Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast

Dr. Adam Fraser is a human performance researcher and consultant who studies how organizations adopt a high-performance culture to thrive in this challenging and evolving business landscape. Adam has worked with elite athletes, the armed forces and business professionals of all levels. In the last eight years, he has delivered more than 1200 presentations to over 300,000 people in Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. Adam is also the author of four best-selling books, including his latest one, Strive, which I’m looking forward to delving into today. In this episode, we explore the benefits of struggle when it comes to our learning and growth and the four practical steps we can take to get more comfortable with struggle. Connect with Adam Fraser: dradamfraser.com You’ll Learn: [02:35] - Adam shares what enables us to strive [06:46] - Adam talks about why we need to make struggle our friend [07:55] - Adam explains about the value of negative emotions [12:26] - Adam introduces foreground and background behaviors

Dr. Peggy Kern is an associate professor at the Centre for Positive Psychology at the University of Melbourne’s graduate school of education. Peggy’s research is collaborative in nature and draws on a variety of methodologies to examine questions around who thrives in life and why. Including understanding and measuring healthy functioning, identifying individual and social factors impacting life trajectories and systems informed approaches to wellbeing. She’s published three books and over 85 peer-reviewed articles and chapters. In this week’s podcast, we explore the impact COVID-19 and the economic downturn is having on workers’ wellbeing and performance, and what leaders and workplaces can be doing to support them. Connect with Peggy Kern: The Wellbeing Lab You’ll Learn: [02:45] - Peggy shares her latest research findings on how workplaces can help workers to care for their wellbeing. [11:03] - Peggy explains what research over the last two weeks has found about the impact of COVID-19 and the sudden econ

Dr. Michelle McQuaid and Dr. Paige Williams are the co-founders of The Leaders Lab, which helps leaders to thrive and create thriving workplaces. They use evidence-based approaches that draw on the latest research in neuroscience, positive psychology, leadership, and systems thinking to help leaders and workplaces move beyond just the need for resilience, to become antifragile. In this week’s podcast, we explore the practical steps leaders can take to be more neurologically robust and antifragile, so they can help themselves and their teams thrive during this time of unprecedented disruption and change. Connect with Dr. Michelle McQuaid & Dr. Paige Williams: https://www.leaderslab.com/ You’ll Learn: [02:50] - Michelle shares hot-off-the-research-desk data about the impact coronavirus and the economic downturn is having for leaders and their teams. [06:06] - Michelle and Paige explore how leaders can be antifragile and thrive even during this time of great unpredictably and disruption. [10:48] - Michell

In this week’s podcast, we explore how pro-social principles and tools can help groups collaborate more effectively together by creating safe spaces, to be honest about what they want, what they fear, and how this shapes the way they choose to work together. Connect with Paul Atkins:  https://prosocialinstitute.org/ You’ll Learn: [02:32] - Paul explains why collaborating with each other is often challenging at work. [04:18] - Paul shares why we often struggle to appreciate the differences in each other. [05:40] - Paul outlines the prosocial process and how it might help us to collaborate better with each other. [07:48] - Paul outlines the eight-core design principles that guide the prosocial process. [16:58] - Paul shares an example of how the prosocial principals and tools can be applied in workplaces. [23:36] - Paul offers some simple questions we can use to help create more prosocial ways of working together. [27:45] - Paul offers some tips for dysfunctional teams to become more prosocial and collaborat

In this week’s episode, Dr. Michelle McQuaid explains the 5 evidence-based MAGIC factors that make p positive change possible in workplaces, and how you can activate these in your own work or across your whole workplace. Connect with Michelle Mcquaid:  The Change Labs You’ll Learn: [02:37] - Michelle explains what positive change is and why it should be our goal in workplaces. [04:09] - Michelle outlines the 5 evidence-based MAGIC factors for creating positive change. [10:56] - Michelle shares how her virtual global team embeds the MAGIC factors to create positive changes together. [15:07] - Michelle shares why workplaces often struggle with generative conversations and self-organization. [21:18] - Michelle offers some tips for people who feel they have little control over how change unfolds in their workplace. [24:43] - Michelle enters the lightning round Your Resources: MPPW Podcast on Facebook MPPW #082 with Gervase Bush Thanks for listening!  Thanks so much for joining me again this week.  If you e

Stewart Friedman is an organizational psychologist at Wharton and founder of Wharton’s Leadership Program and it’s work-life integration project. Listed among HR magazine’s most influential international thinkers, Stewart has written two best sellers, Leading The Life You Want and Total Leadership. And his newest book, which is about to be released, is Parents Who Lead. In this week’s podcast, we explore the practical steps we can take to integrate our work and our life to create four-way wins across our career, our family, our community and ourselves (mind, body, spirit) and the impact this has on our wellbeing and performance at work. Connect with Stewart Friedman:  https://www.totalleadership.org/ You’ll Learn: [02:18] - Stew explains how we can create four-way wins by integrating our careers, our family, our community, and our own needs to improve wellbeing and performance. [06:29] - Stew offers some practical tips to help us improve the integration of our career, our family, our community and ourselve

Peter Block is an author and citizen of Cincinnati, Ohio. He is the author of nine books including Community: The Structure of Belonging, The Abundant Community with John McKnight and coauthor of An Other Kingdom. His work is in the restoration of the common good and creating a world that reclaims our humanity from the onslaught of modernism. In this week’s episode, Peter Block explains why listening and connecting are the core leadership strategies needed in workplaces today, how to work with cynics, and what the key questions and conversations have been in his work as an organizational turned community development practitioner-scholar. Connect with Peter Block:  https://www.peterblock.com/ You’ll Learn: [03:32] - Peter explains why listening is a core capacity needed in workplaces today and why being a role model or visionary leader is not necessary. [06:58] - Peter explains what conversations are necessary in shifting organizational narratives. [08:58] - Peter shares how he assesses whether an organizat

Dr. Kelly McGonigal is a health psychologist and lecturer at Stanford University. As a pioneer in the field of science help, her mission is to translate insights from psychology and neuroscience into practical strategies that support personal wellbeing and strengthen communities. Kelly is the author of several books, including the international bestseller, The Willpower Instinct, and The Upside of Stress and her newest book is The Joy of Movement. In this week’s episode, we explore the latest research on why movement – not just exercise – is so important for our wellbeing and the simple, joyful ways we can get moving more. Connect with Kelly McGonigal:  http://kellymcgonigal.com/ You’ll Learn: [02:17] - Kelly shares the latest research findings on why movement is so important for our wellbeing. [05:23] - Kelly explains why we don’t have to exercise in order to enjoy the wellbeing benefits that come from moving. [11:30] - Kelly shares some of the latest research on how high-intensity movement – like running

Dr. Michelle McQuaid is known for her research, books, and tools, which help people create positive changes and thrive more consistently in their workplaces.  Michelle holds a Master in Positive Psychology, and a Ph.D. on how Appreciative Inquiry Summits create positive disruptions that enable systems to flourish, and is a co-founder of The Change Lab. In this week’s episode, we explore how leaders and workplaces can tackle complex challenges and create positive changes through the use of language, conversations, and self-organization. Connect with Dr. Michelle McQuaid:  https://www.thechangelab.com/ You’ll Learn: [02:17] - Michelle shares her thoughts on the ability for the latest research in human flourishing to help create positive changes given all the challenges our world faces at the moment. [05:23] - Michelle shares some tips for workplaces to create more positive changes. [11:30] - Michelle outlines the simple actions leaders can take to make change a more positive experience. [15:49] - Michelle sh

Today we're talking to Tom Rath, an author and researcher who has spent the past two decades studying how work can improve human health and wellbeing. During his 13 years at Gallup, Tom was the programme leader for the development of Clifton StrengthsFinder, which has helped over 20 million people to uncover their talents, and went on to lead the organization's employee engagement, wellbeing, and leadership practices worldwide. For the past 5 years Tom has served as a Gallup senior scientists, and is also an advisor, investor, and partner in several startups. His ten books, including StrengthsFinder 2.0, Wellbeing, and Eat Move Sleep have sold more than 10 million copies. His newest book, Life's Great Question: Discover How You Contribute to the World, has just been released. On today's episode, we're discussing how to ensure our work isn’t doing more harm than good when it comes to our wellbeing, and the simple steps we can take to align our contributions to the things that are meaningful and energizing for

Sonja Lyubomirsky is a professor of Psychology at the University of California - Riverside. Her research on the science of happiness has been the recipient of many honors.  She is a best-selling author of the books The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want and The Myths of Happiness: What Should Make You Happy, but Doesn’t, What Shouldn’t Make You Happy, but Does. In this conversation, you will hear Sonja share her thoughts and findings on happiness.  Sonja shares some of her findings that prove that positive activity interactions work.  Sonja also talks about some of the myths of happiness, which is the topic of her latest book.  She talks about the identification process to determine which interactions may work for individuals.  She also talks about happiness in group dynamics, specifically the workplace.  Sonja must present these interventions in various ways, depending on the environment and situation and she explains how she does that.   Connect with Sonja Lyubomirsky: Website:

Russ Harris is the author of the international best-selling self help book, The Happiness Trap.  He is a therapist and coach, as well as a world renowned trainer of acceptance and commitment therapy, otherwise known as ACT.  He has provided ACT training to over 20,000 people all around the world. In this conversation, you will hear Russ talk about the ACT approach. He explains how individuals and organizations can use the ACT approach to work through negativity and be comfortable with accepting rather than solving. Connect with Russ Harris: Website: ActMindfully.com.au You’ll Learn: [01:28] - Russ talks about finding healthy ways to accept things that seem completely unacceptable.   [04:07] - Russ shares how those of us that are used to a CBT approach to our challenges can get comfortable with accepting rather than solving.   [07:55] - Self-compassion is an important skill to normalize being able to get comfortably uncomfortable.  Russ explains how the ACT approach works through negativity.   [09:54] - Russ

Robert Biswas-Diener, is a leading researcher on culture, wellbeing, positive psychology coaching and author of several wonderful books including the The Upside of Your Dark Side.  With recent political changes in the United States and the UK leaving many feeling fearful and apprehensive about the future, Robert shares his insights on how to become comfortable with these uncomfortable feelings.  He suggests rather than trying to whitewash them, by accepting them, and seeing them as signals that something isn’t right, you can then decide on a constructive response to what’s unfolding.  You can also apply this in workplaces when looming mergers or restructures stir up similar feelings of uncertainty and fear. Connect with Robert Biswas-Diener Robert’s Website - RobertDiener.com PositiveAcorn.com IntentionalHappiness.com You’ll Learn: [01:37] - Robert talks about how emotions are like signals giving us a mental thumbs-up or thumbs-down about the quality of our life.   [05:35] - If you are fearful, it’s telling

George Bonanno is professor of clinical psychology, Director of the Lost Trauma and Emotion Lab, and Director of The Resilience Center for Veterans and Families at Columbia University’s Teacher’s College. George’s research focuses on resilience in the fact of loss and traumatic events.   Most of us have the natural tools to deal with extreme adversities in our lives. We cope well when extreme things happen to us.  To deal with the world around us, it takes a repertoire of behaviors.  Sometimes, this involves what George calls “coping ugly.”  Sometimes we might need to do something that doesn’t seem pretty but is reasonably effective.   Connect with George Bonanno: Website for Lost Trauma and Emotion Lab You’ll Learn: [01:55] - George will be presenting on loss, trauma, and resilience at the 5th World Congress on Positive Psychology.  He shares what he would like attendees to take home from his presentation.  [03:45] - Media coverage ensures that we are aware of negative events.  The negative psychological co

Kim Cameron is one of the top 10 scholars in organizational sciences. Kim recently spoke at the Canadian Conference on Positive Psychology and he talks with us about positive and relational energy. Positive energy and relational energy has a tremendous positive impact on individuals and organizations. So today, I talk with Kim Cameron, a leading scholar on these topics and positive psychology. In this interview, you will hear how the positive impact of positive energy and relational energy are measurable down to the cellular level. Kim also shares that contribution is more powerful than achievement and he provides examples from the University of Michigan. Some employees may perceive positive practices as manipulation and Kim shares why he believes this opposition will not become more common. This interview was produced in partnership with the Canadian Positive Psychology Association and the 3rd Canadian Conference on Positive Psychology. Tune in to hear more! Kim Cameron’s Website: http://webuser.bus.umich.e

My guest today is David Cooperrider, renowned for his research in appreciative inquiry, a strength-based approach to creating change. In this interview, you will hear how appreciative inquiry is being used to build a better world. David explains how organizations can align strengths in ways that make the system’s weaknesses irrelevant. He also shares how individuals and organizations can use this life-centric approach to go through the steps of his new P.O.S.I.T.I.V.E change model. This interview was produced in partnership with the Canadian Positive Psychology Association and the 3rd Canadian Conference on Positive Psychology. Tune in to hear more! Connect with Wayne Baker:  Website: www.davidcooperrider.com Twitter: @Dlc6David You’ll Learn [2:25] - David explains the basics of appreciative inquiry [4:52] - What you and your organization can gain from this positive change approach [5:27] - Rethinking our approach to change. [7:05] - Step P - Positive re-framing [9:30] - Step O - Omni search and bringing in

Dr. Wayne Baker is a professor of business administration and professor of management and organizations at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, and faculty director of the Centre for Positive Organizations. The author of the forthcoming book, 'All You Have to Do Is Ask', as well as five other books and many scholarly articles. Wayne's research focuses on social capital, social networks, generosity, and positive organizations. He's also the co-founder and board member of Give and Take, Inc. who are developers of collaboration technologies based on the principles in All You Have to Do Is Ask. In this week’s podcast, we learn why being able to ask to help is one of the keys to workplace success, and the simple steps you can take to ask in ways that make it easy for people to say yes! Connect with Wayne Baker:  https://allyouhavetodoisask.com/ You’ll Learn: [03:15] - Wayne explains why being a good giver-requester at work shapes our success and wellbeing in workplaces. [04:29] - Wayne outlines

Stephen Carter is the founder of one of Australia's fastest-growing, privately-owned recruitment firms, Sharp and Carter, who have five offices and more than 120 staff around the country. In this week’s podcast, we explore how putting people first by using positive leadership approaches has helped one workplace grow their revenue by 55% per annum for the last five years. Connect with Stephen Carter:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephencarter1/ You’ll Learn: [02:13] - Carts explains how putting people first has helped his organization grow 55% per annum for the past five years. [04:35] - Carts shares why their leadership team felt confident to put people before profit. [07:03] - Carts outlines how the shift to putting people first was explained to employees and what they did to overcome people’s cynicism about this approach. [09:30] - Carts share the cultural pillars that emerged as a result of putting people first and how these are used to guide people’s day to day behaviors in the business. [13:24] - Cart

Dr. BJ Fogg teaches good people how behavior works, so they can create products and services that benefit everyday people around the world. A behavioral scientist with deep experience in innovation and teaching, BJ runs a research lab at Stanford University, and trains innovators to use his work, so they can create solutions that influence behavior in health, financial well-being, learning, productivity, and more. He's personally coached over 40,000 people informing new habits using his breakthrough method called Tiny Habits. And, his forthcoming book Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything is scheduled for publication in early 2020. In this week's episode, we learn the simple recipe for creating tiny habits and how to deal with our motivation monkeys and surface the golden behaviors that improve our wellbeing. Connect with BJ Fogg:  https://www.bjfogg.com/ You’ll Learn: [02:39] - BJ explains why most of us find changing our behaviors challenging because we approach change in the wrong way. [

Dr. Timothy R. Clark is the founder and managing partner at LeadFactor and a highly sought after advisor, coach, and facilitator to CEOs and senior leadership teams around the world. He's the author of four books with his newest, The Four Stages of Psychological Safety due out in early 2020, and he's written more than 150 articles on leadership, change, strategy, human capital, culture, and employee engagement. In this week’s podcast, we explore the four stages of psychological safety and how we can shape our wellbeing and performance at work. Connect with Dr. Timothy R. Clark:  http://leaderfactor.com/ You’ll Learn: [02:19] - Tim explains what psychological safety is and why it recently became a hot topic of conversations in many workplaces when it comes to helping people thrive at work. [03:44] - Tim shares some of the research-based findings on the potential benefits for leaders who invest in psychological safety. [07:16] - Tim explains why improving diversity and inclusion successfully depends on also he