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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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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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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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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The Simplest Explanation of Positive Leadership
“It is hard to be that nice all the time” complained a friend as we discussed the pros and cons of positive leadership. “And besides, people don’t want things sugar-coated. Sometimes they need tough love.” Quite a few people I […]
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How to Avoid Being a Fake Positive Leader
There are sessions taught in some companies these days on “Executive Presence.” Such courses help high-potential employees to walk, talk, and look like a leader is meant to look. Whatever that is. Ugh. All too often, programs like these emphasize […]
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What Positive Leadership is Not
It drives me nuts. Few things make me crazier than when people misunderstand what it means to be “positive” in the workplace, and then project that misunderstanding onto others. Many people interpret positive leaders as being “nice” or “happy” all […]
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Healing Spaces: Values and Politics at Work
This is a time of strong emotions and opinions in the United States. Most likely this is true around the world. How do we create workspaces where people can express and have dialogue about how they are feeling, without alienating […]
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How to Make Your Company a Force For Good
Chris White On How You Can Make Your Company A Force For Good Christopher J. White is Managing Director of the Center for Positive Organizations and adjunct faculty in Management & Organizations at the University of Michigan's Ross School of […]
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In Defense of Doers
Leadership experts make it sound easy: “Follow these simple steps and you will have amazing results!” The typical format is somewhat formulaic. With poise and pithy quotes, we deliver our sticky stories. We boil down thousands of hours of research […]
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How to motivate people? Don’t do it yourself.
How do you motivate employees to greater levels of engagement and productivity? Maybe you shouldn’t try to do it yourself. For many people, the popular TV show The Office strikes just a little too close to the reality of their […]
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