Key Positive Organizational Psychology Topics 

• Positive Organizational Scholarship
• Positive Organizational Behavior
• Positive leadership
• Appreciative Inquiry
• Strengths
• Psychological Capital
• Organizational Virtuousness
• Work engagement
• Flow
• Coaching

Positive organizational scholarship (POS)

Definition POS investigates positive deviance, or the ways in which organizations and their members flourish and prosper in especially favorable ways. Positive refers to an affirmative bias focused on the elevating processes and dynamics in organizations. Organizational refers to the processes and conditions that occur in and through organizations, especially taking into account the context in which positive phenomena occur. Scholarship refers to the scientific, theoretically based, and rigorous investigation of positive phenomena. - Cameron & Caza, 2004, p.731 Key publications Bernstein, S.D. (2003). Positive organizational scholarship: Meet the movement: An interview with Kim Cameron, Jane Dutton, and Robert Quinn. Journal of Management Inquiry, 12, 266–271. Cameron, K.S., Dutton, J.E., & Quinn, R.E. (2003). Foundations of positive organizational scholarship. In K.S. Cameron, J.E. Dutton, & R.E. Quinn (Eds.), Positive organizational scholarship: Foundations of a new discipline (pp. 3–13). San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler. Cameron, K.S., & Caza, A. (2004). Introduction: Contribution to the discipline of positive organizational scholarship. American Behavioral Scientist, 47, 731–739.

Positive organizational behavior (POB)

Definition POB is the study and application of positively oriented human resource strengths and psychological capacities that can be measured, developed, and effectively managed for performance improvement in today’s workplace. - Luthans, 2002, p.59 Key publications Luthans, F. (2002). Positive organizational behavior: Developing and managing psychological strengths. Academy of Management Executive, 16, 57–72. Luthans, F. (2002). The need for and meaning of positive organizational behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 23, 695–706. Luthans, F., & Youssef, C.M. (2007). Emerging positive organizational behavior. Journal of Management, 33, 321–349.

Positive leadership

Definition Positive leadership refers to an emphasis on what elevates individuals and organizations (in addition to what challenges them), what goes right in organizations (in addition to what goes wrong), what is life-giving (in addition to what is problematic or life-depleting), what is experienced as good (in addition to what is objectionable), what is extraordinary (in addition to what is merely effective), and what is inspiring (in addition to what is difficult or arduous). - Cameron, 2008, p.3 Authentic leadership is a process that draws from both positive psychological capacities and a highly developed organizational context, which results in both greater self-awareness and self-regulated positive behaviors on the part of leaders and associates, fostering positive self-development. - Luthans & Avolio, 2003, p.243 Key publications Avolio, B. J., Gardner, W. L., Walumbwa, F. O., Luthans, F., May, D. R. (2004). Unlocking the mask: A look at the process by which authentic leaders impact follower attitudes and behaviors. The Leadership Quarterly, 15, 801-823. Avolio, B. J., & Gardner, W. L. (2005). Authentic leadership development: Getting to the root of positive forms of leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 16, 316-338. Cameron, K. (2008). Positive leadership: Strategies for extraordinary performance. Berrett-Koehler Publishers

Appreciative inquiry (AI)

Definition AI refers to the cooperative search for the best in people, their organizations, and the world around them. It involves systematic discover of what gives a system ‘life’ when it is most effective and capable in economic, ecological, and human terms. - Cooperrider & Whitney, 1999, p.247 Key publications Cooperrider, D.L. & Whitney, D. (1999). Appreciative Inquiry: A positive revolution in change. In P. Holman, & T. Devane (eds.), The Change Handbook (pp., 245-261). San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler. Whitney, D., & Cooperrider, D. L. (2000). The appreciative inquiry summit: An emerging methodology for whole system positive change. Journal of Organization Development Network, 32, 13-26. Whitney, D., & Trosten-Bloom, A. (2003). The power of appreciative inquiry: A practical guide to positive change. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler.

Strengths

Definition Strength refers to the ability to provide consistent, near-perfect performance in a given activity. - Clifton & Harter, 2003, p.8 Key publications Clifton, D. O., & Harter, J. K. (2003). Investing in Strengths. In K. S. Cameron, J. E. Dutton, & R. E. Quinn (Eds.), Positive organizational scholarship (pp.21-35). San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler. Harter, J. K., Schmidt, F. L., & Hayes, T. L. (2002). Business-unit-level relationship between employee satisfaction, employee engagement, and business outcomes: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87, 268-279. Hodges, T. D., & Clifton, D. O. (2004). Strengths-Based Development in Practice. In Linley, P. A., & S. Joseph (Eds.), Positive psychology in practice: From research to application (pp.256-268). New Jersey, NJ: Wiley and Sons.

(Positive) psychological capital

Definition An individual’s positive psychological state of development that is characterized by: 1) having confidence (self-efficacy) to take on and put in the necessary effort to succeed at challenging tasks; 2) making a positive attribution (optimism) about succeeding now and in the future; 3) persevering toward goals, and when necessary, redirecting paths to goals (hope) in order to succeed; and 4) when beset by problems and adversity, sustaining and bouncing back and even beyond (resiliency) to attain success. - Luthans, Avey, Avolio, Norman, & Combs, 2006, p. 388 Key publications Luthans, F., & Youssef, C.M. (2004). Human, social, and now positive psychological capital management: Investing in people for competitive advantage. Organizational Dynamics, 33, 143–160. Luthans, Vogelgesang, & Lester, 2006 Larson, M., & Luthans, F. (2006). Potential added value of psychological capital in predicting work attitudes. Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, 13, 75–92. Luthans, F., Avey, J.B., & Patera, J.L. (2008). Experimental analysis of a web-based training intervention to develop positive psychological capital. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 7, 209–221.

Organizational virtuousness

Definition Individuals’ actions, collective activities, cultural attributes, or processes that enable dissemination and perpetuation of virtuousness in an organization’ where virtuousness means ‘what individuals and organizations aspire to be when they are at their very best’ - Cameron et al., 2004, p. 767-768 Key publications Cameron, K. (2003). Organizational virtuousness and performance. In K. S. Cameron, J. E. Dutton, & R. E. Quinn (Eds.), Positive organizational scholarship: Foundations of a new discipline (pp. 48–65). San Francisco, CA: Berret-Koehler. Cameron, K.S., Bright, D., & Caza, A. (2004). Exploring the relationships between organizational virtuousness and performance. American Behavioral Scientist, 47, 766–790. Caza, A., Barker, B.A., & Cameron, K.S. (2004). Ethics and ethos: The buffering and amplifying effects of ethical behavior and virtuousness. Journal of Business Ethics, 52, 169–178.

Work engagement

Definition Work engagement refers to a positive, fulfilling work-related state of mind that is characterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption - Schaufeli, Bakker, & Salanova, 2006, p. 702 Key publications Demerouti, E., Bakker, A. B., Janssen, P. P. M., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2001). Burnout and engagement at work as a function of demands and control. Scandinavian Journal of Work and Environment and Heath, 27, 279-286. Schaufeli, W.B., Bakker, A.B., & Salanova, M. (2006). The measurement of work engagement with a short questionnaire: A cross-national study. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 66, 701–716. Korunka, C., Kubicek, B., Schaufeli, W.B., & Hoonakker, P. (2009). Work engagement and burnout: Testing the robustness of the Job Demands-Resources model. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 4, 243–255.

Flow

Definition The state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience itself is so enjoyable that people will do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it. - Csikszentmihalyi, 1990, p.4 Key publications Csikszentmihalyi, M. & LeFevre, J. (1989) Optimal experience in work and leisure. Journal of personality and Social Psychology, 56, 815-822. Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience. New York: Harper & Row. Salanova, M., Bakker, A.B., & Llorens, S. (2006). Flow at work: Evidence for an upward spiral of personal and organizational resources. Journal of Happiness Studies, 7, 1–22. Bakker, A.B. (2008). The work-related flow inventory: Construction and initial validation of the WOLF. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 72, 400-414.

Coaching

Definition Coaching is a service provided to those in business who want individual assistance to enhance their performance, skills, and achievement. - Douglas & McCauley, 1999 (cited in Kauffman & Scoular, 2004, p.288) Key publications Kauffman, C. & Scoular, A. (2004). Toward a positive psychology of executive coaching. In P. A. Linley & S. Joseph (Eds.). Positive psychology in practice: From research to application (pp. 287-302). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Grant, A. M., & Cavanagh, M. J. (2007). Evidence-based coaching: Flourishing or languishing? Australian Psychologist, 42, 239-254. Grant, A. M., Curtayne, L., & Burton, G. (2009). Executive coaching enhances goal attainment, resilience and workplace well-being: a randomised controlled study, The Journal of Positive Psychology, 4, 396-407.