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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Finding Meaning and Motivation in Work
Consider the following story of a meeting with interns led by a senior partner at a large accounting firm. Does it ring true for you? “The partner concluded the meeting by recounting the parable of three bricklayers who were rebuilding a […]
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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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Positive Organizing in Tough Times
Having a positive organizational culture is most important when things are not going according to plan. This is somewhat paradoxical. Many people expect that those workplaces with strong, positive cultures somehow have things go perfectly well all the time. Or […]
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4 Efficient Steps To a Positive Culture
Creating organizational culture change can be hard. We may not initially have the skills we need. We have to sustain our energy and commitment to the change process, while continuing to fulfill our other job responsibilities well. We have to […]
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Why Positive Organizations Matter
Creating workplaces conducive to human flourishing is one of the most important challenges facing the world today. Rising to this challenge will not be easy. One can paint a gloomy picture of the human experience in organizations today. Just 30% of […]
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Please Reject My Idea
When was the last time you made a proposal at work that was rejected? Was it quickly out of hand? Or was it “death by a thousand cuts”? This experience has happened to almost everyone at work. Depending on how […]
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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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Everyday Courage in Organizations
When you think about courage at work, what comes to mind? Maybe it is fire fighters going into a crumbling, burning building to rescue people. Or our armed services deployed overseas, facing the threat of injury or death every day. […]
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Sustain Motivation for New Year’s Resolutions
As this year winds down and the new year approaches, many of us are reflecting and setting new goals. Maybe we want to get a new job, or form closer relationships with partners, colleagues, or friends. Maybe we want to […]
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