The Center for the Advancement of Positive Leadership (CAPL) was created to bring a positive, strengths-based approach to leadership and professional development. It represents a shift from deficit-based leadership development programs to a more relational and affirmative way of working and leading, based on the idea that positive processes get positive results.
Are you experiencing aching muscles? Restless sleep? Frequent headaches?
Have you been tempted to call in sick just to get away?
These are all signs of stress. According to a 2012 study by the American Psychological Association, 3 out of 4 (77%) workers regularly experience these physical symptoms caused by stress. Nearly half (48%) say stress at work has a negative impact on their life.
Did you know that there are 5 different levels of delegation? If you don’t clarify which level you intended when handing off an assignment or project, miscommunication and disaster can result.
360° feedback is a great opportunity to find out what your colleagues, employees, customers, and clients think about your performance and leadership skills. Ratings generated from a variety of sources can be helpful in bringing key issues to light. But getting all this feedback can be a scary process.
In an effort to continuously improve my coaching practice, I recently had another executive coach listen to a recording of one of my sessions. I have to admit I was a little apprehensive to get the feedback! You know there are things you do well, but there is always room for improvement. It was helpful to have someone coach me through the feedback process and discuss how to make constructive changes moving forward.
Unfortunately, I have learned that not everyone has a trusted colleague to walk them through the process. I recently had a conversation with someone who was simply handed their 360° feedback report. They were left on their own to interpret the results and figure out what or how they might change in the future.
You can’t be anything you want to be.
I know that sounds harsh, but it’s true in a sense. There are some things you are better at; some roles are better suited to you.
The reality is that a person who struggles with numbers will likely never be a great accountant or statistician. A person without much empathy will not be able to calm down an irate customer in a warm and sincere way. And no matter how much I practice, I will never become the next Gabby Douglas.
There are times you need to make a decision on your own. Other times, you need to involve members of your team in a critical choice. How do you know when to fly solo and when to include everyone? There is no “one best way” that works in every case. Here’s a simple guide to help you decide.
Growing up, I was the “teacher’s pet” my fair share of times. So I know how it feels to be favored. I also know how it feels to have a supervisor dislike me.
Fresh out of graduate school, I arrived at the university for my first year of teaching psychology. I had barely settled in to my office when I sensed the disdain of the Chairperson of my department. But he barely knew me! He certainly knew little about my work, my interests, or my ability to connect with students in the classroom. And yet it was undeniable. I was getting the worst assignments, classroom locations, and teaching schedules.
What was going on here? I wondered, “What did I do wrong?”
Negativity costs $300 billion dollars a year in lost productivity. Disengaged workers lose customers, drive up healthcare costs, and contribute to absenteeism and turnover rates.
In contrast, positivity at work is associated with better relationships, higher productivity, and better customer service. So happiness doesn’t just feel good – it is good for you and the organization’s bottom line.
With the exception of narcissists, most of us have probably felt this twinge of anxiety at some point in our lives. When accepting a big assignment, we wonder if we will measure up. Taking on a new challenge can raise anxiety. Will I be able to meet the new standards? How long is it going to take before everyone figures out I don’t have a clue what I’m doing?
I recently had a conversation with a VP who had never received 360° feedback. It had been recommended a few times throughout his career, but he indicated that he “refused to have one done.” I found that interesting.
360° feedback is a great opportunity to find out what your colleagues, employees, customers, and clients are thinking about your performance and leadership skills. Refusing a 360 isn’t going to change what they think. They’re thinking it anyway…you might as well know!
In my last post, I talked about the importance of scheduling private 1:1 sessions with each of your direct reports on a regular basis (see What To Talk About in 1:1 Meetings with Direct Reports). These meetings provide clarity, reduce uncertainty, and establish ground rules for your relationship and future performance.
But one hour meetings once a month with each direct report equals a LOT of time. If you have 8-10 people reporting to you, that means a minimum of 8 hours face-to-face meetings plus prep time. Some leaders strive for bi-weekly meetings with each direct report, doubling the time required.
Because of the time and effort involved, these meetings are often relegated to the low priority list — if they make it on the calendar at all. Before you cancel again, read on.
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This 5-step program promises to help leaders transform from the inside out.
Appreciative leaders understand how to bring out the best in people and organizations; to uncover potential and bring it to life. Positive leadership is a means of promoting engagement, positive emotions, and energizing relationships. The goal of positive leadership is to create workplaces that foster high satisfaction and high productivity. Research shows that satisfied employees are more engaged, perform better, and are more committed. They have reduced negativity, absenteeism, and turnover.
Leadership exists between people. That is why having authority is not the same as leadership. This relational perspective of leadership allows us to work on improving leadership effectiveness. Our programs are designed to help leaders raise self-awareness and eliminate self-defeating patterns of behavior. At the highest leadership levels, even small changes in behavior can have a large impact. With top executives, behavior modification may be the only attribute that can be changed in a cost-effective manner.
Positive leadership development requires the assessment of personal strengths and the training of individuals on how to better develop and utilize those strengths. As Industrial/ Organizational Psychologists, we see the value of bringing aspects of positive psychology and applied behavior analysis to the discipline of leadership training and organizational development. Our training in the psychological and behavioral sciences allows us to bring time-tested models of leadership and the latest empirical research on organizational change and development to our leadership programs. Our blended backgrounds as educators, researchers, consultants, and coaches make us uniquely suited to offer science-based solutions that are grounded in practical business reality.
