Making Positive Psychology Work

Join Michelle in a talk with Positive Psychologist Louis Alloro about the Certificate in Positive Psychology program. Louis discusses Perma-V model, pacing of the program, and practical application. He addresses challenges in implementing positive psychology in organizations, trends in stress and burnout among practitioners, and the importance of prioritizing personal well-being. Discover how to foster a positive workplace environment through gratitude and collaboration.

Maureen McKenna, partner at Innovation Works, discusses creating a healthy organizational climate by focusing on return on energy, self-aware leadership, and appreciative micro moments. She emphasizes the importance of challenging thought processes, fostering diverse perspectives, and incorporating elements like appreciation and actionable steps in workplace conversations.

Ilona Boniwell is the program leader for the first Master's Degree in Applied Positive Psychology in Europe at Angila Ruskin University. She is also the CEO of Positran. In this interview, you will hear Ilona share her insights on making Positive Psychology real and tangible, and practical for people to integrate into their lives. She also talks about the role of Positive Psychology in the workplace, including how it can be integrated through play, the current state of these practices in Europe, and the terminology she avoids when proposing these changes to organizations. Ilona Boniwell's website: https://lifelabs.psychologies.co.uk/users/579-dr-ilona-boniwell You'll Learn: ● [2:00] - Ilona talks about her goal of making Positive Psychology "real and tangible." ● [3:17] - Making strengths real by taking them from a questionnaire and knowing what to do with them. ● [4:52] - Ilona describes The Happiness Dashboard. ● [7:35] - Ilona talks about using the available tools to build our skills and maintain changes. ● [9:04] - The importance of play and it's role in corporate workplaces. ● [10:55] - Ilona talks about how organizations in Europe are embracing Positive Psychology practices. ● [12:20] - Ilona talks about how she frames this discussion to get organizations on board with these practices. ● [13:40] - Is there a time when positive psychology is not the right solution? ● [15:28] - The Lightning Round with Ilona Boniwell! Your Resources: "Positive Psychology in a Nutshell: The Science of Happiness" - Ilona Boniwell "Oxford Handbook of Happiness" "Building a Better Business Using the Lego Serious Play Method" - Per Kristiansen, Robert Rasmussen "Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul" - Stuart Brown, Christopher Vaughn The European Conference on Positive Psychology The Positive Psychology Program 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 Ilona for joining me this week. Until next time, take care!

Gretchen Spreitzer from the University of Michigan discusses sustainable performance at work, emphasizing the importance of promoting thriving. She shares four levers for organizations to achieve this and offers practical tips for individuals to thrive. Topics include co-working spaces, resilience, and personal growth strategies.

Emiliya Zhivotovskaya is the founder of The Flourishing Center of Benefit Corporation. She is the creator of the Certification in Applied Positive Psychology. Emiliya talks about the connection of mind and body, specifically in regards to vitality. Our bodies affect our thoughts and vice versa. So how do we bring that vitality into our lives? It's not through major interventions, but rather through daily life hacks. Emiliya shares a few that you can implement into your life. You will learn about the importance of our digestive system in this conversation. Emiliya talks about how our gut is our "second brain." She describes its effect on our our mind body health and lists ways for us to keep the second brain healthy. This is a conversation with a lot of practical and easily implemented tips and exercises. Emiliya Zhivotovskaya's website You'll Learn: [2:06] - Emiliya shares her model of vitality. [6:28] - Why do many researchers teach the mind and body are separate components? [7:10] - Emiliya talks about why we move our bodies. It's not to meet an exercise goal, but our cells have inherent wisdom to move. [8:28] - The enteric nervous system tells us our gut is "the second brain." [10:45] - Daily hacks are a way to bring vitality into our lives. [14:02] - Emiliya talks about the importance of probiotics and prebiotics in our diets. [15:29] - In modern times, we don't squat enough. Squatting also helps with healthy bowel movements. [17:33] - Sleep is the foundation of all vitality. [19:35] - The lightning round with Emiliya Zhivotovskaya Your Resources: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari - https://amzn.com/0062316095 Certificate in Positive Psychology - http://getcertifiedinpospsych.com The Canadian Positive Psychology Association - http://cppa.ca 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 Emiliya for joining me this week. Until next time, take care!

Wayne Baker is a professor of management at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. Wayne is also the first director of the Center for Positive Organizations.Wayne talks about the idea of a giving culture at work. People are inherently generous and often, the biggest barrier is getting people to ask for what they need. Wayne talks about the ROI that a giving culture brings to organizations. He also talks about who is likely to reciprocate and what their motivations might be. I enjoyed this conversation with Wayne Baker and I'm certain you will too! Wayne Baker's website You'll Learn: ● [1:41] - Wayne shares some takeaways from his presentation at The Positive Business Conference on creating a giving culture. ● [2:30] - Wayne talks about the reciprocity ring.● [3:21] - What steps need to be taken after an individual makes a request? ● [4:08] - The biggest barrier is getting people to ask for what they need. ● [5:07] - Wayne talks about why so many organizations struggle to create a giving culture. ● [6:35] - This process taps into the fundamental human principle of reciprocity. ● [7:12] - Takers give almost as frequently as givers give. ● [8:03] - The business benefits of the reciprocity ring. ● [10:19] - You can use technology to help you with the reciprocity ring. ● [11:19] - Early adopters become evangelists for the reciprocity ring. ● [12:37] - Setting boundaries in reciprocity and denying the power in reciprocity by not asking. ● [16:15] - Asking without expectations of receiving. ● [17:08] - The Lightning Round with Wayne Baker Your Resources: Learn more about the reciprocity ring at http://www.humaxnetworks.com/default.asp The Reflected Best Self The Power of Visioning Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success - Adam M. Grant Seveneves - Neal Stephenson A Book of Uncommon Prayer: 100 Celebrations of the Miracle & Muddle of the Ordinary - Brian Doyle The 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 Wayne for joining me this week. Until next time, take care!

Jessica Amortegui is a leading expert in positive psychology and positive organizational scholarship in organizations. Jessica is the Senior Director of Learning and Development at Logitech, where she has developed a two-day workshop on positive psychology practices for her team members. Jessica shares how she organized this workshop, including her strategy to gain management support and team buy-in. Jessica also talks with us about job crafting and the idea of "the perfect job vs. the best job for us." I think you will really enjoy this conversation with Jessica Amortegui. This interview was produced in partnership with the Center for Positive Organization's Positive Business Project. Jessica's website: http://www.jessicaamortegui.com You'll Learn: ● [2:15] - Jessica talks about need for meaningful experience in order to open people's hearts and minds to new ways of leading. ● [4:05] - How Jessica got Logitech leadership and the team to buy into a two-day workshop course on leading through positive psychology.● [5:50] - Jessica shares what she taught the workshop attendees to get them so enthusiastic about these new philosophies. ● [8:21] - Jessica talks about balancing the science and the experience in teaching these practices to team members.● [10:00] - The perfect job vs. the best job for us. ● [12:18] - Jessica talks about job crafting at Logitech.● [13:49] - Job crafting through mastery, meaning, and membership. ● [15:49] - When might job crafting might not be ideal?● [17:51] - Management support and involvement is vital to creating system-wide change. ● [18:28] - The lightning round with Jessica Amortegui Your Resources: ● VIA Strengths Finder Survey - http://www.viacharacter.org/www/Character-Strengths-Survey ● Shawn Achor Ted Talk - "The happy secret to better work" ● Simon Sinek Ted Talk - https://www.ted.com/speakers/simon_sinek ● "Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It" - Chris Voss & Tahl Raz ● Center for Positive Organization's Positive Business Project - http://positiveorgs.bus.umich.edu/ 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 Ryan for joining me this week. Until next time, take care!

Ryan Niemiec is a leading expert in mindfulness based strengths practices. Ryan recently spoke at the Canadian Conference on Positive Psychology and in this conversation, he shares his thoughts and findings on mindfulness. In this interview, you will hear Ryan's insight into mindfulness. He shares how mindfulness based strength practice can have positive changes in people's lives. Individuals can use positive psychology to help with problems as much as they do to flourish and mindfulness based strength practice helps manage these problems. Ryan also addresses some of the opposition to mindfulness and the idea that some people are not able to benefit from mindfulness. This interview was produced in partnership with the Canadian Positive Psychology Association and the 3rd Canadian Conference on Positive Psychology. Ryan Niemiec's website: http://www.ryanniemiec.com/ You'll Learn: ● [2:35] - Self-regulation and curiosity are at the core of mindfulness. ● [4:18] - Ryan shares two ways to integrate self-regulation and curiosity. ● [5:35] - Ryan talks about his 8-week program, "Mindfulness Based Strength Practice"and explains the difference between this program and others. ● [8:10] - Mindfulness based strength practice has a large impact on positive relationships. ● [9:08] - Ryan shares how mindfulness based strength practice can help people manage their problems. ● [10:18] - Ryan provides information on how you can experience the 8-week program. ● [11:52] - Ryan addresses opposition to mindfulness and talks about the idea of deliberate mind-wandering. ● [13:32] - Are there some people that can't benefit from mindfulness? ● [15:05] - New research on the development and application of character strengths. ● [18:19] - Ryan talks about bringing character strengths to our work and that leading to a "life-calling". ● [20:00] - The lightning round with Ryan Niemiec Your Resources: http://www.viacharacter.org/www/ Thich Nhat Hanh's books on Amazon The Illusion of Separateness: A Novel - Simon Van Booy

Leading scholar Bob Vallerand discusses the difference between harmonious and obsessive passions, how to identify them, and their impact on individuals. He also touches on the benefits of harmonious passions, self-determination theory, and promoting positive psychology in workplaces.

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: What results to I want to create? Am I internally directed? Am I other-focused? 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!