Positive Links Speaker Series
The Positive Links Speaker Series, running for over 22 years with 165 sessions, is one of the most-watched speaker series at Michigan Ross. Positive Links features distinguished scholars sharing leading ideas in the science of thriving. Learn how to ignite organizational excellence built on a foundation of human thriving together with our community of researchers, students, staff, and leaders.
Positive Links sessions are free and open to the public. Most sessions are recorded and then posted to our video page.
Fall 2025 Schedule
Wellbeing Works: The Science of Employee Happiness and Organizational Performance
George Ward
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
Details
The Doors You Can Open: Networking, Building Trust, and Using Your Influence to Create a More Inclusive Workplace
Rosalind Chow
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Details
Listening to Flourish: Harnessing High-Quality Listening to Build Thriving Organizations
Guy Itzchakov
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Details
Winter 2026 Schedule
Leading for Wellness: How to Create a Team Culture Where Everyone Thrives
Katina Sawyer
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Details
The Science of Failing Well: How to Change Your Thinking to Lead (and Thrive) in an Uncertain World
Amy C. Edmondson
Thursday, February 26, 2026
Details
The INSPIRE Advantage: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others
Adam Galinsky
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Details
Positive Links Speaker Series Sponsors
The Sanger Leadership Center serves as an important bridge between students and thought leaders in both research and practice. We offer our students transformational, action-based programming (rooted in the globally renowned thought leadership of our award-winning, multidisciplinary Sanger Research Lab), 1:1 and group coaching, and inclusive communities.
A joint venture between the University of Michigan’s Business and Engineering Schools, and many industry partners to facilitate cross-disciplinary education in global operations management. Well-designed and managed team projects form the cornerstone of the Tauber Institute experience and allow students to apply their knowledge to real world settings.
At the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurship, we inspire our students and alumni to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset that unlocks new opportunities. We provide them with the knowledge and resources to START a venture, INVEST in a venture, or LEAD an entrepreneurial organization. We deliver on this mission through our hands-on programs, mentorship, and funding.
Positive Links Series Promotional Partners
Ann Arbor SPARK, an economic engine within southeast Michigan, is cultivating a network of business and manufacturing excellence. Whether you are launching your first startup, a seasoned entrepreneur, or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, our services can help you succeed.
The Managerial and Organizational Cognition (MOC) Division of the Academy of Management, a division devoted to understanding individual, relational, and collective cognition in organizational contexts.
The Organization Development and Change (ODC) Division of the Academy of Management provides resources and opportunities for high-impact scholarship, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing. We support theoretical or applied research that focuses on meaningful change and the development of people, organizations, and society.
Support
The Center for Positive Organizations (CPO) was founded in 2002 to provide a focus and impetus for scholarship and teaching. Over the years, we’ve developed engaging opportunities to spark debate, compel action, and inspire further research.
While our impact has been far-reaching and powerful, our mission—to build a better world through the science and practice of thriving organizations—now requires renewed focus.
Read more about our goals and how you can support CPO and offerings like Positive Links.
