While environment can assist in creating a positive intervention, it must begin on the level of self with belief, attention, (volition) and effort. In our first reading, Baumeister, Gailliot, DeWall and Oaten (2006) discuss two major points about self-regulation.  First, that self-regulation is a limited resource and like a muscle it can be depleted and it can be strengthened as well.  And second, while everyone has a capacity for self-regulation and an ability to increase that capacity, there are individual differences.  In regards to the first point, ego depletion was not caused by fatigue in their studies and, surprisingly, it wans’t caused by diminished self-efficacy.  Positive feedback did not reduce the effect of ego depletion.  Self-regulation can be improved by habit formation, increasing knowledge and understanding, increasing liking from familiarity and automatization.  The ‘bulking up’ of the muscle did not… …

What Do Strengths Have To Do With It? After thirty years of research the Gallup organization has discovered that “individuals gain more when they build on their talents, than when they make comparable efforts to improve their areas of weakness” (Clifton and Harter, p. 112, 2003).  Building on that statement, Clifton and Harter define a strength as refining a talent with skill and knowledge (p. 111, 2003).  In recent years, there has been a groundswell of support in the business community for a strengths-based approach. But now the question is how to measure and capitalize on those strengths?  If given with certain caveats, assessments like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), the StrengthsFinder 2.0 and the Value in Action Inventory of Strengths (VIA-IS) provide pertinent information for assessing aspects of character depending on the desired outcomes. Katherine Briggs and Isabel Myers… …

  God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.                                                                                     (Niebuhr, 1987, p. 251)             The Serenity Prayer is the common name for an originally untitled prayer, most commonly attributed to the theologian Reinhold Niebuhr.  This prayer has been adopted by Alcoholics Anonymous and other twelve-step programs.  There are three strengths mentioned in this prayer, two of which qualify as virtues as well.   The VIA-IS Classification of Strengths acknowledges courage as a virtue with its subsequent strengths of bravery, persistence, honesty and zest.  It also delineates wisdom and knowledge as a virtue with the subset of strengths that include:  creativity, curiosity, open-mindedness, love of learning and wisdom or perspective.  It would follow, then, that serenity (or tranquility/peacefulness) would qualify as the twenty-fifth strength.… …

Kindness is a top strength of mine and I enjoy doing things for others.  In fact I would say I need to do kind things for others to keep from being unhappy.  Because I frequently adapt to doing things for others, I have a tendency to do more things and give more frequent gifts in order to keep my ‘kindness’ identity consistent.  This makes me wonder:  can you bolster a strength that is already ranked 2nd of 24?  Is it easier to increase a strength that you already have rather than a lesser strength or weakness?  Will it make you appreciably happier to work on something that is already a strength?  I was sure before beginning this experiment that I knew the answers to these questions.  I found my answers changing and becoming more nuanced as the exercise drew to… …

How do we live a life of well-being? Through pleasure seeking? According to Aristotle, we live a life of well-being through eudaimonic life. Indeed, putting more focus on the process of living well (eudaimonic approach) over the outcomes of happiness (hedonic approach) is associated with increased well-being. An eudaimonic lifestyle is marked by investment of energy on values and goals that are intrinsic to the individual (done for the interest and enjoyment that the activity provides) to that individual (Ryan, Huta, & Deci, 2008). Furthermore, individuals who have intrinsic goals are more likely to persevere in accomplishing them, thus enjoying greater well-being. Intrinsic activities are autonomous by, 2008). Furthermore, extrinsic motivation can actually weaken intrinsic motivation because it fosters the perception that the cause of the behavior is external to that individual (Brown & Ryan, 2004). The relative autonomy of goals is not only predictive of performance but well-being in general (Ryan etal, 2008). Those with intrinsic goals, 2008). Perseverance and passion for long-term goals, coined grit by Angela Duckworth, is predictive of… …

          In articles containing psychological research, one frequently comes across the notion of efficacy.  Researchers conduct laboratory studies in order to demonstrate how much a certain treatment (i.e. a drug or psychotherapy) works.  While testing for efficacy in this way can be beneficial, Martin Seligman (1995), in The effectiveness of psychotherapy, illustrates how absolute dependence on this kind of research can be flawed.  While it is essential to gather research for various kinds of therapeutic treatment, there are drawbacks to ‘efficacy studies’.  As defined by Martin Seligman (1995), an efficacy study “contrasts some kind of therapy to a comparison group under well-controlled conditions” (p. 965).  The rigorous nature of the efficacy study might make it appear to demonstrate that a specific therapy is effective, but one must be careful about equating laboratory results with what can… …

A successful positive intervention requires a merging of the essential principles of goal theory and hope theory.  A positive intervention is an intervention intended to increase well-being in either or both of the following ways: increasing well-being away from zero and/or increasing well-being by cultivating pleasant affect, strengths, and/or meaning (Pawelski, personal communication, September 7, 2008).  A positive intervention is, inherently, a goal.  Goal theory states that action is caused by an intention (Locke, 1996).  Similarly, a positive intervention is action caused by an intention.  Essential elements of hope theory are also present in a positive intervention.  According to hope theory, hope reflects people’s perceptions of their abilities to conceptualize goals, develop strategies (pathways thinking) and initiate and sustain motivation (agency thinking). (Lopez, S. J., Snyder, C. R., Magyar-Moe, J. L., Edwards, L., Pedrotti, J. T. Janowski, et al., 2004,… …

“I must admit that when I began my investigation, I, in common with most people, conceived of ‘body’ and ‘mind’ as separate parts of the same organism, and consequently believed that human ills, difficulties and shortcomings could be classified as either ‘mental’ or ‘physical’ and dealt with on specifically ‘mental’ or specifically ‘physical’ lines. My practical experiences, however, led me to abandon this point of view and readers of my books will be aware the technique described in them is based on the opposite conception, namely, that it is impossible to separate ‘mental’ and ‘physical’ processes in any form of human activity.”                                                                                     F.M. Alexander   For F.M. Alexander there was no separating the body from the mind, just as there is no separating the body from the mind in positive interventions.  Our readings support this view.  Shusterman (2006) argues… …

Don’t listen to the critics. Sheryl Sandberg’s book is well-researched and very compelling.  I won’t go into debateing the details of the book because I’ve discovered that most people have already formed their own opinions – whether or not they have read the book.  And, as one blog has argued, that this proves Sheryl Sandberg’s point assertion that we hold women up to a higher standard than men and we tear them down when instead we should be celebrateing their accomplishments. (Not sure why opening graph is underlined.) Her Sandberg’s goal, as I read it, was to raise awareness.  And Considering the number of talk shows she landed on, she Sandberg has definitely restarted reignited the conversation.  But now we need to shift the discussion the to ‘how,’ a topic of the book that she doesn’t get to.  She Sandberg… …

What is the ‘good life’ and how can human beings achieve it?  Scholars since Aristotle have been trying to answer that question.  Melchert tells us Aristotle believed virtue to be more than simple emotion.  Happiness results from virtuous actions (2002).  William James postulated that happiness results from the cultivating of proper habits through conscious attention and effort.  Furthermore, attention and effort are “two names for the same psychic fact”  (1892, p. 137).  Csikszentmihalyi focuses on the mechanics of consciousness and controlling the conscious mind in pursuit of happiness (1990).  Lastly, Pawelski integrates the philosophy of William James and current positive psychology research to explore how humans flourish and generate well-being (2003).  Based on these authors, I will argue that a positive intervention is a direct result of conscious control of attention. Aristotle argued that happiness is not possible without excellence… …

Do You Have Executive Presence? When you walk into a room at work are people naturally drawn to you? When you sit at a meeting table do others ask to hear your thoughts? When there’s a decision to be made do people seek our your ideas? If you’re wavering in your responses chances are you’re missing what researchers have found is an essential component to getting ahead at work … executive presence. Reported to account, on average, for 25 percent of what it takes to get promoted, understanding how to project confidence, stay poised under pressure and be authentic are clearly skills worth having. But if you’re not quite there yet, what can you do to cultivate a more positive presence at work? What Is Executive Presence? “Studies have found that in the first seven seconds of meeting you people make 11 judgements about you,” explains Shannon… …

A Study in the Signature Strengths of the Iconic Movie Wizard of Oz   “There’s no place like home, is there?” “Where’s Toto?” “I guess to get home you just click your heels three times, right?” “Well, you’re not in Kansas any MORE, are you?!”   If you have the (mis)fortune of being from Kansas this is what awaits you when you tell a new acquaintance your home state.  Frankly, it’s annoying.  It makes me resent The Wizard of Oz (LeRoy & Fleming, 1939).   And if someone doesn’t make an Oz reference in our first meeting, I instantly award them ‘friend’ status just for their self-regulation.  Not that people from Waco, TX or Roswell, NM have it that much easier.  But everyone knows and loves Dorothy and Toto.  Somehow, this Technicolor movie has become synonymous with the State of Kansas… …

At Positive Business DC, we know that we have a lot of readers that are looking for work…so we want to pass along information as we receive it. Here is one lead for you coaches out there. Cheers! The Positive Business DC Team Coaching Opportunities at BetterUp BetterUp is looking for top-notch coaches who are eager to translate their experience into part-time coaching for rising leaders. Some benefits: Impact. Rewarding client work with emerging leaders eager to make the most of their work and lives. Flexibility. Work a part time flexible schedule from your own home or office (coaching is done through video chat). Opportunity to earn $70+ / hr (depending on qualifications). No overhead. We bring you clients, automate scheduling, case management and billing. Energizing community. Paid training and ongoing support a from expert staff on the latest positive psychology… …

             We spend more than a third of our lives and nearly half of our waking lives at work.  While jobs take up the bulk of our lives, people approach work in distinctly different ways.  In order to understand different perspectives that workers have on their jobs, Bellah and colleagues (1985; see also Schwartz, 1986, 1994 as cited in Wrzesniewki, Rozin and Bennet, 2003) divide work in the United States into three orientations:  a job, a career and a calling.  Does having a calling at work as opposed to a job or career lead to higher productivity?  Is it possible to transform a career into a calling?  My paper will support the theory that having a calling is a means to the good life, it can lead to higher productivity, and increasing flow is one… …

Emilia Lahti, who is gaining international attention for her efforts against abuse invites you to be part of Sisu Not Silence. What is Sisu, you ask? Sisu is a Finnish word that cannot be translated easily into the English language, loosely translated to mean stoic determination, grit, bravery, guts, resilience, perseverance and hardiness, expressing the historic self-identified Finnish national character. Sisu is about taking action against the odds and displaying courage and resoluteness in the face of adversity. Deciding on a course of action and then sticking to that decision against repeated failures is Sisu. It is similar to equanimity, with the addition of a grim quality of stress management. The pertaining adjective is sisukas, “having the quality of Sisu“. “Having guts” is a fairly literal translation, as the word derives from sisus, which means something inner or interior. One closely related concept to Sisu is grit; which shares some of its denoting elements with Sisu, save for “stress management” and passion for a long-term goal. Sisu may have an element… …

If you have heard Dr. Martin Seligman speak recently, you may have been shocked to hear that he’s completely overturned his classic thinking about learned helplessness. Marty and Steve Maier have co-authored an article titled “Learned helplessness at fifty: Insights from neuroscience” published in Psychological Review. Excerpts are below, as borrowed from the Ken Pope listserv:   The July issue of *Psychological Review* includes an article: “Learned Helplessness at Fifty: Insights From Neuroscience.” PLEASE NOTE: As usual, we’ll include both the author’s email address (for requesting electronic reprints) and a link to the complete article at the end below. The authors are Steven F. Maier, Martin E. P. Seligman. Here’s an excerpt: “Although there is a long history of research investigating the controllability dimension in humans, studies using methods that allow the measurement of neural activity are quite recent and few in number. A… …

The 1st children’s picture book on Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is going to be released within the next year, along with a teacher guide. The book, Stan and the Four Fantastic Powers, co-authored by Shira Reicher Levy MAPP ’14, has been working on the book for the past three years. This book is the culminating project of her 2014 capstone to translate Appreciative Inquiry into child-friendly language. Readers follow Stan through an adventure to discover his Four Fantastic Powers, the authors’ take on the 4-D AI Cycle. Shira is presenting on the translation of AI at the upcoming International Positive Education Network Festival in Dallas, TX, July 2016. Follow Stan on Facebook to stay tuned for updates regarding the book release, more information about the book, and free activities to use along with the book.

Both economists and the average citizen believe that we make decisions in a rational manner.  Bernoulli, (1738/1954), presented the expected utility theory which stated that: “decision makers evaluate outcomes by the utility of wealth positions” (Kahneman, 2003, p. 704).  In fact, people make decisions for a number of reasons, most of which are not objective.  Kahneman & Tversky (2004), in disproving Bernoulli’s theory, have highlighted four aspects of the phenomenon they call prospect theory: 1) when making decisions people assess based on gains vs. losses; 2) humans experience “loss aversion”; 3) the role of framing in making decisions; and that 4) every decision is relative (Schwartz, personal communication, December 6, 2008). First, prospect theory implies that choices are always made by considering gains and losses rather than final states.  The value function shown in Kahneman’s article (2003) is defined based… …

Dr. David Cooperrider (Case Western Reserve) has found his passion in the initiative to discover businesses who benefit others.  In his teaching at the University of Pennsylvania’s M.A.P.P. program (Master of Applied Positive Psychology) he assigned the students the task to find 10 communities or organizations who were doing good in the world.  In the hopes of inspiring our readers to find (or create) their own businesses, I include this list and corresponding descriptions.   1.         Greensburg, KS After a monster tornado devastated Greensburg, Kansas in 2008, this became the first city in the nation to pledge that all city-owned buildings larger than 4,000 square will get the highest rating of the U.S. Green Building Council, called Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum. The buildings are expected to use 42% less energy than building code standards allow. There… …