Positivity As An Agent Of Workplace Change

Positivity as an Agent of Workplace Change 2019 Levelhead. All rights reserved.

What is a Positive Workplace?Employees approach jobs with vitality,eagerness, passion, high energy, and resilience.HAPPYENERGETICENGAGED2

Positive Workplaces:Focus on:Do NOT Focus on: Strengths Weaknesses Capabilities VS. Deficits Possibilities Problems, What is What isimprovingNOTand workingworking3

Why?Positive businesses achievehigh performance and profitability.Result of Higher Levels of:CreativityProductivityJob SatisfactionRetentionSustained Performance4

Let’s hear from you!Getting Started withPoll EverywhereText LEVELHEAD127to 22-333.22-333LEVELHEAD1275

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Bottom LinePositive businesses achieve: High performance Profitability Bring out BEST in employees14

What Does It Look Like?15

Characteristics of PositiveOrganizations Respect, trust, and social inclusion Appreciation Enthusiasm Growth mindset Culture of engagement Employees “bring their best” Healthy relationships16

Requires a ShiftFROM:TO:Focus on weakness ordeficit thinkingFacilitate positiveconditionsMeasures of financialperformanceView oforganizational health17

How To Build APositive Work Environment?When people are treated positively,a contagion effect will occur.18

Positivity flows throughnetworks and generatesLARGE SCALE IMPACTS!Happiness enhanced by 15%when directly connected to ahappy person!19

Positivity is a Choice and a Skill20

What Determines Happiness?IntentionalActivities(40%)Genetic SetPoint (50%)By engaging inintentional positiveactivities, we canimprove happiness.----------------------------------Direct Control Over40%(10%)LifeCircumstancesLyubomirsky, S. (2007). The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want. New York, NY: Penguin Press. P.20.21

And, Positivity Leadsto More ImprovedWellBeingEnhancedOptimalOutcomesIt’s storable too!22

But, It Takes WorkDue to “Negativity Bias”More likely to: Tune into the Weigh Useaspects more heavilyinfo to form opinions Believe stories that elicit Put more importance onemotionsoutcomes during reviews23

Positive Practices24

Positive Practices At Work: Provide intentional practice Focus on what is right and good;strengths vs. weaknesses Support behaviors that unlock, broaden,and amplify positive emotions25

Positive Practices At WorkSIX ningForgivenessRespect,integrity, andgratitude26

Individual PracticeMeaningFIND MEANING IN YOUR WORK Why do you do the work you do? What excites you most about your work? How do you want to make a difference at work? Describe a time when you felt inspired & valued. Describe the essence of your work. What did you discover?27

Group PracticeDESIGN YOUR TOUR BUSCaring“The real winners in life are the people wholook at every situation with an expectation that theymake it work or make it better.” Barbara Pletcher We are going on the road like a rock band. To be successful, we need a tour bus. Pair off and come up with at least five essentialfeatures you want included – and maybe even aname for your band.28

Group PracticeCaringDEBRIEF: DESIGN YOUR TOUR BUS What did you learn about yourself? What did you learn about others? What did you discover about group engagement? How does this apply to work?29

Table Discussion:What exercises can you come up with?30

Group Practice Tips Be prepared – understand your “why” Set the stage – let them know your “why” Be present and non-judgmental Leverage quotes Keep message secular Don’t force participation Give time for reflection Always ask for feedback31

What questionsdo you have?32

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Leverage www.getlevelhead.com to learn more!34

ReferencesAbid, G., Ijaz, S., Butt, T., Farooqi, S., & Rehmat, M. (2018). Impact of perceived internal respect on flourishing: A sequential mediation of organizational identificationand energy. Cogent Business & Management, 5(1), 1-19.Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Finkenauer, C., & Vohs, K. D. (2001). Bad is stronger than good. Review of general psychology, 5(4), 323-370.Bebbington, K., MacLeod, C., Ellison, T. M., & Fay, N. (2017). The sky is falling: evidence of a negativity bias in the social transmission of information. Evolution andHuman Behavior, 38(1), 92-101.Catalino, L. I., Algoe, S. B., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2014). Prioritizing positivity: An effective approach to pursuing happiness? Emotion, 14,1155–1161.Fowler, J. H., & Christakis, N. A. (2010). Cooperative behavior cascades in human social networks. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107(12), 53345338.Colbert, A. E., Bono, J. E., & Purvanova, R. K. (2016). Flourishing via workplace relationships: Moving beyond instrumental support. Academy of Management Journal,59(4), 1199-1223.Datu, J. A. D., & King, R. B. (2016). Prioritizing positivity optimizes positive emotions and life satisfaction: A three-wave longitudinal study. Personality and IndividualDifferences, 96, 111-114.Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56,218–226.Geue, P. E. (2018). Positive practices in the workplace: impact on team climate, work engagement, and task performance. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science,54(3), 272-301.Kaplan, S. E., Petersen, M. J., & Samuels, J. A. (2017). Further Evidence on the Negativity Bias in Performance Evaluation: When Does the Evaluator's PerspectiveMatter?. Journal of Management Accounting Research, 30(1), 169-184.Keller, S. and Price, C. 2011. Beyond Performance. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.Livi, S., Alessandri, G., Caprara, G. V., & Pierro, A. (2015). Positivity within teamwork: Cross-level effects of positivity on performance. Personality and IndividualDifferences, 85, 230-235.Lyubomirsky, S. (2001). Why are Some People Happier Than Others? The Role of Cognitive & Motivational Processes in Wellbeing. American Psychologist 56, pp 239249.Lyubomirsky, S. (2007). The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want. New York, NY: Penguin Press.Redelinghuys, K., Rothmann, S., & Botha, E. (2018). Flourishing-at-Work: The role of positive organizational practices. Psychological reports, 0033294118757935.Seligman, M. E. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology. American Psychologist, 55, 5-14.Schneider, B., Ehrhart, M. G., & Macey, W. A. (2011). Perspectives on organizational climate and culture. In S. Zedeck (Ed.), APA handbook of industrial andorganizational psychology, Vol. 1 (pp. 373–414). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.Spreitzer, G., & Cameron, K. (2012). Applying a POS lens to bring out the best in organizations. Organizational Dynamics, 41, 85—88Wilderom, C. P. M. (2011). Toward positive work cultures and climates. In N. M. Ashkanasy, C. P. M. Wilderom, & M. F. Peterson (Eds.), The handbook of organizationalculture and climate (2nd e.) (pp. 79-84). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.35

Barbara Pletcher We are going on the road like a rock band. To be successful, we need a tour bus. . Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden -and-build theory of positive emotions. . G., Caprara, G. V., & Pierro, A. (2015). Positiv