Making Positive Psychology Work

David Desteno is a Professor of Psychology at Northeastern University where he directs the social immersions group. David’s research examines the mechanisms of the mind that shape vice and virtue, and his work continually reveals that human moral behaviour is much more variable than most would predict. He’s regularly featured in the media, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Harvard Business Review to name just a few. David is the author of several books including Emotional Success, The Truth about Trust, and the co-author of the Wall Street Journal’s spotlight psychology best seller, Out of Character. In today’s episode David shares his research on self-control and why harnessing social emotions – like gratitude, compassion and pride – can be an effective and energizing way to improve our levels of grit. Connect with David Desteno: Website: www.davedesteno.com [free_product_purchase id="24033"] You’ll Learn: [01:56] - David talks about the ability to be future oriented and persevere to our future goals is an important part of life. [03:27] - David explains how the human mind tends to discount the value of the future. [05:01] - David lists gratitude, compassion and pride, as the social emotions that help with control and grit? [06:58] - David discusses how being self interested and aggressive is not an effective recipe for success, in the long term. [07:42] - David explains that what is adaptive for helping other people is adaptive for ourselves as well. [09:03] - David talks about how people who practise gratitude, compassion and pride, will demonstrate greater perseverence and less procrastination. He also discusses how the practise of meditation and mindfulnes can improve these qualities. [10:21] - David talks about making a habit of taking pride in steps along the way, not just when you reach your ultimate goal. [14:02] - David explains how pride can lead to perseverance. [15:47] - David gives examples of things that we can do to create a sense of authentic pride for ourselves. [17:21] - David details the intersection between the social emotions and our ability to maintain a growth mindset as we go about our jobs. [18:42] - David talks about our biases on who we choose to show compassion to, and how. [20:00] - David gives some practical tips on how to cultivate more compassion to improve relationships at work. [21:32] - David lists some other emotions that play into our social relationships, impact the choices we make, and our levels of self-control and grit. [22:24] - Lightning round with David Desteno. Your Resources: Emotional Success by David Desteno The Truth About Trust by David Desteno Power Paradox by Dacher Keltner 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. 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 don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It’s free! 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. Until next time, take care!  Thank you David!

Jo Mitchell is a clinical psychologist and co-founder of the Mind Room, a health, wellbeing and performance psychology practice in Melbourne, Australia. Jo has over 20 years of sports industry experience and has a specialist interest in working with high performers across all fields to improve their wellbeing, particularly by using the tools of Positive Psychology, Acceptance Commitment Therapy and Mindfulness. She is also on the board for Action for Happiness Australia. In today’s episode, we’ll be discussing how to introduce wellbeing practices into workplaces that are cautious or skeptical about ‘soft skills’. We’ll explore how to tailor language, create a systems approach and a new app that opens this science up to a much wider market. Connect with Jo Mitchell: Website: themindroom.com.au [free_product_purchase id="23878"] You’ll Learn: [01:58} - Jo explains how she taylors the language used to present ideas of positive psychology, to be openly accepted in typically tough and competitive workplaces. [04:55] - Jo talks about setting up a support network to help footballers stick with newly learned behaviours, using repetition and reinforcement. [10:24] - Jo talks about her new wellbeing mobile app called Mind Max. [14:37] - Jo discusses the gender bias in men around wellness and wellbeing. [20:45] - Jo explains how we can prevent burnout by scheduling moments of rejuvenation into our daily life, and the importance of giving ourselves permission to do this. [21:39] - Lightning round with Jo Mitchell Your Resources: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson Mindmax.com.au 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. 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 don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It’s free! 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. Until next time, take care!  Thank you Jo!

Patty McCord is a workplace innovator, culture and leadership consultant, and former chief talent officer at Netflix. Patty has many years of working with business leaders and aspiring management to help people realize and practice leadership. She is the author of a wonderful new book, Powerful: Teams, Leaders and the Culture of Freedom and Responsibility, which pushes the boundaries of thinking about the way we work. From abolishing performance reviews to challenging the need for policies, Patty believes people come to work as fully formed adults with a desire to make an impact and to be proud of what they do. Her ideas have been featured in publications around the world, including the Harvard’s Business Review, Fast Company and The Wall Street Journal. In today’s podcast Patty explains why mapping engagement and happiness measures against productivity in workplaces may undermine the very results workplaces are trying to create.  She also shares how Netflix built a thriving culture by treating employees like adults, balancing freedom and responsibility and replacing performance reviews with radical honesty. Connect with Patty McCord: Website: pattymccord.com [free_product_purchase id="23610"] You’ll Learn: [02:03] - Patty gives some of the dangers of overlaying engagement and happiness scores with team performance. [06:48] - Patty talks about the value of saying something radically honest every day. [07:53] - Patty explains how if you practise giving people feedback every day, 50% of it will work and be positive feedback. [11:24] - Patty says why the freedom and responsibility has to live inside of the business that you're trying to accomplish. [12:28] - Patty explains why strategy is figuring out what not to do. [16:52] - Patty tells how to orchestrate vigorous debates to encourage people to get curious, and put themselves on the other side of the argument. [19:23] - Patty gives examples of what should managers do instead of formal perfomance reviews. [21:40] - Lightning round with Patty McCord. Your Resources: Brotopia by Emily Chang Powerful by Patty McCord 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. 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 don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It’s free! 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. Until next time, take care!  Thank you Patty!

Dr. Peter McGraw is an associate professor of marketing and psychology at the University of Colorado Boulder’s Leeds School of Business. As a behavioral scientist, his research examines the interrelationship of judgment, emotion, and choice—with a focus on the production and consumption of entertainment. McGraw directs The Humor Research Lab (HuRL) and is the co-author of The Humor Code: A Global Search for What Makes Things Funny. His research has been covered by The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, TIME NPR, BBC, and CNN. His work appears in the Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Marketing Research, Management Science, Psychological Science, and the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.  He is currently trying to kick a sweater vest habit – even if it does get him kicked off the Stylist Scientist List. Today we’re talking all about humor; how it can bring people together and push them apart. We’ll also cover it’s role in generating success for several key business areas. Connect with Pete McGraw: Website: petermcgraw.org/ [free_product_purchase id="23485"] You’ll Learn: [03:17] - Pete explains the principles of humour, and it's commonalities and differences across various demographics. [05:03] - Pete dicsuses how to cultivate humour. [07:32] - Pete covers the negative side of humour, and how it should be regulated in a work environment. [09:53] - Pete talks about humour within cultures, and how forgiveness can be a complimentary quality. [11:03] - Pete uses the analogy of being a supporting actor in life, and how productive it is when people act with this mindset. {16:59] - Pete discusses the role of humour in sales and marketing, and how enthusiasm is a powerful tool for making an impact. [18:55] - Pete lists some qualities that present charisma, including the use of movement and well placed silence. [20:41] - Lightning round with Peter McGraw. Your Resources: The Humour Code by Peter McGraw Boddy Pants by Tina Fey Rethink by Steven Poole 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. 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 don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It’s free! 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. Until next time, take care!  Thank you Gervase!

Gervase Bushe is the Professor of Leadership and Organisational Development at the Beedie School of Business, Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada. His career spans over three decades of transforming organisational structures, cultures and processes, away from command and control and towards more collaborative work systems. Gervase is an award winning author of over one hundred papers and has three books on organisational change, leadership, teams and teamwork. His newest co-authored book, “Dialogic Organisation Development: The Theory and Practise of Transformational Change,” builds on his ground breaking research into how appreciative inquiry leads to transformational change, and is gathering international acclaim. He has consulted to blue chip corporations and start-ups, public sector and business corporations in a variety of sectors and, in 2016, HR Magazine in the UK added him to their list of the 30 Most Influential HR thinkers. Today we’re talking with Gervase about how to create changes in workplaces that enable them to flourish. Gervase shares his award-winning insights on why we need to understand more about how living systems thrive, the role of leaders and the danger of big visions, and how to ask generative questions that shift people’s thinking and behavior. Connect with Gervase Bushe: Website: gervasebushe.ca [free_product_purchase id="23420"] You’ll Learn: [03:05] - Gervase introduces transformational change processes, and explains the results of tests he's done in that area. [07:18] - Gervases gives his experience of how self organisation has been integrated into the workplace. [11:26] - Gervase explains the difference between a 'positive' and 'generative' approach. [16:27] - Gervase shares his tips on asking more generative questions. [16:35] - Gervase talks about how to focus on developing positive traits, rather than trying to eliminate the negative. [26:59] - Lightning round with Gervase Bushe Your Resources: Clear Leadership by Gervase Bushe Dialogic Organisation Development by Gervase Bushe & Robert J. Marshak Good People, Bad Managers by Samuel Culbert Strangers to Ourselves by Tim Wilson 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. 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 don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It’s free! 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. Until next time, take care!  Thank you Gervase!

Peggy Holman is an author and consultant who employs dialogical practices to turn passivity into participation. Her award-winning book, Engaging Emergence: Turning Upheaval into Opportunity, provides a roadmap for tackling complex systems challenges. In the Change Handbook she and her co-authors profile 61 processes that enable diverse groups to create their desired future. As co-founder of the non-profit, Journalism that Matters, Peggy has helped to cultivate a journalism community of practise that is committed to journalism, which supports communities and democracy to thrive. Today we’re talking to Peggy about what researchers are learning enables workplaces and systems to flourish, and why chaos rather than balance holds the key to learning and growth. Peggy shares her insights on how to create positive disruptions that enable a system to change, why passion and responsibility are the keys to authentic leadership and how leaders can mobilize and support people in taking action. Connect with Peggy Holman: Website: www.peggyholman.com [free_product_purchase id="23267"] You’ll Learn: [03:40] - Peggy explains why it's important to challenge the current systems in place, and how disturbance can prompt change. [07:47] - Peggy talks about how to actively guide disruptive factors, rather than taking a passive approach. [15:16] - Peggy discusses the benefits of open space technology. [18:47] - Peggy explains why organisations have difficulty embracing self organisation. [21:10] - Peggy covers how self organisation has been proven to benefit work processes. [22:25] - Peggy gives examples of principles and support that can help open space technology function at it's best. [23:20] - Peggy talks about some new approaches that have been discovered. [25:11] - Peggy lists some cautions and caveats when implementing these approaches. [25:51] - Lightning round with Peggy Holman Your Resources: Engaging Emergence by Peggy Holman Personal History by Katharine Graham 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. 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 don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It’s free! 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. Until next time, take care!  Thank you Peggy!

Jacqueline Stavros is an Associate Professor at the Lawrence Technological University and has been honored with the LTU Inaugural Presidential Research Award. She’s known for her creation of SOAR, a profoundly positive approach to strategic thinking, planning, and leadership, based on the concept of Appreciative Inquiry. Today we’re talking to Jacqui about how the SOAR framework and how this can be used to help organizations and teams take a strengths-based, systems approach to strategic planning. and the kind of results they might expect.  Jacqui helps us to understand how SOAR differs from SWOT approaches, how to help the cynics embrace a more strengths-orientated approach and how you conduct a quick SOAR in just a few hours with a team. Connect with Jacqueline Stavros: Website: http://soar-strategy.com/ [free_product_purchase id="22823"] You’ll Learn: [02:14] - Jackie talks about 'meeting people where they're at]. [02:50] - Jackie explains generative questions. [03:43] - Jackie gives an introduction to SOAR (strengths, opportunities, aspirations & results) and how it works. [05:55] - Jackie gives example of which situations SOAR is most appropriate for. [08:59] - Jackie explains the '5 'I' Approach'. [12:05] - Jackie discusses the impact of SOAR on the workplace. [17:15] - Jackie talks about potential cautions and caveats of using SOAR. [24:18] - Lighting round with Jacqueline Stavros. Your Resources: Conversations Worth Having by Jackie Stavros, Cheri Torres & David L. Cooperrider Flourish by Martin E. P. Seligman Your Strengths Blueprint by Michelle L. Mcquaid & Ms Erin Lawn Give & Take by Adam Grant 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. 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 don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It’s free! 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. Until next time, take care!  Thank you Jackie!

Reb Rebele is the Research Director for Wharton People Analytics, and teaches in the Masters in Applied Positive Psychology Programme at the University of Pennsylvania. Reb's research, writing and consulting projects bring behavioral science and research into the world of work, to drive better employee experiences and organizational outcomes. Today we're talking to Reb about why being a 'giver' at work can backfire and cause you to hurt the very people you want to help and burn yourself out in the process.  Discover what drives giving behaviors at work, the practical steps you can take to be a self-protective giver and what leaders can do to create their dream team of reciprocity approaches. Connect with Reb Rebele: Website: www.rebrebele.com [free_product_purchase id="22570"] You’ll Learn: [01:44] - Reb explains how helpfulness creates value in the workplace. [03:21] -  Reb talks about how giving too much can be draining and counter-productive. [08:05] - Reb discusses the generosity spectrum that he calls 'reciprocity style' - that includes takers, matchers & givers. [11:37] - Reb explores how personality styles, beliefs and mindsets might drive these behaviors. [14:15] - Reb shares the habits of highly effective giving, including how you can perform small five minute favors. [19:31] - Reb talks about how leaders can build dream teams of reciprocity styles. [23:48] - Lightning round with Reb Rebele Your Resources: Give & Take - Adam Grant Extreme You by Sarah O' Hagen The Three Marriages by David Whyte 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. 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 don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It’s free! 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. Until next time, take care!  Thank you Reb!

Amy Wrzesniewski is a Professor of organizational behavior at the Yale School of Management. For almost two decades, her research has focused on how people make meaning of their work in challenging work contexts or conditions Her findings have been published in a wide range of top academic journals, and highlighted in several best-selling books and popular press outlets, including Forbes, Time, Business Week, Harvard Business Review, U.S. News and World Report, The Economist, as well as bestselling books such as Drive by Daniel Pink, The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor, Authentic Happiness by Martin Seligman, and The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler. Do you wish you had more meaning in your work?  Amy explains how you can craft your job, whatever your role and status, to find more meaning in what you do each day at work.  She also shares practical tips for leaders to create an environment that encourages job crafting among employees to help them feel more proactive, engaged and productive at work. Connect with Amy Wrzensieski: Website: www.jobcrafting.org [free_product_purchase id="22286"] You’ll Learn: [02:10] - Amy defines job crafting. [04:02] - Amy explains the value of meaning in our work, including how it affects our job choices, longevity of a particular role, and peoples perception of their careers. [07:32] - Amy gives examples of how leaders can support job crafting for employees. [09:46] - Amy suggests ways people can create more meaning in their own work. [12:58] - Amy discusses the latest findings and developments in job crafting. Your Resources: Happiness Advantage by Shawn Anchor Authentic Happiness by Martin Seligman The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler How to be a Positive Leader: Small Actions, Big Impact by Jane E.Dutton, Gretchen Spreitzer & Shawn Achor 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. 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 don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It’s free! 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. Until next time, take care!  Thank you Amy!

Christopher Kukk is a Professor of Political Science and Social Science at Western Connecticut State University, the Founding Director for the Centre for Compassion, Creativity and Innovation, the author of the Compassionate Achiever, and the co-host of the Compassionate Achiever Podcast. Chris’ research and publications combine neuroscience with the social sciences and focus on education issues, the political economy of natural resources, and the creation and sustainability of civil society. Chris was also a counterintelligence agent for the United States Army, and is regularly featured in the media for his analysis on a wide range of topics and issues. Today Chris explains the neurological differences between empathy and compassion and why compassion may be the key to success in workplaces. He also shares his simple four step approach to creating more compassion and ways this can be practically be applied in workplaces. Connect with Chris Kukk: Website: http://chriskukk.com/ You’ll Learn: [02:16] - Chris explains the difference between empathy and compassion [05:51] - Chris discusses the complications of empathy and why it can lead to burn out. [07:09] - Chris talks about how compassion leads to success personally and professionally. [11:10] - Chris gives an example to show how kindness is a precursor to compassion and how this can help us to be more effective givers. [12:42] - Chris lists the 4 steps for cultivating compassion (LUCA) - 'listen to learn', 'understanding to know', 'connect to capabilities' and 'act to solve'. [19:19] - Chris explains how to teach these skills in workplaces. [25:10] - Lightning round with Chris Kukk Your Resources: The Compassionate Achiever - Chris Kukk Give & Take - Adam Grant Behave - Sapolsky Dark Matter - Blake Crouch 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. 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 don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It’s free! 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. Until next time, take care!  Thank you Chris!