Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast

Johann Berlin is the CEO of the T-lex Institute, who work with fortune 500 companies to create resilience in businesses by using restorative techniques and authentic engagement to strengthen the energy and connections between individuals, teams, and organizations to achieve a greater purpose. Featured in the Harvard Business Review, the New York Times and Washington Post among many other publications. Johann, who shared his work at Tedx in London and with leading universities all over the world. In this week’s podcast, we explore why we need to create spaces for recovery breaks in our work days, and how we can find ways to fit these moments into even the most demanding of roles and workplaces. Connect with Johann Berlin:  https://tlexinstitute.com/ You’ll Learn: [03:23] - Johann explains why making space for recovery can be so challenging in our workplaces. [07:16] - Johann provides some examples of how workplaces are making recovery breaks a social norm to help people look after their wellbeing. [11:37] -

David Bright is a professor of organizational behavior and organizational development, and Chair of the Department of Management and International Business at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. An award-winning teacher with over 20 years of experience as a professional facilitator and executive coach, with expertise in organizational development, strategic planning, and change management, David is the co-author of Becoming a Master Manager, a textbook that features a values-based approach to leadership development. In this episode, we explore how the state of an organization - dysfunctional to extraordinary -  impacts whether focusing on strengths or fixing weaknesses will be the best way to create positive changes, and how an appreciative lens can help the find the possibilities in any problems. Connect with David Bright:  David Bright You’ll Learn: [02:27] - David explains how the Competing Values Management framework can help leaders and organization positively navigate the many paradoxes workplac

Thea O'Connor is a senior workplace wellbeing advisor, presenter, journalist, and coach. Thea has more than 20 years experience in the health sector, including her background as a dietitian and workplace health consultant, she is the founder of Nap Now and a committed nap-tivist. In this week’s episode, Thea O’Connor explains why we need to raise people’s levels of body intelligence at work and the simple steps workplaces can take to help workers connect, listen, and respond to their bodies wellbeing needs as they go about their jobs. Connect with Thea O'Connor:  https://www.thea.com.au/ You’ll Learn: [02:01] - Thea explains why improving people’s levels of body intelligence is an essential step for maintaining our wellbeing at work. [04:52] - Thea provides some tips on how we can connect, listen, and respond better at work to what our bodies need to maintain our levels of energy. [08:02] - Thea helps us to understand the importance of having a wellbeing rhythm in our days. [09:45] - Thea explains the diff

Dr. Toni Noble who is an adjunct professor in the Institute for positive psychology and education at the Australian Catholic University and is widely known in education as the coauthor of the multiple award-winning positive education programme, Bounce Back. Toni's government projects include the national safe schools' framework, the scoping study on student wellbeing and resourcing the student wellbeing hub. And she's worked with an international expert group in Bhutan to develop a new paradigm for the United Nations to promote wellbeing and happiness as a global goal. In this week’s episode, Dr. Toni Noble explains why perfectionism and loneliness are rising in our schools and workplaces and what we can do practically to help people navigate these challenges to their wellbeing. Connect with Dr. Toni Noble:  http://bounceback.com.au/ You’ll Learn: [02:19] - Toni explains why the rise of perfectionism is an issue workplaces need to be mindful of when it comes to improving people’s wellbeing [07:30] - Toni s

Elise Morris, who is a disruptor of conventional leadership and people management practices and co-founder of the Strengths Lab. With more than 25 years of global and local human resources experience in corporate and public sector organizations and a masters of applied positive psychology, Elise's diverse background allows her to straddle the commercial realities of organizations while forming deep human connections to facilitate positive change and extraordinary outcomes. In this week’s episode, Elise Morris explains how a strengths-focus can be infused across people management processes in workplaces. Connect with Elise Morris:  The Strengths Lab You’ll Learn: [02:28] - Elise explains why strengths interventions in workplaces need to be more focused on how teams and organizations can support the development of people’s strengths. [04:01] - Elise shares how the employee lifecycle or employee experience can be used to infuse a strengths focus throughout a workplace. [05:40] - Elise offers some practical ti

Ashley Goodall is a senior executive, talent expert, and author who spent his career exploring large organizations from the inside. Ashley currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Leadership and Team Intelligence at Cisco, a new organization that is built to focus entirely on serving teams and team leaders. He is also the coauthor with Marcus Buckingham of the wonderful new book Nine Lies About Work: A Free Thinking Leader's Guide to the Real World, and they've recently published two cover stories in the Harvard Business Review, The Feedback Fallacy and Reinventing Performance Management. In today's episode, Ashley Goodall shares the common mistakes most workplaces make when it comes to giving people feedback and the simple steps leaders and workplaces can take to build strengths-focused teams. Connect with Ashley Goodall:  Connect with Ashley on LinkedIn You’ll Learn: [02:18] - Ashley explains what his research with Marcus Buckingham found were the defining characteristics of the best teams at Del

Dr. Jillian Darwish currently serves as President and CEO of Mayerson Academy, a non-profit dedicated to transforming individuals, teams, and organizational performance. Under her leadership, the Academy has become the exclusive education partner to the VIA Institute, working with schools, universities, organizations, and communities to utilize the science of character strengths to transform cultures. The Academy’s work has been featured in EdWeek, Live Happy, and US News and World Report and Dr. Darwish has been invited to share the Academy’s work around the globe, including presentations in China, New Zealand, Mexico, Canada, and Hong Kong. In today’s episode, Dr. Jillian Darwish shares the surprising findings of a recent study with 1,000 American workers about if, how, and why people are using their strengths each day at work and the practical steps many workplaces may be missing. Connect with Jillian Darwish:  https://www.mayersonacademy.org/ You’ll Learn: [01:45] - Jillian shares what a recent study o

Dr. Margaret Heffernan is an entrepreneur who mentors CEOs and senior executives of major global organizations and is lead faculty for the Forward Institute’s responsible leadership programme. She is the author of five books including Willful Blindness which was named one of the most important business books of the decade by the Financial Times, and in 2015 she was awarded the transmission prize for her book A Bigger Prize. Margaret’s Ted talks have been seen by over seven million people. In today’s episode, Dr. Margaret Heffernan shares what researchers have learned about the impact competition has on our performance and wellbeing, and gives us some practical tips on building psychological safety in our organizations Connect with Margaret Heffernan:  http://www.mheffernan.com/?location=GB You’ll Learn: [01:45] - Margaret explains what research William Muir discovered about how competition impacts productivity and why every leader needs to be mindful of this research in workplaces [05:41] - Margaret explai

As Professor Emerita of Management at California State University East Bay, Loretta's research explores how people can discover their power over their mammalian operating system(laughs). The author of several books, including her newest one Tame Your Anxiety which is being released shortly, she has shared her research and talks all over the world In today’s episode, we explore, how we can tame the anxiety our mammalian brains when facing challenges at work. Connect with Loretta Breuning:  https://innermammalinstitute.org/ You’ll Learn: [02:15] - Loretta explains how anxiety can impact us neurologically at work when we’re facing challenges. [05:13] - Loretta explores why we might have become too anxious about being anxious at work. [06:43] - Loretta outlines how rewards can create a treadmill system for behaviors that can make us feel more anxious at work. [09:39] - Loretta explains how we can prepare ourselves to better navigate our feelings of anxiety at work. [14:31] - Loretta shares a tool she has creat

Today we're talking to Wayne Baker, who's a professor of business administration at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, and faculty director of the Centre for Positive Organisations. Wayne's teaching and research focuses on social capital, social networks, generosity, positive organizational scholarship, and values. And his latest book is Permission to Ask, which is coming out in 2020. He's also a founder and board member of Give and Take Inc., developers of the Givitas collaborative technology platform. In this week’s episode, we explore how individual and organizational levels of energy impact our performance and wellbeing, and the small steps we can take to boost, maintain, and our renew our energy levels at work. Connect with Wayne Baker:  waynebaker.org You’ll Learn: [03:06] - Wayne explains how emotional energy, relational energy, and organizational energy can impact our wellbeing and performance at work. [06:41] - Wayne shares what he and other researchers are finding about the benef

Today we're talking to Michelle Etheve, who specializes in enabling people to create purposeful, strength-based change. With a Master's of Science in Coaching Psychology from the University of Sydney, post-graduate studies in Positive Psychology and Education, and experience utilising human centred design and appreciative inquiry, Michelle is sought around the world for her ability to create and deliver highly engaging learning and positive change experiences that enable people and teams to thrive. In this episode, we explore how you can create more positive changes in your workplace by creating a coaching culture that supports continuous learning. We also explore where and why organizational changes often come unstuck. Connect with Michelle Etheve:  The Change Lab You’ll Learn: [02:26] - Michelle explains how new research has found that organizational approaches to change can improve people’s wellbeing and create a virtuous cycle [04:01] - Michelle provides a practical example of how one company is fusing

Today we're talking to Jon Berghoff, who is the co-founder and managing partner of the Flourishing Leadership Institute, and has designed and facilitated whole system change efforts through large group collaborative summits for the U.S. Navy, the United Nations, BMW and businesses and institutions of all sizes. Known for bringing out the "group genius" in high stakes, complex environments, with speed, ease, and playfulness, Jon is sought around the world for his ability to create powerful learning experiences around Appreciative Leadership, Emotionally Intelligent Negotiations, and Influence. In this episode, Jon shares the insights from the new Change Lab 2019 Workplace Survey including why the quantity of change is not the real challenge workplaces face when it comes to supporting people's wellbeing. Connect with Jon Berghoff:  https://www.lead2flourish.com/ You’ll Learn: [02:42] - Jon shares what The Change Lab 2019 Workplace Survey found when it comes to creating successful changes that support people’

Today we're talking to Ron Fry, who's a professor of organizational behavior at the Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University and former chairman of the Department of Organizational Behaviour, which has been consistently ranked one of the best in the world by the Financial Times. With 11 books and over 45 articles and chapters, Ron is widely published in the areas of organizational development, appreciative inquiry, team building, change management, executive development, and the role and function of the CEO. He's a co-creator of the appreciative inquiry theory and method and continues to both apply and study the applications of AI in organizations all over the world. In this episode, we discuss the simple questions that leaders can ask to help their people not just survive, but thrive, through organizational change experiences. Connect with Ronald Fry:  https://weatherhead.case.edu/faculty/ronald-fry You’ll Learn: [02:03] - Ron explains the three most important evidence-based insigh

Today we're talking to Marie McLeod who fuses her qualifications in social work, adult education, and positive pschology with her extensive experience in community culture change. As the director of PoPsy, Marie makes positive psychology practical for individuals, organizations, and families, and as the founder of The Kindness Company, she uses kindness and compassion to cultivate community level wellbeing. In this episode, we explore why and how community-level kindness can be an active ingredient to improve wellbeing to workplaces and the frameworks and practical steps we can take to make this a reality.  Connect with Marie McLeod:  www.kindnesscompany.com.au You’ll Learn: [03:07] - Marie explains why we need to think about improving people’s wellbeing, at an individual and at the community level in workplaces. [06:40] - Marie shares how she’s been using the Community Kindness Challenge to help wellbeing be taught and caught in workplaces at the levels of me, we, and us. [12:01] - Marie outlines why she’

Today we're talking to David Zeitler who uses the latest research in neuroscience, adult development, and leadership development to help people find ways to embrace the process of change and create transformations for themselves and others. After beginning as a psychotherapist and later spending two years as a lay monk, David went on to train executives and life coaches in the Immunity for Change Coaching Program at Mind Works with Harvard Professor Lisa Lahey and Robert Kegan. In this episode, we explore why we might be immune to creating the changes we want for ourselves and our teams in workplaces and how a simple mapping exercise can help us overcome our resistance to change. Connect with David Zeitler:  http://www.mindfulnesscoach.biz/ You’ll Learn: [02:25] - David explains that our mind has its own immune system that impacts our ability to create changes in our lives [04:51] - David outlines the three plateaus in adult mental development that help us navigate work and life [11:17] - David offers some

Today we're talking to Tegan Davies, who's a self-professed wellness geek, who has embedded positive psychology practices in the not-for-profit sector for over 10 years. Previously the head of Learning Development and Culture at Camp Quality, Australia's leading childhood cancer charity, Tegan is now the manager of operations at The Oranges Toolkit, a social enterprise dedicated to helping individuals and teams to realize their potential. She's also a board member for Action for Happiness in Australia, a business coach, and a qualified yoga teacher In this episode, we discover how HR leaders can introduce and embed positive psychology approaches across workplaces, and the importance of establishing a common language, evidence-based practices, and wellbeing champions. Connect with Tegan Davies:  http://www.theorangestoolkit.com.au/ [free_product_purchase id="44348"] You’ll Learn: [02:21] - Tegan explains how Camp Quality – an Australian not for profit that helps children and their families who are impacted

Today we're talking to Nick Craig, who's the author of the newly published book Leading From Purpose, and President of the Core Leadership Institute where he guides executives at companies including Ben & Jerry's, Heineken, ING Bank, Lego, Unilever, and more, on the journey to discover and lead with purpose. In 2007, Nick began collaborating with Professor Bill George at Harvard Business School and this led them to co-author 'Finding Your True North: A Personal Guide', which became the course book for the Harvard Business School MBA class Authentic Leadership Development. In this episode, we explore the simple questions that can help us find more purpose in our work and the easy actions we can take to live our purpose more consistently.  Connect with Nick Craig:  https://coreleader.com/ You’ll Learn: [01:55] - Nick explains why he was converted from feeling cynical about purpose in workplaces to believing that it is instrumental. [06:53] - Nick shares some simple questions for helping people to find mo

Today we're talking to professor James Pennebaker, who is the region's centennial chair of psychology at the University of Texas, an avid researcher, and teacher. Jamie is the originator of expressive writing and has received numerous research and teaching awards and honors for his work. He has published more than 300 articles and has been the author or editor at the 12 books, including Opening Up By Writing It Down How Expressive Writing Improves Health and is emotional pain In this episode, we discuss the many research-based benefits of expressive writing, why it works, and the best ways to engage in this wellbeing practice at work and at home. Connect with Jamie Pennebaker:  Jamie Pennebaker's Profile You’ll Learn: [02:07] - Jamie explains how he discovered the power of expressive writing and the studies he has conducted over the last thirty years to understand its impact on our wellbeing. [05:07] - Jamie details the benefits thousands of studies around the world have now established for expressive writ

Today we're talking to James and Suzie Pawlekski, who are authors of the best-selling book Happy Together: Using the Science of Positive Psychology to Build Love That Lasts. James is a Professor of Practice and Director of Education in the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania where he co-founded the Masters of Applied Positive Psychology Program with Professor Martin Seligman. Suzie is a freelance writer and well-being consultant specializing in the science of happiness and its effects on relationships and health. In this episode, we explore how we can build happier relationships with others at work with practical, evidence-based tips you can use to keep your passions harmonious, prioritize positive emotions, savor positive emotions and savor each other's strengths. Connect with James & Suzie Pawelski:  https://www.buildhappytogether.com/ You’ll Learn: [01:54] - James and Suzie explain what Aristotle taught them about having better relationships as they honeymooned. [05:53] - Jame

Today we're talking to Shawn Achor who's one of the world's leading experts on the connection between happiness and success. Shawn's research on mindset made the cover of the Harvard Business Review. His TED Talk is one of the most popular of all times, with over 13 million views, and his lectures airing on PBS have been seen by millions of people around the world. Shawn has worked with over a third of the Fortune 100 companies, as well as the NFL, the NBA, the Pentagon, and the White House. He is also the author of the New York Times best-selling books, "The Happiness Advantage," and "Before Happiness," and his newest book is "Big Potential." In this episode, we explore why the biggest impediment to our success is not a lack of productivity, hard work or intelligence, but the way in which we pursue it. Shawn explains why researchers have found that it is our ability to connect with, contribute to, and benefit from the ecosystem of people around us that ultimately determines our success. Connect with Shawn An