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June 20, 2014
By: Allison Sheehan
Sir Isaac Newton’s third law of motion states that “for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” I remember learning this in grade school, and doing experiment after experiment to prove that the law was true. I quickly learned this law also held true beyond the world of science. It social settings, it was simple—every action could create consequences or benefits, and it was your task to understand how your actions were going to affect others. When it was a person—or people—on the other end of the equation, rather than an object, it was a lot easier to understand. It seems to me that this also happens in the business world. When one is the CEO of a company, it may be a little easier to hide behind the structure of the building or behind the name of the company to fight for profit maximization, and it’s easier to forget the reactions that take place outside of that business. However, positive business leaders like Fred Keller are taking the initiative to reinstate the idea of looking at the whole picture of business, and are showing how businesses can use their power to create a better, sustainable society. They’re proving that positive work places can be prosperous work places, too.
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June 18, 2014
The Guardian | Amy Westervelt
A study conducted by The Ross School of Business and Humana shows that happy employees perform better and cost less for the company. Companies are using an employee happiness survey, developed by Professor Kim Cameron, to measure employee attitudes. Using Cameron’s survey and applying this research has proven to lead to meaningful savings in the long run.
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June 16, 2014
By Sucheta Nadkarni (Drexel University), Rajashi Ghosh (Drexel University), Ilene Wasserman (ICW Consulting), and Lyndon Garrett (University of Michigan)
Old memories were rekindled and new thoughts forged when scholars interested in positive relationships at work came together in the second meeting of the Positive Relationships at Work (PRW) Microcommunity at Drexel University in March. This meeting was designed to build on the inaugural meeting held in March 2012 and strengthen the foundation for a thriving and self-sustaining research community. Thirty-five scholars at different stages of their careers (senior faculty/practitioners, junior faculty, and doctoral students) from across the United States and Canada gathered to engage in out-of-the-box ideas, help each other tackle tough research questions, and develop new friendships and collaborations.
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June 16, 2014
The Guardian | Aaron Hurst
Hurst reports that in today’s society and economy, we are seeing a pattern of changes happening across many industries. This change is one that focuses on employees finding their purpose in the workplace, and building loyalty in their community and with customers. Using research done by Justin Berg, Jane Dutton, and Amy Wrzesniewski at the University of Michigan, “we now understand that people generate purpose through relationships, personal growth and doing something greater than themselves. They are also finding that it is vital to our wellbeing, as well as productivity.” According to their research, if we want companies to thrive in this economy, we need to become a society organized around people and not around systems.
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June 16, 2014
By Janet Max Next month, Associate Professor David Mayer will begin his tenure as Faculty Co-Director, serving alongside Professor Robert Quinn, and replacing Gretchen Spreitzer, who is stepping down as she begins her Sabbatical. Professor Mayer joined the Center for Positive Organizations in 2010, a year after he came to the Michigan Ross School of Business. […]
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June 13, 2014
By: Allison Sheehan
The first thing I noticed when I walked into the Center were the colorful walls—orange, yellow, and green. And when I moved from room to room, I noticed that all the tables and chairs had been set up in ways that encouraged an environment for collaboration and sharing. The tables were big enough to seat several people; for seats, you had a choice between a chair and an exercise ball. Every room was open to everybody—there was no hierarchy of offices. And when I glanced at the corner of the community room, I was so shocked to see that the Center has a little pet tortoise named Rosa!
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June 13, 2014
Forbes | Ruth Blatt
Blatt describes how successful business leaders use both compassion and generosity. This article highlights the importance of bringing all of one’s qualities to the table, without leaving anything behind. Shirli Kopelman, faculty director of business practice at the Center, agrees that “the combination and strategic focus is what enables great negotiators to create value.” She points out that in order to be successful, one cannot be “either genuinely compassionate or strategic,” but instead, “great negotiators do them both.” It’s very important to “integrate various personal and professional roles,” so both people can walk out of a negotiation as “winners.”
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June 10, 2014
By: Adam Grant
When we interact with other people, what do we want? As I started to study that question, I came across a wonderful quote. “There are two kinds of people in the world,” Robert Benchley wrote. “Those who divide the world into two kinds of people, and those who don’t.”
Psychologists have a bad habit of oversimplifying people. If I truly wanted to capture the richness of the human condition, I needed more than two categories. Imagine my delight, then, when I found evidence that around the world, there are not two… but three styles of interaction.
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June 10, 2014
Positive Psychology News Daily | Giselle Nicholson
Nicholson has attended many business conferences, and after attending our Positive Business Conference in May, she has no doubt that she’ll return to the next one. She says that the “quality and accessibility of speakers was high, the content was thought-provoking, and my fellow participants were highly engaging.” She describes the conference as “unique” and good at addressing many “themes and solutions.” She also sums up many of the key points from Ross professors and Fred Keller.
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June 9, 2014
Harvard Business Review | Shirli Kopelman
Shirli Kopelman, University of Michigan management professor, is receiving a lot of attention from her book, “Negotiating Genuinely: Being Yourself in Business.” Her blog in the Harvard Business Review, shares the benefits of negotiating genuinely. “Being genuine means you get to be the best you, realizing greater success on all levels — financial, personal, and professional.”
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June 5, 2014
By: Tom Gardner, Chloe Sosenko
Your employer is putting you in harm’s way.
In fact, you can’t smoke cigarettes fast enough to match the damage that today’s workplace is doing to you. And not just you, but everyone from the newest hire to your CEO. Your company is unknowingly dragging the life from all of you.
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June 3, 2014
The Guardian | Amy Westervelt
Westervelt’s article describes how companies are searching for ways to generate purpose and passion in their employees to stop the increasing turnover rate in many jobs. Jane Dutton, professor of business administration and psychology at University of Michigan, focuses on the importance of relationships in positive organization. Dutton comments that, “If you have positive connections between employees, that means it’s also probably easier to cultivate meaning in the work they’re doing.” On the same note, “if employees feel they have a purpose, it’s easier for them to cultivate positive connections with each other.”
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