Using Attitude Adjustment in the Workplace

I’m Not Talking about Lacing the Decaf

I’ll be honest. As a therapist, I’m not a huge fan of what some aspects of the “positive psychology” movement have become - more on that in a bit. Martin Seligman, a psychologist who teaches at the University of Pennsylvania, is considered to be positive psychology’s founder. A Web site, Authentic Happiness, describes it as “a new branch of psychology which focuses on the empirical study of such things as positive emotions, strengths-based character, and healthy institutions.”

I love his ideas and have used them with patients long before it had a name. It always seemed healthier to focus on people’s strengths and positive qualities than get stuck in pathology mode. My concern is that the idea is often distorted and very far removed from its original focus and intent. (I also believe it can be dangerous for clinicians to ignore patients' serious, underlying issues while applying these theories.)
 
My corporate-life era was at the beginning of “team-building” workshops, often led by people with no (or questionable) credentials that made us do the most annoying, embarrassing things under the guise of improving morale, etc. So I’m really biased in this area. To be fair, now there are respected business leaders and coaches who present this material brilliantly.

So before the bosses make everyone wear clown noses and spout mantra-like slogans, let’s find some practical workplace uses for positive psychology.

·         Remind yourself daily that the only person you have control over is yourself. That includes your thoughts, attitudes and reactions to others. This is a variation of “don’t let the turkeys get you down.”

·         Focus more on the process than outcomes. Not everything you do will have a good result, but learn from it.

·         Gratitude. Every day make lists of things you’re grateful for. I know that some crappy days this will be a real challenge. But maybe it’s as simple as being grateful you don’t sit near “Psycho Doris.”

This is a post by Nancy LaFever. You can read more from her at the Centre for Emotional Wellbeing blog.

Comments

[JulieF]

Great tips! I'm thankful everyday that I have a huge coffeepot and a man that brews it while I'm sleep so I can deal with the day.

[Mera Career Guide]

Great article!!! A good read and something that i could connect with.

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[LisaT]

As a person who is losing my job very soon due to corporate downsizing, I love/need this! We are all struggling here to train others to take over our jobs and move them out of state. Thank you.

[czander]

Happiness coaches are part of the great conspiracy that began 15 years ago when CEO’s , hedge fund managers and bankers discovered if they outsourced jobs to China and India it would increase the bottom line and they would all get rich. If they could not outsource they discovered another way. They terminated half the workforce and piled the work on those who remained. They followed this by bringing in the happy coaches to put smiles on these overworked underpaid miserable employees. Remember “smile or your fired”. Executives, bankers and hedge fund managers don’t need happy coaches. I wonder why?

Read—
http://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Negative-Influence-of-by-william-czander-091020-724.html

[Amy]

I love the tips. They're a lot like the things my mom used to say back when I thought she didn't know anything. (Her IQ went up immeasurably after I turned 21. I still can't figure out how she did that.)