On September 11, 2024, the Center for Positive Organizations (CPO) at the University of Michigan hosted a landmark event: the 250th session of the Adderley Positive Research Incubator. This celebratory online gathering marked not just a number, but a living legacy—a vibrant community investing in the science of thriving organizations and the people who lead this work.
A Tradition of Generativity and Growth
Since its founding in 2004, the Adderley Positive Research Incubator has provided a welcoming, developmental forum for scholars in the expanding field of Positive Organizational Scholarship (POS). Named in honor of Terence E. Adderley, the Incubator has convened hundreds of researchers over two decades, all with a common goal: to nurture innovative research ideas, encourage scholarly growth, and catalyze new collaborations.
“The Adderley Positive Research Incubator honors Terry Adderley’s interest in bolstering basic research in this field as a long-term mechanism for supporting the very best in amplifying both organizational performance and human potential,” said Monica Worline, Faculty Director at CPO, who co-hosted the event with CPO Research Community Fellow and doctoral scholar, Jordan Nye. “Our hope has always been to use Terry’s inspiration to offer a space where researchers, especially those early in their careers, can present emerging work, receive gifts of feedback, and experience the deep generosity that defines our community.”
Reflections from Incubator Luminaries
Nearly 400 people gathered online to celebrate the history of this powerful vehicle for developing research in the field known as Positive Organizational Scholarship. Inviting attendees to “look back to look forward,” several distinguished scholars looked at the history of the field and pointed toward its promising future.
What is the Enduring Value of a Positive Lens?
Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Watch Dr. Barbara Fredrickson as she traces the roots of Positive Organizational Scholarship back to its earliest days and explores what makes a positive lens so essential for individuals and communities. Discover her insights on positive emotions, generativity, and how the practice of “resiling”—becoming more resilient—enables researchers and organizations to flourish and grow together.
Core Assumptions of a Positive Lens on Organizations and Organizing
Dr. Arne Carlsen, BI Norwegian Business School
In this thoughtful reflection, Dr. Arne Carlsen delves into the essential features that make the Adderley Positive Research Incubator a space for collective growth. He highlights how generativity, generosity, and a spirit of openness have shaped the POS community and inspired scholars across fields to build bridges and contribute to meaningful change in organizations and beyond.
Creating a Space for Developing Positive Research and Positive Researchers
Dr. Laura Morgan Roberts, University of Virginia
Dr. Laura Morgan Roberts shares her personal journey as a young scholar in POS, recalling how the incubator community came together at a time of historic challenge. Her presentation explores the importance of creating shared language, operating in abundance, and building trust—a process that has shaped the incubator’s unique approach to expanding and emboldening the research community.
Inspiring Emerging Scholars to Pursue New Ideas
Dr. Adaora Ubaka, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Watch Dr. Adaora Ubaka reflect on how the research incubator bolstered her courage and confidence as a junior scholar. Drawing inspiration from Amanda Gorman’s poetry, she describes how the incubator’s uplifting atmosphere links young researchers with seasoned mentors and helps scholars pursue meaningful, hope-infused research—even in the face of uncertainty.
Continuing the Gift of Community
A hallmark of the Adderley Positive Research Incubator is its open, uplifting chat, where participants offer feedback, share resources, and celebrate milestones. This session was no exception, with a free-flowing chat where scholars were meeting for the first time, sharing resources, and celebrating one another’s successes.
In a deeply moving highlight of the celebration of 250 Adderley Positive Research Incubators, the Center for Positive Organizations announced a new award: The Jane E. Dutton Positive Organizational Scholarship Dissertation Award. This award honors Jane Dutton, a co-founder of the Center for Positive Organizations, whose mentorship, scholarship, and generosity have been central to the development of the field and the Incubator itself.
Co-host and current doctoral candidate Jordan Nye says of Jane’s mentorship: “Jane has shown me, and all of us, what it truly means to hold space for curiosity and growth. Her mentorship is not just about sharing wisdom, but about igniting possibility in every person she encounters. Through her generosity, she lifts others up, and in doing so, she becomes the living heart of what the Incubator celebrates.”
In her closing reflection, Dutton reminded the assembled community that positive organizing is always about reimagining routines to make them more life-giving. “It’s about how we can unleash human resources—hope, courage, compassion—needed to address the world’s most pressing problems.”
Join Us in Building a World Where People and Organizations Thrive
For 20 years, the Adderley Positive Research Incubator has been more than a research forum—it’s been a catalyst for hope, a greenhouse for emerging scholarship, and a living example of what’s possible when we invest in human flourishing.
Your gift today helps us:
- Nurture the Next Generation of researchers who are reimagining how organizations can unleash human potential while realizing exceptional performance
- Fund Research Fellowships that enable emerging scholars to pursue research to transform workplaces into spaces of performance and purpose, dignity, and collective thriving
- Honor Excellence through initiatives like the Jane E. Dutton Dissertation Award
Every gift makes a difference:
- $50 supports a student’s participation in the Adderley Positive Research Incubator
- $250 honors our 250th celebration by funding research community resources
- $5,000 sustains ongoing mentorship and community fellowship programs that transform emerging researchers into leaders in Positive Organizational Scholarship
Your generosity ignites possibility!
The Adderley Positive Research Incubator continues monthly during that academic year. For information about Research Incubator sessions this year, visit the Adderley Positive Research Incubator webpage.
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