Positive Psychology at Work brings the fields of positive psychology and appreciative inquiry together for the first time to provide leaders and change agents with a powerful new approach to achieving organizational excellence.
Draws together positive psychology and appreciative inquiry in the context of leadership organizational challenges for the first time
Presents academically rigorous and referenced material in a jargon-free, accessible manner
Arranged with chapters focused on specific organizational challenges to allow readers to quickly find ideas relevant to their unique situation
Features short contributions from experienced practitioners of positive psychology and Appreciative Inquiry, and includes case studies from the UK, Europe, Australia and the USAÂ
About the Author xi
Book Contributors xiii
Preface xvii
Acknowledgements xxi
The Short Version of This Book xxiii
1 Introduction to Positive Psychology 1
Positive Psychology is Not Positive Thinking 2
How Positive Psychology Differs from Positive Thinking 3
The Ethical Bias of This Book 6
Key Themes of the Book 8
2 Positive Workplaces 11
Introduction 13
What is a Positive Workplace? 13
How Does Positive Organizational Behaviour Turn into Positive Organizational Performance? 20
Organizational Culture 23
The Organization as a Complex Adaptive System 26
Why is Culture so Hard to Change? 31
How to Create Positive Workplaces 34
Summary 37
Further Reading 38
3 Positive Engagement and Performance 39
Introduction 40
Active Engagement at Work 42
Strengths and Talents 42
Flow 51
Mindfulness 52
Management Influence on Engagement and Productivity at Work 53
Goal Seeking 54
Goal Setting 56
Goal Setting and Environment Contingencies 58
The Meaningfulness of Work 63
Strategies for Increasing the Meaningfulness of Work 64
Summary 67
Recommended Reading 69
4 Positive Communication and Decision-Making 71
Introduction 71
Communication 72
Connectivity 74
Dynamic Patterns of Communication 76
How to Build Positive Communication and Increase Performance 78
Leadership and Positive Communication 78
Best Self-Feedback 79
Decision-Making 83
Emotions in Decision-Making 86
Micro-Decision-Making 91
Other Factors that Enhance Decision-Making 92
Moving from Decision-Making to Sense-Making 96
Summary 99
Further Reading 100
5 Positive Leadership and Change 101
Introduction 101
Leadership 102
Psychopathic Leaders 107
Organizational Change 124
Approaches to Change 125
Leadership Change Behaviour 130
Effective Leadership Behaviour 131
Developing Strategy 134
Summary 136
Further Reading 137
6 Positive Sustainable Growth 139
Introduction 139
Psychological Capital 142
Appreciative Inquiry 158
Positive Profusion Theory of Growth of the Positive Organization 166
The Three-Circle Strengths Revolution 168
Summary 170
Further Reading 170
7 Positive Relationships at Work 171
Introduction 172
Positive Team Working 174
High Quality Working Relationships 184
Summary 192
Further Reading 193
8 Positive Transformation 195
Introduction 197
Key Processes of Flourishing and Inspiring Workplaces 197
Why Organizations Ignore the Transformative Collaboration Approach to Change 199
Transformative Collaboration 204
Patterns of Organizational Life 204
Transformative Collaboration Approaches 213
Summary 221
Further Reading 227
Other Things You Need to Know 229
How to Live a Happy and Meaningful Life 229
How to Have a Better Quality Old Age 229
References 231
Index 239
