“What’s right with you?” A positive psychology of Human Strengths
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A Retreat & Teambuilding Experience With Robyn McKay, PhD Arizona State University www.robynmckay.com
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A Retreat & Teambuilding Experience With Robyn McKay, PhD Arizona State University. “What’s right with you?” A positive psychology of Human Strengths. What is positive psychology?. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of “What’s right with you?” A positive psychology of Human Strengths
A Retreat & Teambuilding Experience With
Robyn McKay, PhDArizona State University
www.robynmckay.com
• The science of positive emotions, positive character traits, positive experiences, and positive institutions (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000)
• Research from positive psychology is intended to supplement (not replace) information about human suffering, weakness, and disorder (Seligman, Steen, Park, & Peterson, 2005)
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Robert Emmons, PhD
“Thanks!”
Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD“The How of Happiness”
Tal Ben-Shahar, PhD“Happier!”
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Happy people are more likely than their less happy peers to have fulfilling marriages and
relationships high incomes superior work
performance community involvement robust health a long life(Lyubomirsky et al, 2005)www.robynmckay.com
First, be happy.
Happiness creates the conditions for success to arise, not the other way around.
(Lyubomirsky et al, 2005)
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But…how do you be happy?
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Take 5 minutes to write about one of the best people that you know: someone who is living a happy, productive life.
What characteristics does he or she have? What is his or her life like? Compare your findings with your
neighbor. How are your observations similar or different ?
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What the Best People Do We all have natural
talents Leaders spend a lot of
time practicing what they are already good at They don’t spend a lot of
time trying to improve their weaknesses
People who are great at what they do are decidedly *not * well rounded
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Focusing on what’s right: a pathway to happiness
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A history lesson
The Gallup Organization identified over 400 different themes of talent by studying top achievers
34 of the most prevalent talent themes are measured in StrengthsFinder
StrengthsFinder is a psychometrically solid instrument
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StrengthsQuest
A strength is the ability to provide consistent, near-perfect performance in a given activity
To build a strength: Identify a talent Then refine it with skills
and knowledge
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StrengthsQuest
Based on a general model of positive psychology, and captures 4 factors: Personal motivation (Striving/Executing) Interpersonal skills (Relationship
Building) Self-presentation (Influencing) Learning Style (Strategic Thinking)
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Excellence Our talents hold the key to
excellence Talent + practice +
knowledge = strength To be excellent, you need
to have a clear vision about what excellence is, what it looks like, and what is required to reach it.
Trying to be well-rounded diffuses your talents To become excellent, choose
one or two talents to focus on
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What was it like to take the assessment?
Review the descriptions of your signature themes Ask: “What fits for me?” Which themes do you really like?
Find a partner and talk about which themes suit you
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But…shouldn’t I focus on improving my weaknesses?
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Nope!www.robynmckay.com
Exercise #3: What do your strengths “sound like”? With a partner,
take a few minutesto talk about how you each express your strengths
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The Four Domains of Leadership Strength
The Beehive Model of Strengths (Kerr & McKay)
Worker Bees: The Experts(Executing)
Queens: The Visionaries
(Influencing)
Honeybees :The Helpers
(Relationship Building)
Drones : The Innovators
(Strategic Thinking)
Sustain the cultureTransform the culture Sweeten the culture Fertilize the culture
Achiever Activator Adaptability AnalyticalArranger Command Connectedness ContextBelief Communication Empathy FuturisticConsistency Maximizer Harmony IdeationDeliberative Self-Assurance Includer InputDiscipline Significance Individualization IntellectionFocus Woo Positivity LearnerResponsibility Competition Relator StrategicRestorative Developer
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Exercise #3: Gathering
Identify which parts of the hive your strengths fall into
Remember: you might be a hybrid! Choose one segment to focus on Gather with others in your area of the
hive Answer these questions:
What do we have to offer? What do we need from those in the other
parts of the hive?www.robynmckay.com
Final Thoughts
Every organization is a hive Know your bees Focus on developing your strengths There are no satisfactory psychometric fixes for
social injustice, stereotype threat, culture, and gender bias
Just because someone is smart, creative, or has strengths doesn’t make them a good person. Kindness and compassion are just as important to
cultivatewww.robynmckay.com
Final thoughts It’s hard to get out of your own
area of the hive and understand the needs of colleagues who are different from you
Respecting the differences among your colleagues and understanding the nature of various forms of gifts and strengths can lead to a positive, innovative work environment
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To schedule a “What’s Right With You?” Retreat & Teambuilding ExperienceContact Dr. Robyn McKay email: [email protected] Tel: 913.220.7391
or 480.727.1527
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![Foreword - Positive Psychology Program · PDF file[2] Foreword 3 Chapter 1: Strengths 4 The Strengths Wheel 5 Chapter 2: Values 9 The Bull‘s-Eye Values Survey 10 Chapter 3: Self-compassion](https://static.fdocuments.net/doc/165x107/5a7a222c7f8b9a71348cc534/foreword-positive-psychology-program-2-foreword-3-chapter-1-strengths-4-the.jpg)
