Making Positive Psychology Work

Paige Williams is a Positive Change Solutionary who uses the science of wellbeing to create sustainable positive change within individuals and organizations. She is a lecturer with The Center for Positive Psychology at the University of Melbourne. In this conversation, you will hear Paige share her research on how an Inside-Out-Outside-In approach to improving wellbeing can help to improve work happiness in organizations. Paige explains how achieving successful and sustainable change relies on the dynamic interplay been the individual and the system that they are part of and the practical strategies organizations can use to create upward and sustainable spirals of wellbeing. Connect with Paige Williams: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paige-williams/ You'll Learn: [01:48] – Paige published a paper, Inside-Out-Outside-In: A Dual Approach Model To Developing Work Happiness. She explains this approach to wellbeing in workplaces. [04:52] – Paige explains how workplaces can leverage the factors that help us to improve from the inside out. [05:59] – Paige lists the factors that make up psychological capital and how they can influence outside in elements. [07:42] – Paige describes how a three-day positive psychology training intervention helped build psychological capital in people. [10:43] – Paige talks about using Kim Cameron's Positive Practices framework to help organizations build more positive cultures. [12:15] – Paige lists the insights she shares with leaders who are looking to improve workplace wellbeing. [14:44] – Paige talks about helping organizations and individuals implement and sustain these wellbeing practices. [16:05] – Paige talks about how leaders can provide people with opportunities to reinforce the positive training they've received. [17:02] – Paige discusses what she would like to research in the future. [19:11] – The Lightning Round with Paige Williams Your Resources: Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error – Kathryn Schulz Positive Psychology as Social Change – Robert Biwas-Diener Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for joining me again this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It's free! Special thanks to Paige for joining me this week. Until next time, take care!

Christine Porath is an associate professor at the School of Business at Georgetown University. Christine's research focuses on leadership, organizational culture, the effects of bad behavior in workplaces, and how organizations can create a more positive environment where people can thrive. She recently released a new book, Mastering Civility: A Manifesto for the Workplace. How often does someone's rude or insensitive behavior zap your energy and motivation? Unfortunately it seems that incivility is on the rise in our workplaces. It can undermine your work performance, and your mental and physical wellbeing. Listen to Christine share strategies on buffering the negative effects of incivility and building more civil organizations. Connect with Christine Porath: ChristinePorath.com You'll Learn: [01:48] – Christine defines "incivility" and says that it has become more prevalent in workplaces. [04:44] – Christine explains that the number one thing driving incivility is stress and feeling overwhelmed. She also talks about technology's role in civility. [06:20] – Christine describes the cost to employees and workplaces from tolerating incivility. [08:13] – Christine shares some tips on how to handle incivility. [11:04] – Christine talks about why wellbeing is the best antidote to incivility. [12:30] – Christine asks, "Who do you want to be?" She explains why answering this question each day may determine our success. [14:36] – The Cycle to Civility is a four step process for organizations to become more civil places. [18:34] – Christine talks about where civility can go awry. [20:13] – There are simple techniques to improve our civility. Christine shares some of these. [23:21] – The Lightning Round with Christine Porath. Your Resources: The Price of Incivility What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful – Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter Triggers: Creating Behaviors That Last — Becoming the Person You Want to Be – Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance – Angela Duckworth Resisting Happiness – Matthew Kelly Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for joining me again this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It's free! Special thanks to Christine for joining me this week. Until next time, take care!

Ellen Langer is a Harvard psychology professor and the director of the Langer Mindfulness Institute. She has been described as "The Mother of Mindfulness" and has authored 11 books and more than 200 articles. Her work has influenced two decades of research in positive psychology. In this conversation, you will hear Ellen share why mindfulness doesn't require you to sit in hours of meditation. She explains the benefits she has found over 40 years of research for the practice of mindfulness in workplaces and what leaders can do practically to be more mindful and how they can help the people they lead to do the same. Connect with Ellen Langer: Websites: EllenLanger.com LangerMindfulnessInstitute.com You'll Learn: [01:30] – Ellen explains why "mindfulness" as the process of noticing new things. [02:15] – Ellen lists some benefits of mindfulness in workplaces. [06:07] – Ellen talks about the practical ways leads can be more mindful. [08:35] – Ellen provides an example of a mindful company that turned a failed product into a successful product. [11:58] – Ellen shares how we can approach the same task differently, depending on our perception of that task and the impact this can have on our performance. [13:53] – Ellen explains the simple changes we can each make to be more mindful. [18:15] – Ellen shares the benefits she's found of having happier workplaces [18:55] – Ellen talks about the impact mindfulness can have on our health. Your Resources: The Art of Noticing – Ellen J Langer The Dinner Party: Stories – Joshua Ferris Making It Work cheat-sheet Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for joining me again this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It's free! Special thanks to Ellen for joining me this week. Until next time, take care!

Roy Baumeister is one of the world's most prolific and influential psychologists. He has published well over 500 scientific articles and more than 30 books. In 2013, he received the highest award given by the Association for Psychological Science, the William James Fellow Award. He is a professor of Psychology at Florida State University. Wish you had more willpower to stick to your resolutions? Roy's early studies found that generally self-control works like a muscle – it gets tired when you exercise it, but if you exercise it a lot, it seems to get stronger. Recently he is finding a link between your willpower and your body's energy system, so when you are feeling tired, hungry, or run down your levels of self-control may be lower. Hear how self-control can help you manage the challenges of life. Connect with Roy Baumeister: Website: http://www.roybaumeister.com/ You'll Learn: [01:45] – Roy explains why self-control seems more important and powerful than self-esteem. [04:30] – Roy describes his findings on how self-control works. [07:01] – Roy comments on a recent study by Carol Dweck where if you believe you have unlimited willpower you will be less likely to deplete it. [09:40] – Roy's current research is finding that when your willpower is depleted you're more likely to jump to conclusions. [14:08] – Roy talks about self-defeating behavior, specifically in situations with short-term gain and long-term loss. [17:36] – Roy explains that people with good self-control generally have fewer stresses and problems. [19:35] – Roy shares some insights on when and how to make positive changes in your life. [20:17] – The Lightning Round with Roy Baumeister Your Resources: Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength – Roy Baumeister and John Tierney A Natural History of Human Morality – Michael Tomasello Cheap Sex: The Transformation of Men, Marriage, and Monogamy – Mark Regnerus Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for joining me again this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It's free! Special thanks to Roy for joining me this week. Until next time, take care!

Garry Davis' corporate career has included more than a decade in executive HR and OD roles in public and private sectors. His work in leadership development and applied positive psychology has been recognized through various awards. In this conversation, you'll hear Garry share his award-winning approach to introducing positive leadership into organizations and his tips for embedding these behaviors to create lasting changes. Garry also shares the surprising truths he learned about organizational cynics and how to manage them through the change process. Connect with Garry Davis: Website - thestylewisegroup.com [01:47] – Garry shares takeaways from his award-winning work. He explains the importance of context. [05:13] – Garry explains why a one-size fits all approach may not work when considering smaller teams within an organization. There can be different cultures with these teams. [07:18] – Garry shares his award-winning case study for the introduction of positive leadership into a workplace. [09:19] – After the conversation is changed, the behaviors need to be embedded. This takes time and using this company as an example, Garry talks about the time-frame to reach sustainability. [13:48] – Garry talks about early adopters and laggers and the impact they can have on implementing these practices. He draws a parallel to the movie, Toy Story. [18:03] – Garry shares what the strategy should be when it comes to the "terrorists" that don't immediately buy in. [19:56] – Garry shares that there may be companies that are not ready for positive psychology practices. [21:10] – The Lightning Round with Garry Davis. Your Resources: The Positive Business Conference Employee Engagement in Theory and Practice – Catherine Truss and Kirsten Alfes Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for joining me again this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It's free! Special thanks to Garry for joining me this week. Until next time, take care!

Sue Ashford is a professor in management and organization at the University of Michigan. Her research interests include leader effectiveness and development, issue selling, self-management and feedback processes in organizations. Are you keen to step up to a leadership role but worried you aren't quite ready? Sue suggests that everyone has leadership potential, and you learn leadership mostly from experience. But if you're racing through your experiences mindlessly, you could be missing out on a lot of learning. By mindfully engaging in your experiences, and being open to growing, developing your skills and getting feedback you can be more effective at learning leadership skills. Connect with Sue Ashford: Sue's Website You'll Learn: [01:42] – Sue will be presenting at the upcoming Positive Business Conference on 'Control Your Own Destiny: Leadership Development through Mindful Engagement.' [03:41] – Sue discusses the leadership is part skill, part mindset, and in part risk. [05:32] – Sue defines 'mindful engagement' as a set of practices that allow you to learn more from the experiences you're in. [07:53] – Sue explains that it's not possible to be mindful every moment of every day, but she says that you can be mindful in certain experiences. [12:45] – Sue says that experimentation with different approaches allows you to find what works and doesn't work. [14:08] – Both anxiety and too much positivity can prevent learning. Emotion regulation can keep your emotions in a middle ground. [15:48] –Referring to yourself in the third person has been found to help regulate emotions. [17:14] – Sue talks about feedback-seeking and explains two strategies for gaining this information. [20:20] – Sue explains why managers struggle with reflection. [23:15] – The Lightning Round with Sue Ashford. Your Resources: The Positive Business Conference A Lapsed Anarchist's Approach to Being a Better Leader – Ari Weinzweig Betwixt and between identities: Liminal experience in contemporary careers – Herminia Ibarra Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for joining me again this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It's free! Special thanks to Sue for joining me this week. Until next time, take care!

Edwin Locke is the Dean's Professor of Motivation and Leadership Emeritus at the University of Maryland. He has published over 300 chapters and articles in professional journals on topics such as motivation, job satisfaction, incentives and the philosophy of science. He is internationally known for his research on goal-setting. Goals are critical in helping us create change in our lives, and yet most people struggle to stick with the goals they set. In this conversation, you'll hear Ed explain the importance of setting goals and what his 35 years of research has discovered about setting effective goals and why SMART goals may not be as smart as you thought they were. Connect with Edwin Locke: Website: http://edwinlocke.com You'll Learn: [01:37] – Ed explains that life is a goal-directed process and if we remain passive in setting goals it's unlikely we will thrive. [04:44] – Ed shares why people struggle with goals. [06:14] – Ed explains why we should be setting difficult goals for ourselves. [07:08] – Ed describes the difference between a performance goal and a learning goal. [09:18] – Ed explains why SMART goals are incomplete. [10:55] – Ed shares the power of goal hierarchies and how to avoid goal conflicts. [12:16] – Ed reminds us that it's important to set goals for your own life and not setting goals to "show off" or goals based on someone else's life. [13:45] – Ed explains why "emotional intelligence" is over-rated for leadership. [15:00] – The Lightning Round with Ed Locke Your Resources: American Psychologist Article – Building A Useful Theory Of Goal Setting & Task Motivation Selfish Path to Romance: How to Love with Passion and Reason – Edwin Locke and Ellen Kenner New Developments in Goal Setting and Task Performance – Edwin Locke and Gary Latham Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for joining me again this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It's free! Special thanks to Ed for joining me this week. Until next time, take care!

Peggy Kern is a senior lecturer at the University of Melbourne's Graduate School of Education in the Center for Positive Psychology. She has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles, and her research addresses the question, "Who flourishes, and why?" Are we oversimplifying positive psychology? While the field has made much progress over the last 15 years in helping people find ways to improve their wellbeing, however, at best interventions are only beneficial for some people, some of the time, and are far from a magic bullet for everyone in all situations. Peggy suggests combining positive psychology's focus on the individual with systems science to take into account the complex reality of our everyday contexts, could assist target interventions for individuals and the collective good. Connect with Peggy Kern: Website: http://peggykern.org You'll Learn: [01:36] – Peggy has been working with a team of collaborators at Melbourne University that merges positive psychology with systems science to create positive systems science. She explains this merging of two interdisciplinary fields. [04:49] – Peggy shares how systems science helps us figure out which positive psychology interventions will be helpful for specific outcomes at different times. [11:10] – Peggy talks about how a systems map helps discover the relationships between things. [13:12] – Systems are complex, dynamic and changing. [15:13] – Peggy talks about how system science needs to be developed to help people flourish. [17:23] – Peggy addresses how we can get organizations to see themselves as wellbeing systems. [18:24] – To determine if a system is flourishing, measurement is necessary. Peggy talks about how the measurements work. [21:08] – This is the early days of this type of thinking. Peggy shares some resources for you to learn more, such as her blog. [22:08] – The lightning round with Peggy Kern. Your Resources: The Soul of Money: Reclaiming the Wealth of Our Inner Resources – Lynne Twist Peggy's Positive Systems Science Blog Understanding Systems Science: A Visual and Integrative Approach – Andreas Hieronymi Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for joining me again this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It's free! Special thanks to Peggy for joining me this week. Until next time, take care!

Professor Carol Dweck is widely regarded as one of the world's leading researchers in the fields of personality, social psychology, and developmental psychology. She has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the US Academy of Sciences and won nine lifetime achievement awards for her research. Her work is used by organizations around the world to transform their cultures. In this conversation, you will hear Carol talk about fixed and growth mindsets and how her research has found they can impact our performance at work. She draws on her experience of helping organizations implement this type of mindset to share the small changes workplaces can make to cultivate growth mindset environments and where this can go wrong. Connect with Carol Dweck: Website: http://mindsetonline.com/abouttheauthor/ You'll Learn: [02:10] – Carol explains the differences between fixed and growth mindsets, according to her research. [04:56] – Carol shares how her studies have found that when there is a fixed mindset culture with an organization, there's a lot of unethical and unhealthy behaviors because of the pursuit of outcomes. [08:41] – Carol shares that innovation is coming out of growth mindset companies at a higher rate. [10:22] – Carol's recent article in the Harvard Business Review points out some of the misconceptions around growth mindsets in workplaces. She explains what those misconceptions are. [13:00] – Carol talks about how Microsoft are cultivating growth mindsets across their teams. [19:32] – Carol explains why she believes self-compassion works well with a growth mindset. [23:20] – Carol shares where the growth mindset and these strategies can go wrong and the importance of evaluation. [24:16] – The Lightning Round with Carol Dweck. Your Resources: Carol's article in Harvard Business Review: What Having a "Growth Mindset" Actually Means How Microsoft Uses Growth Mindset to Develop Leaders Mindset: The New Psychology of Success – Carol Dweck Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for joining me again this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It's free! Special thanks to Carol for joining me this week. Until next time, take care!

Dacher Keltner is a professor of psychology at UC Berkeley. He is also the faculty director of The Greater Good Science Center. Dacher's research focuses on the biological and evolutionary origins of compassion, love, beauty, power, social class, and inequality. Do you run towards or away from having more power? Often perceived as the need to manipulate, coerce or dominate others, it turns out that power is actually the ability to make a difference in the world by influencing others. As a result power is not something to be taken, but given to us through the practices of empathy, kindness, generosity and gratitude. The paradox however is that as our power grows from these practices, it often ends up disconnecting us from the very people we serve. So how can we navigate the power paradox? Connect with Dacher Keltner: Website – http://psychology.berkeley.edu/people/dacher-keltner You'll Learn: [01:35] – Dacher defines "power" as your capacity to influence other people. [06:53] – Dacher explains that there are small things you can do to feel more powerful. [09:05] – Dacher speaks about Adam Grant's work on keeping your generosity right for the context. [13:06] – Dacher explains how feeling powerful helps ignite your approach system by focusing on rewards, and when you're not feeling powerful it trigger your inhibition system making you more aware of risks. [15:05] – Dacher gives strategies to use to overcome the power paradox. [23:32] – Dacher shares some thoughts on servant leadership. [24:59] – Dacher explains what a future workplace looks like with shared power. [26:40] – The Lightning Round with Dacher Keltner Your Resources: Born to be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life – Dacher Keltner The Compassionate Instinct: The Science of Human Goodness – Dacher Keltner The Power Paradox: How We Gain and Lose Influence – Dacher Keltner Good Natured: The Origins of Right and Wrong in Humans and Other Animals – Frans B. M. de Waal The Ethics for a New Millennium – Dalai Lama The Greater Good Science Center The Varieties of Religious Experience – William James Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for joining me again this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It's free! Special thanks to Dacher for joining me this week. Until next time, take care!