Positive Psychology and Change

Positive Psychology and Change explores how areas of positive psychology such as strengths, flow, and psychological capital can be applied to the everyday challenges of leading a dynamic and adaptive work community, and how collaborative group approaches to transformational change can be combined with a positive mindset to maintain optimism and motivation in an unpredictable working environment. Articulates a unique vision for organizational leadership in the 21st century that combines positive psychology, Appreciative Inquiry (AI), and collaborative group technologies Focuses on four specific co-creative approaches (Appreciative Inquiry, Open Space, World Café and SimuReal) and the ways in which they surpass traditional methods for organizational change Explains the latest theory, research, and practice, and translates it into concrete, actionable ideas for meeting the day-to-day challenges of effective and adaptive leadership and management Includes learning features such as boxed text, short case studies, stories, and cartoons

About the Author xi Foreword xiii Preface xix Acknowledgements xxiii 1 The Legacy of Twentieth‐Century Ideas about Organizational Change 1 Introduction 2 A Changing World 3 The Roots of Many Change Models 4 Legacy Thinking about Organizational Change 6 The Legacy Beliefs of Lewin and Taylor in Our Understanding of Organizational Change 8 Conclusion 20 2 The Challenge of Leadership 21 Introduction 23 Should Decisiveness Be the Priority in Leaders? 24 The Need to Make a Difference 26 What Does Shifting the Organizational Metaphor Mean for Leaders? 29 New Definition of Leadership 30 Doing Leadership Differently 30 Characteristics of a New Leadership Style 32 Conclusion 50 3 Helping People Engage Positively with Imposed Change 51 Introduction 53 Typical Experience of Imposed Change 53 Unintended Consequences of Imposed Change 55 Understanding the Psychological Impact of Imposed Change on People 55 Accessing Psychological Resources to Increase Efficacy and Resilience 60 Conclusion 75 4 A Different Approach to Organizations and Change 77 Introduction 78 Key Factors that Create Living Human System Learning and Change 78 Distinctive Features of Co‐creative Approaches to Change 80 Principles of Practice for Achieving Change in Living Human Systems 88 Conclusion 96 5 Using Positive Psychology to Achieve Change at the Team and Individual Level 97 Introduction 98 Principles 98 Positive and Appreciative Practices 105 Conclusion 117 6 Appreciative Inquiry 119 Introduction 121 Process 122 Purpose 123 Recommended Use 123 Key Ideas 123 Critical Success Factors 128 Key Skills 132 Origins of the Methodology 136 When to Use and Counter‐indications 136 Conclusion 139 7 World Café 141 Introduction 143 The Process 143 Purpose 145 Recommended Use 145 Key Ideas 147 Critical Success Factors 151 Key Skills 157 Origins of the Methodology 158 Conclusion 160 8 Open Space 161 Introduction 162 Purpose 163 The Process 164                                                                    Recommended Use 167 Key Ideas 170 Critical Success Factors 173 Key Skills 176 Origins of the Methodology 181 Conclusion 183 9 Simu‐Real 185 Introduction 188 Purpose 189 The Process 190 Recommended Use 191 Key Ideas 192 Critical Success Factors 194 Key Skills 200 Origins of the Methodology 202 Long‐Term Effects 202 When to Use and When Not to 203 Conclusion 203 10 Pulling It All Together 205 Introduction 205 Rise of Planned Change Approaches 205 Co‐creative Approaches to Change 207 Features of Co‐created Change 208 Linking Theory, Research, and Practice 215 Time for Something Different 216 Bringing Emergent Change Insights to Planned Change Projects 219 Positive: The Whole Strengths Spectrum Approach to Change 223 Conclusion 226 References 227 Index 237