What`s right with you
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Transcript What`s right with you
“WHAT’S RIGHT WITH YOU?”
A POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY OF HUMAN STRENGTHS
A Retreat & Teambuilding Experience
With
Robyn McKay, PhD
Arizona State University
www.robynmckay.com
WHAT IS
POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY?
•
The science of positive emotions, positive character traits,
positive experiences, and positive institutions
(Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000)
•
Research from positive psychology is intended to supplement
(not replace) information about human suffering, weakness,
and disorder (Seligman, Steen, Park, & Peterson, 2005)
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MY FAVORITE FACES OF
POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
Tal Ben-Shahar, PhD
“Happier!”
Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD
“The How of Happiness”
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Robert Emmons, PhD
“Thanks!”
MAJOR FINDING
Happy people are more
likely than their less happy
peers to have
fulfilling marriages and
relationships
high incomes
superior work performance
community involvement
robust health
a long life
(Lyubomirsky et al, 2005)
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First, be happy.
Happiness
creates the
conditions for
success to arise,
not the other
way around.
(Lyubomirsky et al, 2005)
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But…how do you
be happy?
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EXERCISE #1:
AMAZING PEOPLE
Take 5 minutes to write about one of the best
people that you know: someone who is living a
happy, productive life.
What characteristics does he or she have?
What is his or her life like?
Compare your findings with your neighbor. How
are your observations similar or different ?
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What the Best People Do
We all have natural talents
Leaders spend a lot of time
practicing what they are
already good at
They don’t spend a lot of
time trying to improve their
weaknesses
People who are great at
what they do are decidedly
*not * well rounded
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Focusing on what’s right:
a pathway to happiness
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A history lesson
The Gallup Organization identified over 400
different themes of talent by studying top
achievers
34 of the most prevalent talent themes are
measured in StrengthsFinder
StrengthsFinder is a psychometrically solid
instrument
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StrengthsQuest
A strength is the ability to
provide consistent, nearperfect performance in a given
activity
To build a strength:
Identify a talent
Then refine it with skills and
knowledge
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StrengthsQuest
Based on a general model of positive
psychology, and captures 4 factors:
Personal motivation (Striving/Executing)
Interpersonal skills (Relationship Building)
Self-presentation (Influencing)
Learning Style (Strategic Thinking)
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Excellence
Our talents hold the key to
excellence
Talent + practice + knowledge =
strength
To be excellent, you need to
have a clear vision about what
excellence is, what it looks like,
and what is required to reach it.
Trying to be well-rounded
diffuses your talents
To become excellent, choose one or
two talents to focus on
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EXERCISE #2: WHAT MAKES YOU
STAND OUT?
What was it like to take the assessment?
Review the descriptions of your signature
themes
Ask: “What fits for me?”
Which themes do you really like?
Find a partner and talk about which themes suit
you
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But…shouldn’t
I focus on
improving my
weaknesses?
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Nope!
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Exercise #3: What do your
strengths “sound like”?
With a partner,
take a few minutes
to talk about how
you each express
your strengths
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The Four Domains of Leadership Strength
The Beehive Model
of Strengths (Kerr & McKay)
Worker Bees:
The Experts
(Executing)
Sustain the culture
Achiever
Arranger
Belief
Consistency
Deliberative
Discipline
Focus
Responsibility
Restorative
Queens:
The Visionaries
(Influencing)
Transform the culture
Activator
Command
Communication
Maximizer
Self-Assurance
Significance
Woo
Competition
Honeybees :
The Helpers
(Relationship Building)
Sweeten the culture
Adaptability
Connectedness
Empathy
Harmony
Includer
Individualization
Positivity
Relator
Developer
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Drones :
The Innovators
(Strategic Thinking)
Fertilize the culture
Analytical
Context
Futuristic
Ideation
Input
Intellection
Learner
Strategic
Exercise #3: Gathering
Identify which parts of the hive your
strengths fall into
Remember: you might be a hybrid!
Choose one segment to focus on
Gather with others in your area of the hive
Answer these questions:
What do we have to offer?
What do we need from those in the other parts of
the hive?
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Final Thoughts
Every organization is a hive
Know your bees
Focus on developing your strengths
There are no satisfactory psychometric fixes for social
injustice, stereotype threat, culture, and gender bias
Just because someone is smart, creative, or has
strengths doesn’t make them a good person.
Kindness and compassion are just as important to cultivate
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Final thoughts
It’s hard to get out of your own
area of the hive and understand
the needs of colleagues who are
different from you
Respecting the differences among
your colleagues and
understanding the nature of
various forms of gifts and
strengths can lead to a positive,
innovative work environment
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To schedule a “What’s Right
With You?” Retreat &
Teambuilding Experience
Contact Dr. Robyn McKay
email: [email protected]
Tel: 913.220.7391
or 480.727.1527
www.robynmckay.com