Build Workplaces With Thriving People + Extraordinary Outcomes
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 study by Christine Porath found that 98% of us have experienced incivility in the workplace. … Read moreThe First Step in Turning Around Organizational Culture
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 characters of my teammates any better. We have fun but we don’t bond at any … Read moreHow to Run a Leadership Team Retreat
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 in the workplace today. Begin meetings on a good note. Before jumping into the agenda, … Read moreThree Daily Habits for Positive Leaders
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 of individual brilliance. For the football fanatics, here are two short clips from the same … Read moreWhat Teamwork is Not
“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 meet have the same concerns about positive leadership, even if they do not say them … Read moreThe Simplest Explanation of Positive Leadership
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 techniques people can employ to create a certain impression, rather than their underlying leadership principles … Read moreHow to Avoid Being a Fake Positive Leader
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 the time. While this may be true, being nice and happy all the time is … Read moreWhat Positive Leadership is Not
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 others who may not feel the same way? This is a different kind of column … Read moreHealing Spaces: Values and Politics at Work
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 Business. I sat down with Chris when I visited the Positive Business Conference at the … Read moreHow to Make Your Company a Force For Good
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 and experience into a set of snazzy slides and talking points. When they go well, … Read moreIn Defense of Doers