*Note:  Dr. Chris Peterson was a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan and one of the founders of the field.  In addition to being a beloved teacher, he was also one of the 100 most cited psychologists in the world.  He passed away in October of 2012.  His birthday was today. I loved the way Chris’ voice rumbled in the back of his throat like an oncoming train.  I loved the way he would look up and to the left and say ‘um’ at the end of every phrase, as if searching for the perfect way to convey his thought.  And I loved the way he would lean back against the chalkboard, rest his hands on his stomach and consider every question from a student as if it was a brilliant one. He was a moral compass as… …

Few would argue that job functions have changed rapidly in the past several years. New technologies (like social media) have disrupted the marketing discipline. The push to do more with less has caused companies to merge job functions. The list of changes are seemingly endless. Whether you’re a new college graduate, in mid-career, or even planning to leave the workforce in the next 5-10 years, you probably need to brush up your skill set in order to keep pace with the demands of your employer or potential employer. A lot of people expect their companies to provide the training they think they need. While employer-provided training is useful, it’s only part of the story. According to Halelly Azulay, author of Employee Development on A Shoestring and founder of TalentGrow LLC, only 10% of professional training happens in the workplace. Another… …

Since the dawn of late night television, everyone is working on their top 10 lists.  Here is one list that is here to stay.  Scientifically proven ways to make you happier. 1. Find Your Flow.  If you can get ‘in the zone’ during your work day, it will not only make you more productive…it will make you happier.  Think about your task and if it is a balance between challenge and your skill level.  Easy way to adjust – either increase the challenge (make a game of how fast and accurately you can write that memo) or increase your skill level (learn Prezi before creating your next presentation). 2. More Good Than Bad.   Research shows what we know instinctively to be true.  That ‘bad is stronger than good’.   When something bad happens we focus on it more.  It impacts us to a greater degree.  Good things… …

Positive Business Conference Set for May 2014 at U-M Ross   Yes, there is such a thing as positive business. Business can, and should, be a force for good. That’s the thinking behind the Ross mission of developing leaders who make a positive difference in the world.  U-M Ross has led the field of positive organizational studies for decades. Now the school is set to share that knowledge and showcase executives who are putting it to practice at the first-ever Positive Business Conference. The event will be held at Ross May 15-17, 2014, and will share the latest trends, research, and results in positive business, a burgeoning management field. Executives from Whole Foods Market, Procter & Gamble, and Ford Motor Company will outline how positive business strategies are impacting employees and profits—both for the better. Think this may sound a little on the soft… …

(This was originally published by Senia Maymin on www.profitfromthepositive.com.) Five of us were on a panel about business and positive psychology. This was at the Master of Applied Positive Psychology Summit a couple of weekends ago. Basically, we answered questions such as, “What approaches have you found effective in introducing businesses to positive psychology research, concepts, and tools?” Each of us wanted to share a few key pieces of advice with those who attended and with those who didn’t have a chance to attend.  Here is our advice: Senia Maymin, MAPP ’06 (senia@ProfitFromThePositive.com. Website: ProfitFromThePositive.com. Senia says, “If you’re moved to do so, we’d greatly appreciate an Amazon review.” On Amazon at http://tinyurl.com/profitpositive.): Take outward actions. We can always take inward actions (like updating our website, thinking about process, writing down an outline for a presentation), but you’ll get more… …

Positive Diversity: Lose Labels, See Past Stereotypes, Build a Brilliant Team Research shows that Diverse Teams are stronger in Innovation and Creativity. Selecting the right people is especially critical for small businesses and startups, where every individual represents a significant investment and a large percentage of your company. Identifying people with the skills and qualifications needed – that’s the easier part. The harder part comes next. Who will be a good fit for the culture you want to create? Will their work style compliment or conflict with other team members? And what about character? The science of Positive Psychology is giving us new insights and can help us in a process of answering the ever burning question: “How do I know if I’m picking the right person?” At our  Meetup on November 7th, M.E. Hart will lead us in exploring… …

  GUEST BLOGGER: Kat Koppett At the Applied Improvisation Network’s  2011 annual conference in Baltimore, a bunch of us got together to explore the nuts and bolts of choosing, running and debriefing improv activities in organizational settings. “We want a Top -10 Tips list,” one of the participants commented. Perhaps I should already have had such a thing, nicely designed and laminated, but I didn’t. Still, an offer is an offer, and we’re all improvisers, so we made one up as we went. Here it is with a few embellishments based on conversations and musings since. Much of it comes down to practicing what you preach when you are teaching applied improv, and therefore link back to principles discussed here previously.  What resonates for you? What did we miss? We look forward to you comments and input. Then we promise to laminate. Know your objective.  Improv is no… …

Love contributes to health. It doesn’t stop with counting blessings. It’s not abstract. It’s deeply physical. Let’s follow the argument made by Barbara Fredrickson during the IPPA World Congress. Broad and Build Review Barbara Fredrickson’s Broaden and Build theory explains why humans have evolved to have positive emotions. What good are they? What is their functional value? Positive emotions expand awareness. Minds can open or close, and positive emotions lead to openness. Positive emotions build resources. We are all socially connected, and positive emotions are nutrients, like fruits and veggies, for these relationships. Positive emotions unlock other-focus and help us break self absorption. With positive emotions, connections become more salient. Perspective taking improves, and divisions fade. What Love is Not Building up to a description of what love is and does, Fredrickson was careful to talk about what love is… …