POSITIVE MANAGEMENT
A Meaning Perspective
Presented at the Sydney Business School,
Pre-Conference Workshop of
the Australian Conference of Positive Psychology & Well-being
March 22, 2012
Paul T. P. Wong, Ph.D., C. Psych
INTRODUCTION
• This workshop attempts to introduce the MeaningCentered Approach (MCA) to Positive
Management.
• It will explain how MCA contributes to the
development of organizational excellence, gainful
employment (good work), good management, and
good workers.
• It will explain why meaning, as defined by Purpose,
Understanding, Responsibility, & Enjoyment (PURE), is
central to positive management.
ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE
• An excellent organization is not only the best place
to work for, but also an agent of positive social
change. Apart from excelling in what it does, such
an organization is capable of reducing waste,
uplifting the human spirit, and having its influence
felt for generations.
• The 4 components of organizational excellence are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Positive Corporate Culture
Positive Management
Positive Workers
Good Work
POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY AND
ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE
1. Positive affects (Fredrickson, 2009; Lord et al., 2002)
2. Psychological capital (Luthans et al, 2004)
3. Signature strengths (Hodges & Clifton, 2004; Peterson &
Seligman, 2004)
4. Flow & Engagement (Csíkszentmihályi, 1990, 1998)
5. Lean & the Toyota way (Liker & Hoseus, 2008; Liker & Meier,
2007; Womack & Jones, 2003)
6. Hardiness (Maddi & Khoshaba, 2005)
7. Meaning & Purpose (Frankl, 1985; Pattakos, 2008)
POSITIVE CORPORATE CULTURE
• Organizations need a positive, collaborative culture
in order to keep their best workers, motivate their
work force, and grow their companies.
• Schein (1990): “the unique and essential function of
management is manipulation of culture” (p. 317).
• The essential function of management is to create a
positive, cooperative healthy culture. Professional
group facilitators can play a key role in such
endeavours.
4 TYPES OF POSITIVE
CORPORATE CULTURE
Wong and Gupta (2004)
1.Progressive-adaptive culture
2.Purpose-driven culture
3.Community-oriented culture
4.People-centred culture.
•The above cultures contribute to intrinsically motivated
high-performance, because they meet people’s deepest
needs for meaning, community, spirituality, and agency.
•The ideal company should possess the attributes of all
four types of healthy corporate cultures.
5 TYPES OF TOXIC
CORPORATE CULTURE
Wong and Gupta (2004)
1. Authoritarian-hierarchical culture
2. Competing-conflictive culture
3. Laissez faire culture
4. Dishonest-corrupt culture
5. Rigid-traditional culture.
• The above five types of toxic cultures are not
mutually exclusive.
THE POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY OF
GOOD WORK
• The positive psychology of good work is concerned
with the effects of good work on job satisfaction,
employee well-being, productivity as well as the
prosperity of society.
• Since we spent most of adult life at work, what
happens to us at work inevitably spills over to our
personal life and family life outside the work
setting.
• Good work is good for everyone – employees,
employers and society in general.
BENEFITS OF GOOD WORK
• Good work is essential to happiness and health.
• Good work is also essential to sustainable growth
and prosperity.
• Good work may vary from one profession to
another, but in essence, it always involves the same
structural and human elements.
• The positive psychology of good work is a key
aspect of creating a positive community.
CHARACTERISTICS OF
GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT
Snyder & Lopez (2007, p. 411)
1. Variety in Duties Performed
2. Safe Working Environment
3. Income for the Family & Self
4. Deriving Purpose in Providing a Product or Service
5. Happiness & Satisfaction
6. Engagement & Involvement
7. Sense of Performing Well & Meeting Goals
8. Companionship & Loyalty to Coworkers and Company
STRENGTHS-BASED APPROACH TO
GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT
Clifton & Harter (2003)
1.Identification of natural talents
2.Integration of talents into employee’s self-identity
3.Actual change in job satisfaction and productivity
TYPES OF CAPITAL AT WORK
Luthans & Youssef (2004)
Traditional
Economic Capital
What you have
• Financial
• Tangible Assets
(Plant, Patents,
Equipment,
Data)
Social Capital
Who you know
• Relationships
• Network of
Contacts
• Friends
Human Capital
What you know
• Experience
• Education
• Skills
• Knowledge
• Ideas
Positive
Psychological
Capital
Who you are
• Confidence
• Hope
• Optimism
• Resiliency
WORK & WELL-BEING
Henry (2004):
The centrality of work to well-being is not surprising
when you think of the number of benefits it offers,
notably: an identity, opportunities for social
interaction and support, purpose, time filling,
engaging challenges, and possibilities for status
apart from the provision of income. (p. 270)
MEANING-CENTERED APPROACH
(MCA) TO POSITIVE MANAGEMENT
MCA attempts to develop:
• A positive workplace
• Positive management & workers
• A corporate culture that emphasizes sustainable
growth in individuals, organizations and society
• An intolerance of waste, corruption & toxic
elements at work
THE “PURE” WAY OF POSITIVE
MANAGEMENT
• Meaning can be best defined as Purpose,
Understanding, Responsibility,& Enjoyment (PURE)
• PURE provides a framework for positive
management.
• PURE encompasses all the other approaches to
positive management.
THE IMPERATIVE OF PURPOSE
• Purpose is about motivation – both the directional
and energizing dimensions of motivation.
• This component recognizes the need for a
compelling vision and mission.
• We need to ensure that team members and
partners share the same clearly articulated purpose
and objectives.
• Employees need to be reinforced by sources of
intrinsic motivation such as serving a higher purpose.
LEVELS OF PURPOSE
ASSESSMENT OF PURPOSE
Dimensions of
purpose:
1. Vision/Mission
2. Transcendental
3. Societal
4. People
5. Efficient process
6. Quality products
7. Long-term goals
8. Short-term goals
9. Projects
10. Tasks
Absent or Clear? Compelling? Consistent? Collaborative?
Present?
BRIDGES OF UNDERSTANDING
• It is important to make sense of self, others, and life.
Having a sense of coherence and a clear concept
of self-identity are important for meaningful
employment and optimal functioning.
• Understanding is also the key to building bridges
and creating a community.
• Leaders need to make sure that all team members
feel that they are being heard and understood.
• Good understanding of the organization increases
worker engagement and reduces errors.
THE WHEEL OF
UNDERSTANDING
THE POWER OF RESPONSIBLE ACTION
• Making the right decisions, and doing the right thing
in light of our purpose and understanding.
• Need to take tough actions to correct mistakes,
reduce waste, and remove toxic elements.
• We are accountable to all stakeholders.
• Only through action can we realize the purpose &
mission of an organization.
FOUR AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
THE NEED FOR DECONTAMINATING
THE WORKPLACE
• The fastest ship will not go very far if there is a leak
in the hull. The PURE model not only improves the
speed but also repairs the leakage. In other words,
PURE brings out the best and repairs the worst in
leaders and workers.
• A systematic implementation of the PURE strategy
will greatly reduce toxic elements, such as
nepotism, cronyism, fraud and mismanagement,
while increase efficiency, productivity, innovation,
and job satisfaction.
REDUCING TOXIC ELEMENTS IN THE
WORK PLACE
• Four common toxins in a dysfunctional organization:
•
•
•
•
Corruption
Relational problems
Abuse of power
Politicking to advance self interest.
• The most serious and insidious waste is caused by
psychosocial factors and toxic people at the
workplace
THE FRUIT OF ENJOYMENT
• Feeling good from doing good and achieving
success
• Enjoying friendship and cooperation with
colleagues
• The PURE model predicts that both extrinsic and
intrinsic sources of satisfaction are important for job
satisfaction and productivity.
POSITIVE MANAGEMENT:
HOW TO BE A GOOD BOSS
1) Earn your employees’ respect
•Be a role model for excellence and positive attitudes
•Know who you are and feel comfortable in your own skin
•Know how to manage constructive dissent without being defensive
•Treat other people with dignity and respect
•Assume full responsibilities for your decisions
•Know how to have a positive and strategic impact on the
organization
•Have the courage to confront tough issues and do the right thing
•Make decisions based on principles and facts rather than politics
POSITIVE MANAGEMENT:
HOW TO BE A GOOD BOSS
2. Earn your workers’ trust
•Most employees are tired of being lied to. They are
frustrated by double-talk, obfuscation and
prevarication.
• Many workers are familiar with the pain and anger
of betrayal.
•It would be a breath of fresh air, when you speak the
truth and walk the talk. When your word is your bond,
people will listen and believe what you say.
POSITIVE MANAGEMENT:
HOW TO BE A GOOD BOSS
3) Maintain good relationships
•Show a genuine interest in employees. Demonstrate that your care about
their well-being through actions, such as providing day-care support and
opportunities for training.
•You may not feel comfortable working with certain ethnic groups, but you
need to accept and respect their cultural values.
•You may not understand Generation X or Generation Y, but your willingness
to listen makes it easier to connect with them.
•Communicate frequently and clearly.
•Clarify any misunderstanding as soon as it arises. Don’t assume anything. Ask
and find out what people really think.
•Create a safe and trusting environment so that employees feel free to say
what is on their minds.
POSITIVE MANAGEMENT:
HOW TO BE A GOOD BOSS
4) Get employees actively engaged in their work
• Challenge them with a shared vision and a higher purpose
• Set an example of commitment, dedication and accountability
• Keep employees in the loop and encourage participation in decision
making
• Clarify your expectations and performance standards
• Let them know that their work is importantly related to company success
• Focus on intrinsic motivation, such as the joy of accomplishing something
meaningful and important
• Unleash their potentials by empowering them to stretch their abilities and
take risks
• Capitalize individual strengths and maximize the fit between their jobs and
their talents
• Recognize individual accomplishments and reward productivity
• Offer a competitive incentive package and provide good working
conditions
SERVANT LEADERSHIP
• Leadership is of ultimate importance in the PURE
way of organizational transformation.
• Servant leadership is an ideal model for MCA
because it emphasizes such qualities as integrity,
humility, serving a higher purpose, fulfilling a mission,
and the need to develop and release the creative
potential of all workers.
HOW TO BE A GOOD WORKER
1) Having the right competencies
• Great workers have the right mix of strengths,
aptitudes and trainings for the job.
• They constantly pursue self-development in order to
better adapt to technological or organizational
changes.
HOW TO BE A GOOD WORKER
2) Having the right motivation
• They are psychologically engaged and committed
at work.
• They are passionate about their work for the right
reasons.
• They align their personal interests and career goals
with the mission of the organization.
• They serve a higher purpose and really want to
make a difference in society.
HOW TO BE A GOOD WORKER
3) Having the right attitude
•They have positive attitudes towards work, people and
life even when things are tough.
•They accept the fact that something always happens
that is unexpected and unpleasant.
•They are flexible, resourceful and optimistic to overcome
whatever life throws at them. They know how to turn every
crisis into opportunity. They take a heroic stance towards
adversities.
•They are conscientious and responsible – always doing
their best even when their boss is not around.
HOW TO BE A GOOD WORKER
4) Providing added values
•The great workers are great not only because of how well
they do their jobs, but also because of what they do beyond
the call of duty.
•What makes them special is that they bring themselves –
their love, faith, hope and other virtues – to their work.
• They encourage and validate others.
•They seek opportunities to help others succeed. Quietly and
behind the scene, they perform good deeds to enrich others
and make their workplace the best place to work.
•They exude positive energies and their joy is contagious.
Their very presence uplifts the spirit of others and attracts
customers.
THE “PURE” WAY TO MOVE FORWARD
A CASE STUDY:
Synovus Financial Corporation
SHARED VISION
“The vision must have meaning, because man
cannot live without meaning.
The vision must be holistic and congruent,
encompassing the church, the family, the
community, and the institution.
If it doesn't, values and priorities will conflict.”
William Turner
Chairman of the Executive Committee
Synovus Financial Corporation
(Turner, 2000, p.83).
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
• They are also unabashedly dedicated to the higher
purpose of improving the quality of life in the
communities they serve. Community service is
entrenched as an integral part of the company.
• In 1996, they formally codified their community
outreach projects under an umbrella effort called
REACH: Recognizing and Encouraging an
Atmosphere of Community and of Hope.
ENGAGED IN RESPONSIBLE ACTIONS
• The consistent message is to treat people right, to
do the right thing and to give your best in
everything you do. There is no exception, no
excuse.
• The ethos of Synovus is conducive to responsible
actions. When the work is intrinsically motivating
and meaningful, people are more likely to be
engaged and passionate about what they do.
ENJOYING HIGH MORALE &
PRODUCTIVITY
• Synovus is the envy of other banking and financial
services.
• Synovus is consistently ranked as one of the best
companies to work for, and they are able to survive
the recent financial crisis unscathed.
• Corporate success and individual growth combine
to increase the sense of enjoyment and satisfaction.
THE MEANING MINDSET
• Ultimately, developing the meaning mindset for
both management and workers is the most
enduring way to implement the MCA approach to
positive management.
• The meaning mindset is measured by the Life
Orientation Scale.
LIFE ORIENTATION SCALE
© Paul T.P. Wong
1. I can find something meaningful or significant in everyday
events.
2. There is a reason for everything that happens to me.
3. There is no ultimate meaning and purpose in life. (-)
4. There is no point is searching for meaning in life. (-)
5. No matter how painful the situation, life is still worth living.
6. The meaning of life is to “eat, drink and be happy”. (-)
7. What really matters is to pursue a higher purpose or calling
regardless of personal costs.
8. I would rather be a happy pig than a sad saint. (-)
9. I am willing to sacrifice personal interests for the greater good.
10. Personal happiness and success are more important than
achieving inner goodness or moral excellence. (-)