Making Positive Psychology Work

Rasmus Hougaard is the founder and managing director of Potential Project. He's recognized by the Thinkers50 as one of the most important emerging business thinkers and leaders in the world. He writes for Harvard Business Review and Forbes and lectures at the world's leading business and executive education schools like IMD, Rotman, and IESE. Rasmus has led more than 1,500 keynotes and workshops, and he's recognized as the leading global authority on training the mind to be focused, effective, and clear for great leadership, performance, innovation, and resilience.

In this week's podcast, we find out about the difference between compassion and empathy and how wise compassionate leadership is the most effective way to lead our teams.

Connect with Rasmus Hougaard:

• https://www.potentialproject.com/

• [02:51] - Rasmus shares what it means to do hard work the human way.
• [04:59] - Rasmus Explains why we need to go beyond compassion.
• [09:30] - Rasmus describes the four skills that underpin wise-compassionate leadership.
• [14:45] - Rasmus explains the benefits for leaders and teams of wise-compassionate leadership.
• [19:16] - Rasmus shares some examples of wise-compassionate leadership from his research.
• [22:43] - Rasmus explains the cautions and caveats we need to be aware of as we do this work.
• [24:12] - Rasmus shares with us what his research data shows about whether men or women are better wise-compassionate leaders.
• [25:57] - Rasmus enters the lightning round!

• MPPW Podcast on Facebook

Thanks so much for joining me again this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post.

Please leave an honest review for the Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It's free!

You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing.

Until next time, take care! Thank you, Rasmus!

Dr. Grace Lordan is the founding director of the Inclusion Initiative, director of the master's in behavioral science, and an associate professor in behavioral science at the London School of Economics and political science. Grace's research is focused on understanding why some individuals succeed in life and others don't and she's an expert on the effects of bias, discrimination, and technology and how these changes impact us. She's also an expert advisor to the UK government sitting on their skills and productivity board and her academic writings have been published in top international journals and her new book Think Big: Take Small Steps and Build the Future You Want has just been released.

In this week's podcast, we explore how to set and reach the future goals that matter most to us, even in the face of limited time, limiting stories, and our tendencies to self-sabotage.

Connect with Dr. Grace Lordan:

• https://www.lse.ac.uk/PBS/People/Dr-Grace-Lordan

• [03:00] - Grace explains why our future selves are often underachievers when it comes to the goals that we set.
• [05:13] - Grace offers some tips to help us think bigger when it comes to our five years goals.
• [07:31] - Grace explains why learning goals and not just performance goals hold the keys to our success
• [09:18] - Grace explains how we can reclaim the time – even in our very busy lives – to achieve the goals that matter most to our future selves.
• [13:35] - Grace shares how carrots and sticks can be used to help us prioritize time for achieving our goals.
• [16:17] - Grace cautions us on how our biases can cause us to self-sabotage when it comes to achieving our goals.
• [20:22] - Grace offers some advice for navigating the limitations other people's stories, beliefs and biases might place on us when it comes to achieving our goals.
• [24:50] - Grace shares how we can fuel our resilience as we work towards achieving our goals.
• [31:15] - Grace completes the lightning round!

• MPPW Podcast on Facebook
• Think Big: Take Small Steps and Build the Future You Want by Grace Lordan
• Solve for Happy by Mo Gawdat
• https://howtoacademy.com/

Thanks so much for joining me again this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post.

Please leave an honest review for the Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It's free!

You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing.

Until next time, take care! Thank you, Grace!

Michael Bungay Stanier, who helps people be a force for change. Best known for his book, The Coaching Habit, Michael's learning and development company, Box Of Crayons, trains hundreds of thousands of managers to be more coach-like, and their clients range from Microsoft right through to Gucci.

In this week's podcast, we explore how to navigate hard changes more effectively by leveling up our individual and organizational curiosity.

Connect with Michael Bungay Stanier:

• https://www.mbs.works/

• [02:28] - Michael explains the difference between easy change and hard change.
• [06:51] - Michael explores how our definitions for successful change may need to be updated.
• [10:46] - Michael offers some tips to help us tell less and ask more in order to create the changes we want.
• [14:22] - Michael shares some simple questions we can ask to help us stay curious and open as we create change.
• [17:05] - Michael provides some simple prompts to help us tame our advice-giving monsters.
• [20:47] - Michael explains why creating a habit of asking questions will probably take us longer than 21 days.
• [23:27] - Michael shares why celebrating is an important part of helping us to persist with new behaviors.
• [26:12] - Michael outlines what workplaces can do to encourage and support organizational curiosity.
• [28:13] - Michael shares his one best question to ask in workplaces.
• [30:30] - Michael completes the lightning round!

• MPPW Podcast on Facebook
• https://boxofcrayons.com/
• Reinventing Social Change by Nell Edgington
• Change: How to Make Big Things Happen by Damon Centola & James Fouhey

Thanks so much for joining me again this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post.

Please leave an honest review for the Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It's free!

You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing.

Until next time, take care! Thank you, Michael!

Manfred Kets de Vries is a distinguished clinical professor of leadership development and organizational change at INSEAD, whose work explores the interface between management science, psychoanalysis, development psychology, evolutionary psychology, neuroscience, psychotherapy, executive coaching, and consulting. Manfred is one of the pioneers in the field of global leadership. He has published more than 400 academic papers and is the author, co-author, or editor of 52 books, including his most recent publication, The CEO Whisperer: Meditations on Leadership, Life, and Change.

In this week's episode, we explore what makes an organization authentizotic, and we uncover strategies leaders can use to help people feel engaged and wholly alive in the workplace.

Connect with Manfred F. R. Kets de Vries:

• https://www.kdvi.com/

• [02:29] - Manfred shares what an 'authentizotic' organization is.
• [03:08] - Manfred shares the factors leaders can focus on to help create authentizotic organizations.
• [06:30] - Manfred shares how leader group coaching can help an organization become more authentizotic.
• [08:14] - Manfred shares examples of team coaching activities.
• [14:41] - Manfred shares a real-life example of the power of the self-portrait activity
• [16:12] - Manfred shares how to begin becoming a more authentizotic leader.
• [17:01] - Manfred shares some cautions and caveats of doing this work.
• [18:34] - Manfred completes the lightning round!

• MPPW Podcast on Facebook
• http://www.ketsdevries.com/

Thanks so much for joining me again this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post.

Please leave an honest review for the Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It's free!

You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing.

Until next time, take care! Thank you, Manfred!

Eric Karpinski has been on the cutting edge of bringing positive psychology tools to workplaces for over 10 years with clients that include Intel, Facebook, IBM, T-Mobile, and many others where he has helped managers and executives lead with positive emotions to drive team productivity, engagement, and performance. He is a key member of Shawn Achor's GoodThink team and Eric's new book, Put Happiness to Work, has just been released and we highly recommend it.

In this week's episode, we explore tiny evidence-based actions and habits you can take to improve levels of happiness and engagement for yourself and others as you work.

Connect with Eric Karpinski:

• https://puthappinesstowork.com/

• [ 02:54] - Eric explains why employee engagement is generally done wrong in most workplaces.
• [05:12] - Eric outlines the differences between happiness and wellbeing in workplaces.
• [11:51] - Eric outlines the two different groups of employees who are likely to benefit most from happiness and wellbeing strategies in workplaces.
• [14:51] - Eric shares how putting stress to work can help improve employee happiness.
• [19:39] - Eric explains how embracing the negative can also help to make workers feel happier.
• [23:18] - Eric provides some examples of team habits that can be used to improve happiness and engagement for workers.
• [28:19] - Eric offers some tips on overcoming the challenges leaders and workplaces often face in implementing these happiness habits consistently.
• [30:41] - Eric completes the lightning round!

• MPPW Podcast on Facebook
• Think Again by Adam Grant

Thanks so much for joining me again this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post.

Please leave an honest review for the Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It's free!

You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing.

Until next time, take care! Thank you, Eric!

Stefanie Johnson is an associate professor of management at the University of Colorado, whose research focuses on the intersection of leadership and diversity. Stef works with companies to implement evidence-based practices to reduce unconscious bias and increase inclusion. She is a member of the MG 100 Coaches, was selected for the 2020 Thinkers50 Radar List, and is the author of the National Bestseller, Inclusify, harnessing the power of uniqueness and belonging to build innovative teams.

In this week's episode, we explore how supporting people to stand out whilst creating a sense of belonging can help us to thrive at work.

Connect with Stefanie K Johnson:

• https://drstefjohnson.com/

• [ 02:33] - Stef shares how we can more confidently engage in the diversity and inclusion conversation with each other, even when it's awkward.
• [05:41] - Stef explains why we each long to stand out and fit in and the challenges and opportunities this creates for inclusion.
• [07:37] - Steph shares how leaders can help to create more diverse and inclusive teams where different ideas and approaches are respected and valued.
• [12:03] - Stef shares how organizations can reduce gender bias & support women in the workplace
• [15:24] - Stef shares what her research shows helps to minimize unconscious bias
• [29:04] - Stef Shares what listeners can try practically to bring this to life in their own workplaces
• [32:31] - Stef explains the cautions & caveats we may need to be mindful of, as we do this work.
• [35:06] - Stef completes the lightning round!

• MPPW Podcast on Facebook
• Flourish by Martin Seligman

Thanks so much for joining me again this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post.

Please leave an honest review for the Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It's free!

You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing.

Until next time, take care! Thank you, Stef!

Dr. Barbara Fredrickson is the Kenan Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience and Director of the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Lab at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She's among the most highly cited and influential scholars in psychology and has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and her general audience books, Positivity and Love 2.0 have been translated into more than a dozen languages. Dr. Fredrickson's scholarly contributions have been recognized with numerous honors and her work has influenced scholars and practitioners worldwide within education, business, healthcare, the military, and beyond, and she's regularly invited to give keynotes nationally and internationally.

In this week's podcast, we explore how positive emotions can help to broaden our minds and build our emotional, social and physical well-being.

Connect with Dr. Barbara Fredrickson:

• https://peplab.web.unc.edu/

• [ 02:58] - Barb explains why her research suggests we need to intentionally prioritize positivity in order to care for our wellbeing.
• [04:36] - Barb shares why positivity needs to be heartfelt.
• [08:17] - Barb explains why it's important to be mindful about when to reach for positivity and when to sit with our more uncomfortable emotions.
• [10:51] - Barb shares her latest thoughts on positivity ratios and what we should be aiming for when it comes to the amount of positive emotion we experience.
• [13:27] - Barb outlines what studies are discovering about the impact positive emotions have on caring for our physical health.
• [14:38] - Michelle enters the lightning round!

• MPPW Podcast on Facebook

Thanks so much for joining me again this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post.

Please leave an honest review for the Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It's free!

You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing.

Until next time, take care! Thank you, Barb!

Dr. Belle Rose Ragins is a Sheldon B. Lubar professor of management at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. She's an expert in the field of mentoring, diversity, and positive relationships at work. Dr. Ragins has co-authored and edited a number of books. She's an elected fellow of five professional associations, a Fulbright Senior Specialist Scholar, and past editor of The Academy of Management Review. She's also received numerous Lifetime Achievement Awards. Her research has over 20,000 citations, and she was recently recognized in Stanford University's Top Two Percent of Scientists in the World.

In this week's podcast, we explore high-quality mentoring relationships and the positive impact they can have on diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Connect with Dr. Belle Rose Ragins:

• https://uwm.edu/ragins-belle-rose

• [ 02:55] - Belle describes high-quality mentoring relationships and shares why they're important.
• [04:09] - Belle paints a picture of who is mentoring in workplaces and what we want this to look like.
• [07:18] - Belle discusses by mentoring is particularly important for marginalized and disadvantaged groups in workplaces.
• [13:29] - Belle shares how mentoring can support diversity and inclusion initiatives for the whole of workplace change.
• [16:09] - Belle highlights what steps we can take to go from ordinary mentoring relationships to extraordinary mentoring relationships.
• [21:45] - Belle shares the immediate next steps we can take to open ourselves up to being mentors.
• [23:16] - Belle explains what leaders need to know to ensure their mentoring programs are achieving the outcomes they hope for.
• [26:42] - Belle enters the lightning round.

• MPPW Podcast on Facebook
• Stacey Abrams TED Talk - 3 Questions to Ask Yourself

Thanks so much for joining me again this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post.

Please leave an honest review for the Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It's free!

You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing.

Until next time, take care! Thank you, Belle!

Dr. Meg Warren is an Assistant Professor of Management at Western Washington University. Meg's award-winning research uses a positive psychology approach to study how individuals from relatively privileged groups can serve as allies to marginalized outgroups. She's a co-editor of the International Journal of Wellbeing and the lead editor of two books, Scientific Advances in Positive Psychology and Toward a Positive Psychology of Relationships.

In this week's episode, we explore what the latest research is finding on how we can be better allies in workplaces and why many workplace diversity and inclusion policies fail to make a positive difference.

Connect with Dr. Meg Warren:

• https://megwarren/home

• [ 03:15] - Meg offers some advice for how we can more readily step into conversations about allyship with each other, even when we're worried about saying the wrong things.
• [07:07] - Meg shares how researchers define who is in a relatively privileged group and who is in a marginalized outgroup.
• [09:57] - Meg shares how researchers define allyship.
• [11:12] - Meg offers insights from her research on why and how exceptional allies show up for marginalized groups in workplaces.
• [15:22] - Meg explains why the top-down enactment of diversity policies often have unintended negative consequences in workplaces and how these can be avoided.
• [17:58] - Meg shares new research on a simple and quick allyship intervention in workplaces that has been found to boost feelings of inclusion and vitality.
• [22:48] - Meg explores how allyship behaviors and psychological safety may be intertwined.
• [24:37] - Meg offers some cautions and caveats for helping people to build the skills to be more effective allies.
• [25:32] - Meg enters the lightning round.

• MPPW Podcast on Facebook
• Making the Impossible Possible by Kim Cameron & Marc Levine

Thanks so much for joining me again this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post.

Please leave an honest review for the Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It's free!

You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing.

Until next time, take care! Thank you, Meg!

Dr. Michael Maddaus is a retired professor of thoracic surgery at the University of Minnesota, who has trained with Kristin Neff and Chris Germer to teach self-compassion. Michael currently works with individuals and with surgical groups to help them enhance their resilience and ability to thrive.

In this week's podcast, we discover how investing in small daily wellbeing behaviors can help workers to build a resilience bank account that helps them to avoid burnout.

Connect with Dr. Michael Maddaus:

• https://michaelmaddaus.com/

• [ 03:23] - Michael defines the three domains of burnout.
• [05:49] - Michael explains what radical acceptance of emotional exhaustion might look like practically in our jobs.
• [07:00] - Michael shares what radical acceptance of cynicism might look like practically in our jobs.
• [08:45] - Michael explains what radical acceptance of depersonalization might look like practically in our jobs.
• [10:05] - Michael shares some tips for how workplaces can support people experiencing burnout.
• [12:33] - Michael explains how a resilience bank account can help protect us from burnout at work.
• [14:58] - Michael offers some practical approaches to keep our resilience bank accounts topped up.
• [20:14] - Michael shares some practical examples of how teams can support each other's resilience bank accounts.
• [26:19] - Michael enters the lightning round.

• MPPW Podcast on Facebook
• The Molecule of More by Daniel Lieberman, Tom Parks & Michael Long
• Women @ Work Podcast

Thanks so much for joining me again this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post.

Please leave an honest review for the Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It's free!

You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing.

Until next time, take care! Thank you, Michael!