Dr Peggy Kern who is an associate professor at the Centre for Positive Psychology at the University of Melbourne’s Graduate School of Education. Her research is collaborative in nature and draws on a variety of methodologies to examine questions around who thrives in life and why. She is the world’s leading researcher on measuring wellbeing using the PERMAH pillars, and has published 2 books and over 80 peer-reviewed articles and chapters.

In today’s episode, we explore how systems informed positive psychology is can help workplaces to think more holistically about their wellbeing strategies and the tools that researchers and practitioners can use to help them take a systems approach.

Connect with Peggy Kern:

http://www.peggykern.org/

You’ll Learn:

[02:37] - Peggy explains why we need a systems-informed approach when it comes to improving wellbeing in our workplaces.
[04:01] - Peggy defines how a systems-informed positive psychology approach makes visible what is invisible.
[05:19] - Peggy shares some of the underlying assumptions of positive psychology research and practices that limit our ability to positively impact a system.
[07:51] - Peggy offers some tips for helping leaders embrace “simplexity’ when it comes to understanding how to impact wellbeing in their workplace.
[09:59] - Peggy explores how we can better understand what is happening across a workplace to create a systems-informed approach for improving wellbeing.
[11:28] - Peggy explains how Appreciative Inquiry approaches can be used to help map a system's response for workplaces wanting to improve wellbeing.
[15:31] - Peggy shares how mapping energy networks in workplaces can help identify the best people and teams to target for wellbeing interventions in the system.
[17:54] - Peggy explains why a systems-informed mindset needs us to let go of the illusion of control and instead learn to dance between order and chaos.
[21:26] - Peggy shares why creating feedback loops is an important part of any systems informed strategy to improve wellbeing.
[23:41] - Peggy explains how thinking though a systems lens can help us to build our growth mindsets, psychological safety, and self-compassion.
[23:41] - Peggy explains why systems are always changing and what this means for our workplace wellbeing strategies.
[27:39] - Peggy completes the Lightning Round.

Your Resources:

Thanks for listening!

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Until next time, take care! Thank you Peggy!

Ep 353: How to Protect Your Mental and Physical Health at Work