Turning Organizations Positive with Robert Quinn

Robert Quinn is a world leading expert on positive organizations, and how to introduce and implement positive practices into workplaces. He shares examples of handling situations through conventional strategy and positive practices.

While many organizations experience success with introducing and implementing positive practices, this is a transition that can be difficult to accomplish. We have a natural fear and to flourish, we need to overcome the conventional mind map. However, the most effective outcomes are the result of finding a balance of conventional methods and positive practices. 

Robert shares the four questions to ask to transform yourself into a positive state and get different results than you have in the past: 

1. What results to I want to create?
2. Am I internally directed?
3. Am I other-focused?
4. Am I externally open?

This interview was produced in partnership with the Canadian Positive Psychology Association and the 3rd Canadian Conference on Positive Psychology.

Robert’s Blog: https://thepositiveorganization.wordpress.com/

You’ll Learn

• [2:26] - Assumptions of conventional social science and alternatives to those assumptions
• [4:29] - Robert shares an example of the destruction of the culture of an organization through conventional decision-making and strategy.
• [5:55] - To contrast the previous story, Robert shares an example of handling down-sizing with positive practices.
• [7:59] - Flourishing means overcoming natural fear
• [9:41] - Positive practices are an addition, not a replacement to the conventional mind map.
• [10:44] - Finding a balance with conventional methods and positive practices
• [12:50] - Robert shares his thoughts on how to introduce and implement these ideas.
• [16:21] - Contributive goals help people take risks
• [17:45] - Robert talks about the transformation he sees in his workshops.
• [18:33] - The lightning round with Robert Quinn. 

Resources:

“The Positive Organization: Breaking Free from Conventional Cultures, Constraints, and Beliefs” - Robert Quinn

Lift Exchange Tool

“Life on Purpose: How Living for What Matters Most Changes Everything” - Victor J Strecher

“The Path of Least Resistance: Learning to Become the Creative Force in Your Own Life” - Robert Fritz

Canadian Conference on Positive Psychology

Positive Business Conference

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.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It’s free!

Special thanks to Robert for joining me this week. Until next time, take care!