BAM 2004 Conference
University of St-Andrews
Workshop:
Accentuating the Positive:
Hope, Trust, Character and Personal Integrity in Organizations
Chair:
Debra L. Nelson, Oklahoma State University
Presentation 1:
Hope at Work: Evidence from Four Studies
*Bret L. Simmons, North Dakota State University
*Debra L. Nelson, Oklahoma State University
Mark Phillips, Oklahoma State University
Presentation 2:
Trustworthiness at Work: Unleashing Positive Psychological
Capital
*Mark Gavin, Oklahoma State University
Janaki Gooty, Oklahoma State University
Presentation 3:
Character and Personal Integrity: The Positive Core Strength of
the Self-Reliant Personality
Joanne H. Gavin, Marist College
*James Campbell Quick, University of Texas at Arlington
Discussant:
Cary Cooper, University of Lancaster
*Presenting authors
Session Overview
In this session, our aim is to accentuate the positive by presenting conceptual and
empirical work that focuses on positive organizational behavior. The roots of positive
organizational behavior are in positive psychology, which is the study of human
resilience and flourishing.
Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi (2000) defined positive
psychology as a “science of positive subjective experience,” that focuses on positive
individual characteristics and positive institutions. Organizational behaviorists and
occupational health psychology researchers extended the ideas of positive psychology
and adapted them to the world of work organizations. Luthans (2002a,b), for example,
proposed a positive approach to organizational behavior (POB), with a focus on
identifying and developing strengths rather than altering weaknesses.
Positive
organizational behavior is “the study and application of positively-oriented human
resource strengths and psychological capacities that can be measured, developed, and
effectively managed for performance improvement in today’s workplace” (Luthans,
2002a, p. 59). Luthans further proposed that the most promising approach for POB is to
identify states that are (1) positive psychological capacities, that should also be (2)
validly measured, and (3) amenable to development in order to improve performance. He
also suggested that confidence, hope, and resiliency are states that should be studied as
part of POB.
Some researchers have attempted to define “healthy work” and its characteristics.
Turner et al. (2002), for instance, stated that healthy work includes work redesign,
teamwork, and transformational leadership. These and other practices assist employees in
developing more flexible role orientations, which then promote employee resilience and
optimism. These practices can also indirectly affect positive outcomes through trust,
interpersonal justice, and organizational commitment. The identification and study of
healthy work is an important part of positive organizational behavior.
Our session, within the domain of positive organizational behavior, highlights the
several of the individual characteristics, states, and processes that lead to healthy work,
and in turn, positive outcomes for both individuals and organizations. In the first
presentation, Bret Simmons and I will describe our research journey that initially sought
to identify indicators of eustress, the positive side of stress. Along the way, we found
hope to be significantly and positively related to health in a series of four studies. These
studies included hospital nurses, home healthcare nurses, pastors, and university
professors. Along with the key role of hope, we found that a trusting and satisfying
relationship with the supervisor, satisfaction with one’s work, and a self-reliant
personality all contribute to hope.
The second and third presentations focus on two of these contributors to hope:
trust and self-reliance. In the second presentation, Mark Gavin will present his model
that showcases the central role of trust, particularly the trustworthiness of supervisors.
Trustworthiness facilitates hope, optimism, resiliency and confidence, which are key
components of positive psychological capital. In addition, trustworthiness moderates the
relationship between theses key components and positive individual and organizational
outcomes such as job satisfaction, health, healthy work, and performance.
In our third presentation, Jim Quick and Joanne Gavin will present their research
that identifies the core strengths within the self-reliant personality. The self-reliant
individual forms healthy, interdependent relationships with others at work, facilitating
health and work performance. They found that character and personal integrity comprise
the core strengths of self-reliant individuals. They also developed a three-facet measure
of character to be used in future research.
From these presentations, several conclusions emerge. One is that positive
organizational behavior is an exciting research area worthy of future investigation.
Another is that while considerable progress has been made in identifying the individual
characteristics that lead to positive outcomes like health, resilience and performance,
there remains much work to do. Hope, trust, character and personal integrity are but a
few of the individual strengths that accentuate the positive and contribute to healthy
work.
Because positive organizational behavior is a new and growing research area,
Cary Cooper, our discussion leader, will facilitate an exchange about the future of
positive organizational behavior. Our purpose is to engage the audience in healthy
discussion about accentuating the positive in organizational behavior research.
References
Luthans, F. 2002a. The need for and meaning of positive organizational behavior.
Journal of Organizational Behavior, 23, 695-706.
Luthans, F. 2002b. Positive organizational behavior: Developing and managing
psychological strengths. Academy of Management Executive, 16, 57-72.
Seligman, M.E.P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology. American
Psychologist, 55, 514.
Turner, N., Barling, J., & Zacharatos, A. 2002. Positive psychology at work. In C.
Snyder & S.J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology (pp. 715728).
New York: Oxford University Press.