his business partner, Kate Sholonski, efficiency experts who build positive business cultures, first went out to help the state in 2007, originally training 20 leaders of Caltrans. Caltrans runs the Department of Transportation and employs 22,000 people. The following year, the state saved $17 million. This prompted a series of return visits.

This was their fourth time back, and Larson and Sholonski, also known as Triumph Leadership Group, have a contract to return several more times.

“Our model is based on fostering respect, caring, and partnership in achieving an organization’s goals,” said Larson. Research shows productivity and sales go up 31 percent and 37 percent respectively when workers are happy instead of negative, neutral or stressed. “Once a company realizes they can increase their bottom line by one-third just paying attention to the culture of the business, they become very interested.”

In addition to helping organizations make money, Larson said the greatest satisfaction is seeing the stress drop out of workers’ lives and having employees enjoy their jobs. “If you don’t enjoy your work,” said Larson, that’s a lot of life’s joy down the tubes.  Fortunately, we can fix that.”