Want Wellbeing? Be a SPACE(R)!
My friend Vic Strecher has a simple acronym to help us remember elements of physical wellbeing: SPACE.
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The Change Agents’ Prayer
Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference. The Serenity Prayer, Reinhold Niebuhr (1892–1971) is the real title… Being frustrated with bureaucracy is part of […]
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The First Step in Turning Around Organizational Culture
The purpose of the Center for Positive Organizations is very inclusive. I do not know anyone who doesn’t want to have a high-performing workplace with thriving people! Sadly, many people experience workplaces that are anything but positive. Indeed, a meta […]
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Being Our Best Selves
Why do we wait until people die to tell them about the difference they have made in our lives? Living Eulogies are a way of sharing our appreciation for the difference others have made in our lives… while they are still […]
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Don’t Be Sucked In By Workplace Black Holes!
Our relationships are a key part of our wellbeing. Positive relationships can lift us up, help us live longer and happier lives. Conversely, negative interactions can really drag us down, and leave us spiraling for hours, days, or longer. My […]
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How to Run a Leadership Team Retreat
Team Building gets a bad rap. I have never been a fan of “fun” team building activities. Cooking a meal together or playing whirlyball are enjoyable activities, but I rarely leave feeling that I know the values or principles or […]
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Strategies to Sustain Yourself as a Change Agent
You had a work project you were passionate about once. Do you remember? You should do. You spent all your waking hours thinking about it. Developing the idea. Asking advice and help from others. Improving it, advocating for it. And […]
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Three Daily Habits for Positive Leaders
Sometimes culture change can seem overwhelming. It is so big and complex that we can be feel paralyzed, unable to take the first step. But small steps can make a big difference. Here are three ways to contribute toward flourishing […]
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The Way to Respond to Hard Feedback
You feel misunderstood. You feel defensive. Your voice is quavering. Your pulse is racing. Your palms are sweaty. You feel an urge to fight, to convince the other person that they are wrong. Or to take flight: to simply to […]
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Leadership in Turbulent Times
Picture a fast flowing, deep river winding through a steep bank in a forest. There are many twists and turns. The water is raging and churning, yet it stays within the confines of the river banks. How do you get […]
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Don’t Give Feedback Until You Read This
It’s time for a difficult conversation with a colleague or employee. A project just finished and didn’t go as anyone had hoped. You are dreading raising it directly. You are worried about how he or she will respond. So you […]
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What Teamwork is Not
Teamwork does not mean doing everything together. Think of your favorite team sport. Mine is soccer. I call it Real Football. Great teamwork is beautiful to watch on a football field. It is the balance between great interplay, and moments […]
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I Am Not Busy
Conversation #1 “How are things?” “Good. Busy.” ********************** Conversation #2 “How are things?” “I am not especially busy. I have time to <talk or listen or play or laugh or help or sleep or exercise or learn or think or […]
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Are You a Positive Deviant?
You know positive deviants when you see them. You may even be one. If so: we want to celebrate you. Positive deviants shake up the status quo. Amid the atrophy of a traditional organization, you inject new dynamics and force […]
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Three Steps for a Feedback Culture
Many things stand in the way of creating a culture conducive to giving and receiving feedback. Sometimes, these challenges seem so insurmountable that we stop trying. We simply opt not to take the psychological and relational risk involved with these […]
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