Establishing a Emotional Climate to Create 21 st Century Organizational Change

1. Positive Establishing a Emotional Climate to Create 21st Century Organizational Change Leslie E. Sekerka, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Organizational Behavior Management and Psychology Departments Director, Ethics in Action Research and Education Center Menlo College, Atherton, CA

2. Positive Psychology Positive Psychology is the scientific study of the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive. Three central concerns: 1) positive emotions, 2) positive individual traits, and 3) positive institutions. For more information see www.ppc.sas.upenn.edu/.

3. Discovery and Exploration Into… Positive Emotions– Past, present, and future states reflecting contentment, happiness, and hope. Positive Individual Traits – Strengths and virtues, such as the capacity for love and work, courage, compassion, resilience, creativity, curiosity, integrity, self-knowledge, moderation, self-regulation, and wisdom. Positive Institutions– Strengths that foster better communities, such as justice, responsibility, civility, parenting, nurturance, work ethic, leadership, teamwork, purpose, and tolerance.

4. Where do we focus our attention: On what fails or what thrives?

5. So how much positivedo we really need? Positivity Ratio > 3-to-1 When positive emotions lead negative ones (3-to-1), this contributes to a tipping point, beyond which people can become more resilient to adversity. Fredrickson & Losada (2005). American Psychologist, 60, 678-686; for more information see also, www.unc.edu/peplab/home.html and www.PositivityRatio.com.

6. Negativity is Vital P N Fredrickson & Losada (2005). American Psychologist, 60, 678-686.

7. Positivity Opens Us

8. TheBROADENING Effect • Positive emotions momentarily expand peoples’ attention and thinking. Breadth of Thought-Action Repertoires Fredrickson & Branigan (2005). Cognition and Emotion, 19, 313-332.

9. Positivity Helps us Rebound

10. TheUNDOING Effect • Positive emotions erase the lingering traces of negative emotions. Duration of Cardiovascular Reactivity Fredrickson, et al. (2000). Motivation and Emotion, 24, 237-258.

11. Positive Emotions UNDOImpacts of the Negative ones* As related to: • Heart Rate • Systolic Blood Pressure • Diastolic Blood Pressure • Vasoconstriction • Pulse Transit Time to the Finger • Pulse Transit Time to the Ear *p<.001; Fredrickson, et al. (2000). Motivation and Emotion, 24, 237-258.

12. Positivity Builds Human Capacity Sekerka, & Fredrickson (2010).

13. The BUILDINGEffect • Over time, positive emotions prompt growth in personal and social resources that increase well-being. Increases Resources Life Satisfaction Positive Emotions See Cohn, Fredrickson, Brown, Mikels, & Conway (2009). Emotion, 9, 361-368.

14. Testing the Build Loving-Kindness and Meditation

15. Does LKM increase Positive Emotions? Did Loving-Kindness Meditation Increase Positive Emotions? • CONTEXT: Workplace Wellness Program • RANDOM ASSIGNMENT: 7-week LKM Workshop vs. Monitoring Waitlist Control • DAILY: Reports of Positive & Negative Emotions • PRE- & POST-TESTS: Cognitive, Social, Psychological & Physical Resources Fredrickson et al., (2008). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,95, 1045-1062.

16. Positive Emotions Build: • Cognitive resources • Social resources • Psychological resources • Physical resources

17. Positivity Transforms Relationships

18. It stems from... • Giving and accepting help • Showing kindness • Expressing gratitude and appreciation • Demonstrating empathy • Sharing compassion • Meditation and prayer

19. Don’t just “ ” BE positive Fredrickson (2009). The science behind coaching with positivity, ICF Conference.

20. Create the Mindset of Positivity • Be Open • Be Appreciative • Be Curious • Be Kind • Be Genuine

21. Application: Organizational Studies • Positive Organizational Scholarship (Cameron et al.) • Positive Organizational Behavior (Luthans et al.) • Positive Organizational Change (Cooperrider et al.) • Positive Ethics (Sekerka et al.)

22. Positive Organizational Change (Cooperrider & Sekerka, 2006) Building of Capacity Activation of Energy Expansion of Relatedness High Fusion of Strength Elevation of Inquiry Inquiry into The Appreciable World Low Initiating Advancing

23. Ethics Education & Training (Sekerka, 2009)

24. Ethical Decision-Making Theory (Sekerka & Bagozzi, 2007)

25. Your Future Research Positive Emotions– How might emotions such as joy, empathy, and gratitude contribute to behaviors you are currently studying, such as management? Positive Individual Traits – How might strengths and virtues, such as courage, compassion, resilience, creativity, self-regulation, and wisdom foster workplace achievement? Positive Institutions– How might your research advance our understanding of how to strengthenour organizations and communities, by examining concepts such as responsibility, work ethic, purpose, and tolerance?

26. True Happiness True happiness is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose. -- Helen Keller (1880-1968)

27. Special thanks go to… • Dr. Barbara Fredrickson • Dr. Richard Bagozzi • Dr. Howard Harris • And to YOU, for being such a gracious audience! Thank you!

28. For those interested in Positive Organizational Ethics, see the call for papers for the special issue in: Journal of Organizational Moral Psychology Contact me at: lesekerk@gmail.com Or visit the Ethics in Action website: http://www.sekerkaethicsinaction.com/ for more information about this research

29. Current Research: Positive emotions are linked with… • Work achievement and high-quality social environments (Staw, Sutton, & Pelled, 1994) • Enhanced Creativity(Amabile, Barsade, Mueller, & Staw, 2005) • Enhanced satisfaction, motivation, and productivity (Martin, 2005) • Creating climates that contribute to increased company sales (George, 1998) • Drivers of positive attitudes, high-quality social milieus, and generative environments (Sekerka & Fredrickson, 2010) • Leadership prosocial behaviors (e.g., justice and altruism) (Michie, 2009) • Use of transformational leadership(Rowold & Rohmann, 2009) • Perceived leader effectiveness; (when leader expresses PE) elevates employees’ desire to work for them (Bonos & Ilies, 2006) • Higher corporate revenues and growth (Ozcelik, Lanton, & Aldrich, 2008) • Beneficial effects on personal accomplishment (Zapf & Holz, 2006), customer relations (Bagozzi, 2006) , and on affective commitment (Lilius, et al., 2008)

30. Helping individuals establish positive meaning in their job and organizational role that contributes to competence, achievement, involvement, and social connection (Wrzesniewski & Dutton, 200; Folkman, 1997; Ryff & Singer, 1998) • Activating judicial constructive action (Ojala, 2007) • Helping people deal with difficult and even oppressive circumstances (Hareli & Tzafrir, 2006) • Bolstering cooperation as employees prepare for organizational change(Sekerka, Zolin, & Goosby Smith, 2009) • High-quality team member exchange linked with productivity (Tse & Dasborough, 2008) • Fostering connections that build social and psychological capital(Bushell, 1998; Avey, Wernsing, & Luthans, 2008) • Favorably impacting employee development and retention rates (Dries & Pepermans, 2007) • Building employee resiliency through self-enhancement, external attribution, and hardiness(Luthans, Vgelgesang, & Lester, 2006) • Higher team performance, from building durable psychological and social resources through strong connections with fellow team members (Losada & Heaphy. 2004)