Michelle McQuaid-Can a Question Change Your Life AI (1)

8/19/2019 Michelle McQuaid-Can a Question Change Your Life AI (1)

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C AC A N AN A Q U E S T I O NQ U E S T I O N CHANGE YOUR LIFE:CHANGE YOUR LIFE:

LIFE’S WAKE UP CALL

When it comes to navigating life are o! generall more foc!se" on the #!estions that

nee" as$ing or the tas$s that nee" to %e "one& I have to confess I've s(ent most of m

life so foc!se" on getting sh)t "one* I +as %arel even a+are of the #!estions I sho!l"

have %een as$ing,

As a res!lt* in -../ I fo!n" mself living in Ne+ Yor$ +ith m %ea!tif!l famil* in a 0o%

that (ai" me more mone than I co!l" s(en" an" I +as in goo" health* %!t each

morning I +as fin"ing it har"er an" har"er to get o!t of %e",

Unfort!natel m stor is not !ni#!e, 1t!"ies s!ggest that less than 2.3 of (eo(learo!n" the +orl" "escri%e themselves as flo!rishing* an" instea" most of !s re(ort that

+e're str!ggling or even s!ffering as +e face the "a ahea"4,

As I la there in o!r Ne+ Yor$ a(artment thin$ing (erha(s this is 0!st ho+ life is* I finall

starte" as$ing: 5If I +as tr!l flo!rishing +hat +o!l" m life an" the +orl" aro!n" me

act!all loo$ li$e&6 A ear later this #!estion le" me to a 7asters In 8ositive 8scholog

to see +hat science +as !ncovering a%o!t the secrets to h!man flo!rishing,

It +as 9,2. a,m, on a Fri"a morning +hen 8rofessor avi" Coo(erri"er #!ietl an"

!nass!mingl too$ his (lace at the front of o!r classroom, No+ loo$ing at him %ac$ theno!'" have no i"ea that this +as a man so!ght o!t % the +orl"'s (olitical* %!siness an"

religio!s lea"ers to hel( them create lasting change in the +orl",

Until he s(o$e,

5Ever action +e ta$e is (rece"e" % a #!estion*6 he sai",

;hin$ a%o!t it, Every action +e ta$e is (rece"e" % a #!estion, Ho+ "i" o! +in" !(

rea"ing this %oo$& 8erha(s o! as$e" o!rself: 5What +ill I learn& Who is this +oman&Ho+ long +ill this ta$e&6

An" chances are li$e most of !s < mself incl!"e" < o! +ere so foc!se" on +hat o!

nee"e" to get "one o! +eren't even a+are of the #!estions o! +ere as$ing, For me

this +as li$e %eing str!c$ % lightning as I vo+e" to start (aing real attention to the

#!estions sha(ing m life,

;hen avi" s(o$e again,

5=!estions that loo$ for the tr!e* the goo" an" the (ossi%le are +hat ena%le !s an"

others to consistentl flo!rish*6 he sai",

I sat there thin$ing of all the times I'" loo$e" for the %ro$en an" in nee" of fi>ing in m

life li$e: not stressing so m!ch a%o!t m 0o%? not eating so man %a" foo"s? an" not

sho!ting so often at m $i"s, An" not s!r(risingl none of these changes ha" st!c$,


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@!t I co!l"n't fin" one e>am(le +here I'" trie" to %!il" !(on 0of!l +or$ e>(eriences*

health an" "elicio!s eating alternatives or %lissf!l (arenting moments, ;he tr!th is o!r

%rains aren't +ire" to loo$ for the tr!e* the goo" an" the (ossi%le +itho!t a little training,

Lightning str!c$ me t+ice that "a as I finall !n"erstoo" ho+ to start creating the

changes I +as craving,

;o hel( !s train o!r %rains avi" gave !s fo!r sim(le #!estions to (ractice an" this

e@oo$ is "esigne" to hel( o! e>(lore an" a((l these #!estions in o!r life an" in o!r

+or$, We've also share" +as o! can !se these #!estions +ith teams an" +hole

organiations to create lasting (ositive change in the +orl", An" for the gee$s amongst

o! < es* that +o!l" %e me < +e've incl!"e" some of the science %ehin" +h this

a((roach +or$s,

Is it +orth rea"ing& ;o "ate the sim(le ste(s avi" ta!ght me +hich are share" in an

easB toBa((l format in this e@oo$ have hel(e" to:

Gro+ the Unite" Nations Glo%al Com(act for s!staina%ilit from 4D.. to over

9... of the +orl"'s largest organiations,

Im(rove energ efficienc across 7assach!setts "elivering nearl nine %illion

"ollars in %enefits for resi"ents an" %!sinesses,

@ring together the +orl"'s religio!s lea"ers to !nite more than seven million

(eo(le of "ifferent faiths,-

For me the remain the fo!n"ation of ta$ing all the +on"erf!l (ractices emerging from

the science of (ositive (scholog an" fin"ing (ractical* %!sB(roof +as I can

consistentl flo!rish thro!gh the nat!ral highs an" lo+s that life %rings, ;he contin!e to

ena%le me to create lasting change for mself* for m coaching clients an" for the

organiations I +or$ +ith,

Can these #!estions change o!r life& I %elieve the can* in +as that +ill (ositivel

ri((le right aro!n" the +orl", It's m heartfelt ho(e this e@oo$ hel(s o! "o 0!st that,

Warmest +ishes

Michelle


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HE FOUR QUESTIONS TO ASK

Yo!r %rain is +ire" +ith a negativit %ias +hich ma$es o! fa%!lo!s at s(otting all the things that are not going

+ell an" feeling an evol!tionar t!g of s!rvival to fi> them* %!t it's not generall as a"e(t at s(otting the tr!e*

the goo" an" the (ossi%le* an" fin"ing +as to %!il" !(on +hat's +or$ing, As a res!lt researchers estimate that

+e s(en" a%o!t 9.3 of o!r time tring to fi> +hat's not +or$ing an" onl -.3 of o!r time tring to %!il" on o!r

strengths,2

;he challenge +ith this a((roach is that it's o!r strengths < the things o!'re goo" at an" en0o "oing < +hichare %eing fo!n" to (rovi"e o!r %est o((ort!nities for gro+th an" s!ccess, Yo! see* a strength is a strength

%eca!se over time o!'ve (ractice" these tho!ghts* feelings an" actions so often the've %ecome +ellB

"evelo(e" ne!ral (ath+as thro!gh o!r %rain, As a res!lt +hen o! "ra+ on o!r strengths to tac$le a

challenge o! feel more confi"ent* engage" an" ha((* ma$ing it easier to stic$ +ith the changes o!'re

creating,

In an effort to hel( (eo(le evolve from foc!sing (rimaril on "eficits* avi" "evelo(e" a strengthsBorientate"

a((roach to creating lasting* (ositive change in o!r lives an" the +orl" at large, He calle" this a((roach

A((reciative In#!ir,D

With the hel( of his colleag!es he create" an" %egan testing a sim(le frame+or$ of #!estions to ena%le (eo(le

to fin" the tr!e* the goo" an" the (ossi%le that +o!l" ena%le them < an" the organiations the +or$e" in < to

consistentl flo!rish, ;his frame+or$ has %ecome $no+n as the A((reciative In#!ir s* %eca!se as o! +ill

see %elo+ each ste( %egins +ith the letter 56,


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When avi" first intro"!ce" me to A((reciative In#!ir he gave me the most sim(listic #!estions for each of

these ste(s so I co!l" %egin (laing +ith these in m o+n life an" see +hat im(act the ha", I "eci"e" to !sethe #!estions to see if I co!l" change m so!lless cor(orate 0o% into the o((ort!nit to flo!rish in m +or$,

Here are the fo!r #!estions he s!ggeste" starting +ith,

When you feel engaged, energized and enjoying living life, what is happening?

;he first ste( in the A((reciative In#!ir frame+or$ is to 5iscover6 +hat is ha((ening +hen something is at its

%est, ;his #!estion is "esigne" to hel( o! !ncover the strengths o! have to %!il" !(on in o!r life, As o!

realie there are moments < %ig or small* recent or "istant < +hen things have +or$e" for o!* o!'ll fin" o!

start to feel more confi"ent a%o!t o!r a%ilit to create the changes o!'re see$ing,

For e>am(le* +hen I tho!ght a%o!t the times I'" felt engage"* energie" an" en0oing m +or$ I realie" that

in the moments I +as flo!rishing it +as %eca!se I +as learning something ne+ a%o!t ho+ to %ring o!t the %est

in mself an" others an" fin"ing +as to a((l it, When I !se m strengths of c!riosit an" creativit I feel alive

an" a!thentic,

If you could do what you’ve just described more consistently, what might be possible as

you look ahead?

;he secon" ste( in the A((reciative In#!ir frame+or$ is to 5ream6 of +hat's (ossi%le, ivi" (ositive images

of o!r f!t!re (!ll o! for+ar" into ta$ing (ositive actions %eca!se the f!el o! +ith ho(e an" (!t o! on the

roa" to fin"ing sol!tions, ;he hel( o! to realie that o! have the (o+er to ma$e things ha((en,

When I gave mself the s(ace to reall "ream of +hat might %e (ossi%le if I +as !sing m strengths of c!riosit

an" creativit at +or$ each "a* I co!l" imagine loo$ing for+ar" to going to +or$ each "a for the chance tolearn more a%o!t the science of h!man flo!rishing, I co!l" see mself ma$ing a (ositive "ifference as I a((lie"

these i"eas for the (eo(le aro!n" me, An" I co!l" feel the #!iet sense of satisfaction I'" ta$e home each night

an" ho+ this +o!l" color m famil life, ;here +as nothing gre a%o!t this vision,

QUESTION 1

QUESTION 2


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QUESTION 3

How can you move from where you are right now, to where you want to be?

A((reciative In#!ir's thir" ste( is to 5esign6 (ath+as that move o! for+ar", Yo! see* +hile 93 of !s

%elieve tomorro+ +ill %e %etter than to"a* onl D.3 of !s %elieve +e can ma$e it so, ;he "ifference is in

$no+ing ho+ to ma( clear (ath+as an" maintain o!r motivation to+ar"s the goals o! +ant to achieve,

For e>am(le* I co!l"n't affor" to #!it m 0o%* so I nee"e" +as to move for+ar" +hilst still meeting the

e>(ectations of m %oss, 1o altho!gh no one +as as$ing me I "eci"e" to !se m strengths of c!riosit an"

creativit to start researching an" testing ne+ 5lea"ershi( techni#!es6 to %ring o!t the %est in mself an" mteam,

If there was one action you could take, where would you be willing to start?

A((reciative In#!ir's fo!rth an" final ste( is to 5eliver6 sometimes calle" 5e(lo6J o!r first action of change,

;o ma$e it eas to fit this into everthing else alrea" "eman"ing o!r attention an" energ in life avi"

recommen"s shrin$ing this change into tin* %!sB(roof ste(s that allo+ o! to start notching !( s!ccess after

s!ccess, Yo!'ll fin" that as o!r confi"ence gro+s an" o!r fear of fail!re +ithers* o!r (rogress %egins to

acc!m!late into a (ositive s(iral of %ehavior,/

For e>am(le* I committe" to s(en"ing ten min!tes each morning < so I co!l" fit it in on even the %!siest "as <

rea"ing one ne+ scientific "iscover a%o!t ho+ to ena%le h!man flo!rishing an" as$ing mself ho+ this co!l" %e

a((lie" for m team, At the en" of the +ee$ I (ac$age" !( everthing I learnt in an email to m %oss, An" this

tin ha%it felt so goo" that I "i" it the follo+ing +ee$ an" each +ee$ after that,

Nine months < an" 2 emails later < m %oss calle" me into his office an" sai" clearl the +eren't ta((ing into

m f!ll (otential, He as$e" if I'" %e +illing to teach these ne+ lea"ershi( techni#!es more %roa"l across o!r

%!siness an" 0!st li$e that m "ream 0o% +as create", Yo! see* +hen +e choose to "o +hat +e "o %est each

"a < even for 0!st a fe+ min!tes < others have the chance to see the (otential that ra"iates +ithin !s,

An" +hile m stor ma not change the +orl"* imagine +hat might %e (ossi%le if each an" ever one of !s

starte" to as$ these sim(le #!estions an" ma$e the small changes that ena%le !s to flo!rish,

QUESTION 4


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WAYS TO CREATE LASTING CHANGE

APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY SUMMITS

avi" an" his colleag!es originall "esigne" the A((reciative In#!ir frame+or$ to !nite

entire organiations or sstems thro!gh largeBscale s!mmits that %ro!ght together D. to

4*... or more internal an" e>ternal sta$ehol"ers to create change aro!n" a strategic

nee" or o((ort!nit over several "as, Li$e an orchestra (erforming* the fo!n"

organiations hit their %est notes +hen 5a!"ience6* 5m!sicians6 an" even 5critics6 +ere

together in the room to e>(lore the frame+or$ together,9

A((reciative In#!ir 1!mmits have %een !se" s!ccessf!ll to transform a mining

com(an once referre" to as 5"!neBra((ers6 into a co!ntr's to( cor(orate citien +hilststill gro+ing their (rofits, ;o !nite the "air in"!str to re"!ce greenho!se gas

emissions % -D3 in t+o ears +hilst increasing farm %!siness val!e % more than

K-2. million, ;o em(o+er local Clevelan" %!sinesses to create -D "esign st!"ios <

from ra"ical energ efficienc to !r%an farms < to %!il" a green economic engine that

+ill (o+er the cit's s!staina%le gro+th for "eca"es to come,

Yo! can fin" a ste(B%Bste( g!i"e in The Appreciative Inquiry Summit: A

Practitioner! "ui#e $or %ea#in& %ar&e'"roup (han&e % L!"ema* Whitne* 7ohr

an" Griffin,

APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY WORKSHOPS

As a gro+ing (o(!lation e>(erience" the magic of A((reciative In#!ir 1!mmits*

(ractitioners also %egan to e>(lore ne+ a((lications for the frame+or$, What if o!

co!l"n't gather a +hole sstem in a room for several "as& Co!l" e>ce(tional coB

creation* colla%oration* moment!m an" acco!nta%ilit for change still %e create" +ithin

a team % a((ling the (rinci(le of A((reciative In#!ir an" the frame+or$ over

several ho!rs& 8rovi"e" the foc!s on the +or$sho( an" the e>(ectations for change

are scale" to match the sie of o!r investment* then a%sol!tel,4.

I have r!n A((reciative In#!ir Wor$sho(s to hel( schools create their strategic (lans*

organiations to "esign their (eo(le strategies an" s(orting cl!%s to e>(lore the %est

(ractices of %!il"ing mental to!ghness for their (laers, After one of these +or$sho(s

recentl a %oar" mem%er o%serve": 5;hat's the most im(ressive o!tcome I have ever

seen from a +or$sho(* an" far more than +e co!l" ever have +ishe" for6 It's fee"%ac$

I'm !se" to hearing %!t I $no+ the frame+or$ consistentl "elivers res!lts,

Yo! can fin" e>am(les of man "ifferent A((reciative In#!ir Wor$sho(s in: Appreciative

Inquiry $or (o))a*orative So)ution!: 21 Stren&th +a!e# ,or-!hop! % 1trattonB

@er$essel,

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APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY COACHING

As +or$(laces contin!all loo$ for ne+ +as to s!((ort their (eo(le to create (ositive

changes in %ehavior* it's not s!r(rising that coaches an" managers have %eg!n to a((l

the (rinci(les of A((reciative In#!ir an" the frame+or$ in this setting as +ell,44 I've

fo!n" integrating this +ith teste" (ositive (scholog interventions < li$e the +e!t

Po!!i*)e Se)$ E.erci!e or /ope Theory < a (o+erf!l com%ination to %ring o!t the %est

in the (eo(le I'm coaching* lea"ing or mentoring,

Having hel(e" h!n"re"s of clients create lasting changes in their careers* I've seen

firsthan" the (o+er of this a((roach, @e it female lea"ers +ho +ant to feel more

confi"ent to ste( !(* h!man reso!rce teams +anting to "evelo( em(loees aro!n" their

strengths or (eo(le

< (erha(s 0!st li$e o!rself < +ho are longing to evolve their career* im(rove their

+ell%eing or 0!st fin" ne+ +as to live a life the love* I've fo!n" this to %e a sim(le*effective an" en0oa%le a((roach to hel( (eo(le achieve their (rofessional an" (ersonal

goals, As one of m coaching clients re(orte": 5;his has hel(e" challenge m %eliefs*

sho+ me +hat I am ca(a%le of an" enco!rage me to ma$e significant changes in m

life, As a res!lt* I got the (romotion I longe" for* lost +eight an" %ecame a %etter

colleag!e* +ife an" ste(mother,6

Yo! can fin" e>am(les of "ifferent coaching a((roaches in: Appreciative (oachin&: A

Po!itive Proce!! 0or (han&e % Orem* @in$ert M Clanc,

THE “HOW-TO” GUIDE FOR INQUIRING

APPRECIATIVELY

No+ that ma all so!n" great %!t 0!st ho+ "o o! (!t the A((reciative In#!ir (rinci(les

an" frame+or$ together in these "ifferent settings to achieve these res!lts& Here's

+hat I teach m st!"ents at 7el%o!rne Universit:

It "oesn't matter if o!'re coaching* facilitating a +or$sho( or "esigning a 1!mmit* the

first ste( in an A((reciative In#!ir e>(erience is to get clear on +hat o!'re in#!iring

a%o!t, @ase" on his research avi" %elieves that to(ic choice is fatef!l* as +hat o!

foc!s on +ill "etermine +hat is seen an" "one,4-

For e>am(le* in one organiation I +or$e" +e ha" s(ent ears as$ing: 5Wh "o o!r to(

+omen leave&6 We fo!n" no shortage of ans+ers* %!t also no eas fi>es to thef!n"amental challenges at the heart of the %!siness mo"el an" as a res!lt o!r %est female

talent contin!e" to leave,

It +as onl o!t of "es(eration that +e event!all %egan as$ing: 5Wh "o o!r to( +omen

sta&6 1!""enl +e %egan to "iscover the strengths < instea" of 0!st the limitations < of

1 E0INE AN APPE(IATIE TOPI(

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o!r %!siness mo"el that co!l" %e easil am(lifie" to attract an" $ee( the +omen +ho

flo!rishe" in o!r environment an" finall %egan to reach o!r "iversit targets,

1o ho+ "o o! fin" the %est to(ic for the changes o! +ant to create&

Have o! ever notice" ho+ all living sstems have a ten"enc to move to+ar" (ositive

energ an" a+a from negative energ* or to+ar" +hat is lifeBgiving an" a+a from

+hat is lifeB"e(leting& 1cientists call this the heliotro(ic effect an" it's evi"ent in the +a

nat!re reaches for s!nlight an" in ho+ (eo(le reach to+ar"s those the can tr!st, 42 With

this in min" o!r to(ic sho!l" %e affirmative an" foc!s on +hat o! +ant to see more of

in o!r +or$ or o!r life,

1tart % thin$ing a%o!t:

What "o o! +ant to gro+&

What "o o! +ant to see* hear* feel or "o more of&

What +ill s!ccess loo$ li$e&

A goo" to(ic sho!l" %e im(ortant to o! an" the (eo(le o! +ant to engage in the

change (rocess, It sho!l" %e com(elling* energiing an" motivating,

If o! fin" i"entifing an affirmative to(ic "iffic!lt at first* "on't "es(air < it's 0!st that ol"

negativit %ias at +or$, Yo! can challenge this thin$ing an" learn to see the +orl" ane+*

as Einstein s!ggeste"* % fli((ing the (ro%lem o! +ant to solve into an o((ort!nit o!

have to %!il" !(on %:

Letting o!rself %e clear on +hat the (ro%lem is

As$ing: 5What is it +e reall +ant&6

Con"ensing this into t+o or three +or"s for o!r affirmative to(ic,

For e>am(le* instea" of foc!sing on:

e$icit Topic A$$irmative Topic

Eating ;oo 7!ch Foo" ;hat Energies

Una%le ;o Get Fit of!l E>ercise 7oments

Unsatisfing Relationshi(s Ha(( ;imes Connecting

;ire" An" R!n o+n 7aintaining A @lissf!l Level of @!sness

Lac$ing Confi"ence 1!ccessf!l Acts Of Co!rage

Lo+ 7orale Electrifie" Engagement

@!lling Res(ectf!l Relationshi(s


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Un"er(erforming ;eams High 8erforming ;eams

A%senteeism 8resenteeism

8oor Lea"ershi( Lea"ers Who Ins(ire


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While I !n"erstan" at first glance foc!sing on the affirmative to(ic ma feel li$e o!'re

ignoring the real (ro%lem* in m e>(erience o!'ll fin" this a((roach resolves the

!n"erling iss!es in +as that allo+ (eo(le to feel safe* confi"ent an" committe" to

creating s!staina%le changes,

;he "ifference I've fo!n" lies %et+een com(liance an" commitment,

If o! nee" com(liance #!ic$l to a ne+ %ehavior then start +iel"ing the re+ar"ing

carrots an" (!nishing stic$s to motivate (eo(le to fi> +hat's not +or$ing, Yo! +ill get

shortBterm res!lts* %!t o! +ill also nee" to %e (re(are" that (eo(le are +ire" to a"a(t

to almost everthing that ha((ens to !s, ;h!s the re+ar"ing carrots +ill nee" to $ee(

getting larger or the (!nishing stic$s +ill nee" to $ee( getting %igger in or"er to ens!re

the !n"esire" %ehavior "oesn't rea((ear, Over time this can %ecome an e>(ensive an"

e>ha!sting +a to ens!re changes last,

If o! nee" commitment* ho+ever* then I strongl recommen" foc!sing on the affirmative

an" fin"ing +as to %!il" on +hat (eo(le alrea" feel confi"ent* energie" an" ha(( to

%e "oing, ;his +ill allo+ o! to ta( into (eo(le's intrinsic motivations < the things the'll

"o +hether or not the are (ai" or recognie" for them < %eca!se the align to the

val!es the hol",

Once o!'re clear on the (ositive changes o! +ant to %e creating o!'re rea" to start

"esigning the #!estions an" activities that +ill move (eo(le thro!gh each of the s,

2 IS(OE T/E +EST O0 T/E PAST

Remem%er "iscovering stories of (ast strengths* high (erformance an" %est (ractices

hel(s to create the confi"ence an" moment!m that !nleashes higher levels of

(erformance, Yo!r goal is to hel( (eo(le "iscover stories of % inviting them to tell o!

a%o!t their %est* most memora%le* most s!r(rising or (ro!"est moments of s!ccess in

relation to o!r chosen to(ic, As the share an" savor these memories o! +ant them

to feel res(ecte"* val!e" an" a((reciate" for the strengths the %ring to the 0o!rne of

change,

Questions To Use

1tories a%o!t (ast (erformance are easil elicite" % !sing the (hrase: 5;ell me a%o!t

,,,6 Yo!'ll !ncover stories of strengths in action % !sing +or"s li$e 5most ,,,6 or 5%est ,,,6

For e>am(le* 5;ell me a%o!t a time +hen o!'ve felt most alive* engage" an" (ro!" of

the +or$ that o!'ve "one for an organiation,6

e(en"ing on o!r to(ic o! might as$:

;ell me a%o!t o!r %est e>(eriences of eating +ell an" e>ercising reg!larl,


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When o!'ve felt li$e o! +ere reall connecting +ith other (eo(le in the (ast*

tell me a%o!t +hat +as ha((ening&


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;ell me a%o!t a time +hen o!'ve set asi"e (ersonal gain for the goo" of the

+hole an" have %een gratef!l for having "one so,

;ell me a%o!t a time +hen o! reall listene" to tr an" !n"erstan" another

(erson,

;ell me a%o!t a time o! felt reall res(ecte"* val!e" an" a((reciate" at +or$,

Appreciative Coaching

In coaching conversations I fin" it hel(f!l to com(lement these #!estions +ith the !se of

the free* tenBmin!te al!es In Action IAJ 1!rve at 555viacharacteror&, It's a great

+a to hel( (eo(le easil i"entif an" name their strengths in these stories of (ast

s!ccess an" highlights their intrinsic motivations < the things the'll "o +hether or not

the're (ai" or recognie" for them,4

Workshops

In a +or$sho( setting as$ (eo(le in the gro!( to intervie+ each other +ith o!r chosen

"iscover #!estion or #!estions, ;o ens!re (eo(le reall listen to the stories the're

hearing* as$ them to intro"!ce their (artner's stor to the gro!(, When everone has

%een hear" as$ the gro!( to i"entif the common ca!ses of s!ccess %ehin" these

stories for the chosen to(ic to create a (ositive core of strengths that the gro!( has to

%!il" !(on,

;his (rocess allo+s the gro!( to i"entif: the min"sets an" %ehaviors? c!lt!ral val!es?

lea"ershi( a((roaches? technologies* sstems an" (rocesses? in"ivi"!al an"

organiational ca(a%ilities? an" (ossi%ilities for f!t!re change, It s(ar$s a sense of

o(timism as (eo(le savor an" share +hat energies an" e>cites them in relation to the

to(ic, It also accelerates tr!st an" a +illingness to colla%orate among mem%ers !nli$e

an teamB%!il"ing activit I've ever +itnesse",

Summits!st li$e the +or$sho( a((roach in a 1!mmit (eo(le are (aire" to intervie+ each other

aro!n" the chosen "iscover #!estions, ;his is a great o((ort!nit to intro"!ce "iverse

an" even com(eting sta$ehol"ers to each other as the (rocess of sharing their stories

gives them an o((ort!nit to fin" res(ect for one another, Each (erson's stor is then

intro"!ce" to a small gro!( of a%o!t 9 < 4- (eo(le an" recor"e" on (a(er, ;hen the

gro!( i"entifies the common ca!ses of s!ccess an" (ic$s one "efining stor that can %e

share" into the room,

e(en"ing on the n!m%er of 1!mmit (artici(ants each gro!( ma %e a%le to re(ort tothe room, Alternativel a n!m%er of gro!(s ma %e ran"oml calle" !(on to share +hat

the "iscovere"* +ith the o((ort!nit for gro!(s +ho feel the have something ne+ to

a"" to the "iscover %eing a%le to also vol!nteer,

;o ens!re no stor is lost all +ritten re(orts are gathere" an" !se" in the 1!mmit o!t(!t

"oc!ments, Each gro!( is also invite" to a"" their most common ca!ses of s!ccess to

http://www.viacharacter.org/http://www.viacharacter.org/http://www.viacharacter.org/


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a vis!al montage of the (ositive core of strengths that have %een "iscovere" in the

room,


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3 EA6 O0 ,/ATS POSSI+%E

Remem%er "reaming of +hat's (ossi%le is ho+ +e create the (ositive images that (!ll

!s into action, Yo!r goal is to give (eo(le (ermission an" create the s(ace for them to

vivi"l imagine +hat s!ccess +o!l" loo$ li$e if everthing +ent as +ell as it (ossi%lco!l" in the chosen time (erio", Yo! +ant to get as clear as (ossi%le on ho+ this f!t!re

+o!l" feel* +hat the +o!l" %e "oing* +hat the +o!l" %e hearing (eo(le sa an" +hat

the +o!l" %e feeling (ro!" of achieving,

Questions To Use

isions of the f!t!re are !ncovere" % !sing (hrases li$e: 5Imagine everthing +ent as

+ell as it (ossi%l co!l" +hat +o!l" &6 @ igniting a sense of ho(e an" o(timism o!'ll

!ncover +hat (eo(le reall +ant to %e "oing < not 0!st +hat the thin$ the sho!l" %e"oing, For e>am(le* 5@ase" on the strengths o!'ve 0!st share"* if everthing +ent as

+ell as it (ossi%l co!l" over the ne>t si> months +hat +o!l" %e o!r (ro!"est

achievement&6


If o! +ere consistentl maintaining the health an" e>ercise (ractices o! 0!st

"escri%e"* +hat +o!l" o! have achieve" 4- months from no+&

@ase" on the $in" of ha(( connections +ith others o!'ve ha" in the (ast* if everthing +ent as +ell as it (ossi%l co!l" +hat +o!l" o!r relationshi(s loo$

li$e t+o ears from no+&

Imagine +e're sitting "o+n to revie+ o!r (erformance three ears from no+*

+hat +o!l" +e %e hearing a%o!t the o!tcomes o!'ve achieve" an" ho+

o!'ve gone a%o!t it& What +o!l" o!r c!stomers sa& What +o!l" o!r team

sa& What +o!l" o! have en0oe" the most&

If o! co!l" create a +or$ environment that +o!l" %e en0oa%le* stim!lating

an" re+ar"ing in the +as o!'ve 0!st "escri%e"* +hat +o!l" o! +ish for&

Imagine o! fall into a "ee( slee( an"* +hen o! a+a$en* it's a ear from to"a

an" o! come into +or$ to fin" all the %est e>am(les +e've 0!st hear" of

res(ectf!l relationshi(s %eing (ractice", What +o!l" o!r +or$(lace loo$ li$e*

so!n" li$e* feel li$e&


In coaching conversations I fin" it hel(f!l to give clients the s(ace to e>(lore +hat the

are tr!l longing for % as$ing them to !se 8rofessor La!ra Ping's %est (ossi%le f!t!re

self e>ercise, Witho!t overthin$ing* 0!"ging or e"iting their tho!ghts clients 0o!rnal a

stream of conscio!sness for a((ro>imatel -. min!tes < i"eall if the can for three

"as in a ro+ < to e>(lore +hat might %e (ossi%le if everthing +ent as +ell as it co!l"

in the areas the're see$ing to ma$e changes, ;hen together +e revie+ +hat the've

+ritten an" the elements that f!el them +ith ho(e an" e>citement, Researchers have


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fo!n" this e>ercise hel(s %oost (eo(le's level of o(timism* clarif their goals an"

im(rove their confi"ence,4D


20/70

Workshops

In a +or$sho( setting give the team s(ace to %!il" on the $no+le"ge an" insights of

their collective strengths to coBcreate a vision of s!ccess, 7a$e this s(ace creative*

energiing an" (laf!l so the can tr!l e>(lore +hat's (ossi%le* +hat the long to %e

"oing together an" +hat the +o!l" %e (ro!"est to +or$ to+ar"s,

;o hel( them artic!late their "ream set them a roleB(la challenge to (resent their i"ea*

li$e a fiveBmin!te (resentation of their "ream to the %oar"* a la!"ator email from the

CEO commen"ing them for their achievements or the (resentation on an in"!str

a+ar" for their e>ce(tional accom(lishments, In even the most serio!s of organiations

I've fo!n" (eo(le are ca(a%le of the most astonishing creativit if o! sim(l give them

(ermission* a tight "ea"line an" some (!%lic acco!nta%ilit for "eliver,

;heir "ream statements (rovi"e a clear +in"o+ thro!gh +hich their intrinsic motivationsfor change can %e vie+e" an" the change agen"a is esta%lishe",

Summits

;he l!>!r of time in a 1!mmit means o! ma +ant to start this ste( +ith s(ea$ers

+ho ins(ire o!r (artici(ants +ith the (ossi%ilities, Having the (eo(le o!r organiation

im(acts* tho!ght lea"ers an" in some case chil"ren* can (rime (eo(le to tr!l start

imagining +hat might %e (ossi%le,

;o ca(t!re an" gather (eo(le's tho!ghts in a 1!mmit gro!(s are often as$e" to first

%rainstorm +hat might %e (ossi%le, As the go thro!gh this (rocess o!r #!estions

might incl!"e (rom(ts that enco!rage the gro!( to (!t themselves in the shoes of

"ifferent sta$ehol"ers, For e>am(le* +hat +o!l" c!stomers %e raving a%o!t& Wh +o!l"

em(loees feel (ro!" to +or$ here& What +o!l" have amae" governing %o"ies a%o!t

o!r a%ilit to "eliver&

Once gro!(s have ha" time to e>(lore the (ossi%ilities the are then as$e" to fin" a

creative +a to share their vision +ith the rest of the room an" convince them this is the

"irection +e sho!l" %e ta$ing, While g!i"ance ma %e offere" aro!n" the creativeinter(retations < for e>am(le* the front (age hea"line an" (ositive ne+s(a(er article on

+hat o!'ve achieve"* the letter from a gratef!l c!stomer* a ne+ a"vertising cam(aign <

I've fo!n" it al+as %est to also offer: 5or an other creative me"i!m thro!gh +hich

o!'" li$e to share o!r "ream6, In m e>(erience most gro!(s +ill ta$e this last o(tion

an" I've seen D.BearBol" %!sinessmen +rite ra( songs* hear" the most ins(iring

(oems* seen school teachers create their o+n choir an" %een left s(eechless % the

most %ea!tif!l "ra+ings,

Again* "e(en"ing on the n!m%er of 1!mmit (artici(ants* each gro!( ma %e a%le to

share their "ream +ith the room, Alternativel a n!m%er of gro!(s ma %e ran"omlcalle" !(on to share (refera%l those +ho have not et ha" a chanceJ* +ith the

o((ort!nit for gro!(s +ho feel the have something that sho!l"n't %e misse" to also

vol!nteer, 7 a"vice is to allo+ (lent of time at this ste(,

;o ens!re no (ossi%ilit is lost all %rainstorm notes are gathere" an" "ream artifacts are

collecte" for !se in the 1!mmit o!t(!t "oc!ments,


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;he most (o+erf!l +a to galvanie a 1!mmit an" the change (rocess is if lea"ers of

the organiation can green light an of the "ream elements after the "reams have %een

(resente", When (artici(ants feel li$e the tr!l are %eing given the (o+er to create

change in the room* moment!m an" commitment +ill %e intensifie",

Remem%er* "esigning +hat might %e hel(s (eo(le fin" (ath+as that +ill move them

for+ar" from +here the are to +here the +ant to %e, Yo!r goal is to hel( (eo(le

i"entif an" e>(lore the change levers that the have availa%le to t!rn their "ream into a

realit, Yo! +ant to enco!rage them to ra(i"l (rotot(e an" (rioritie (otential

a((roaches as o! move them from tal$ing a%o!t change to ma$ing change ha((en,

Questions To Use

8ath+as for+ar" can %e !ncovere" % !sing (hrases li$e: 5What +o!l" it ta$e to move

from +here +e are right no+* to +here +e +ant to %e&6 @ hel(ing (eo(le e>(lore

"ifferent o(tions to ma$e their "ream a realit* o! ens!re the are more li$el to

achieve their goals rather than %e th+arte" at the first o%stacle, For e>am(le* 5If +e

co!l" im(rove on +here +e are to"a % D3* +hat are seven "ifferent ste(s o! thin$

+e sho!l" ta$e&6


Ho+ can o! move from +here o! are right no+ +ith o!r health an"

e>ercises (ractices to +here o!'" li$e to %e 4- months from no+&

If o! +ere as$e" to create a oneBear (lan to transition o! from the 0o% o!

have right no+ into the 0o% of o!r "reams +hat +o!l" it loo$ li$e&

If +e +ere to achieve the $in" of res(ectf!l relationshi(s o!'ve 0!st "escri%e"

+hat +o!l" %e the three most im(ortant ste(s for !s to (rioritie&

If +e +ere to move D3 closer to the "ream o!'ve o!tline"* +hat are seven

"ifferent +as +e co!l" start electrifing engagement across o!r team&

What are the most im(ortant ste(s o! thin$ +e sho!l" no+ ta$e to ens!re

(eo(le +ant to %e (resent* engage" an" energie" at +or$&

;his ste( is a great (lace to challenge +ea$nesses % e>(loring "ifferent o%stacles that

might arise < as$ing ho+ the co!l" %e overcome* ho+ motivation can %e maintaine"

an" ho+ s!((ort might %e nee"e" to ens!re the goal is reache",

4 ESI"N ,/AT 6I"/T +E


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24/70


In coaching conversations I li$e to hel( clients create a (ractical (lan for them to move

for+ar" from these #!estions % !sing r, 1hane Lo(e's Ho(e 7a( e>ercise, On a (age

together +e ma( their 5+antBto6 goal* the (ath+as the +ant to (!rs!e to move from

here to there* the o%stacles the ma face an" ho+ the can maintain their motivation

an" +ill(o+er, Other things %eing e#!al* research s!ggests ho(e is +orth a%o!t an ho!r

a "a in terms of (ro"!ctivit at +or$ creating the s(ace +e nee" to %egin ma$ing the

re#!ire" changes,4

Workshops

In a +or$sho( setting %ase" on the "reams artic!late" choose the "esign elements that

+ill s!((ort an" "evelo( the levers of change < for e>am(le* the strategies* lea"ershi(*

(olicies* sstems* (rocesses* technologies* relationshi(s* str!ct!res* roles* %ehaviors*re+ar"* etc, Invite mem%ers to i"entif the (ro0ects the +ant to (rioritie an" +hat the

+ant to $ee( "oing* +hat sho!l" %e (hase" o!t an" +hat ne+ innovations can %e

intro"!ce" to ma$e the share" "ream a realit,

raft (ro0ect (lans can %e "evise" from a sim(le tem(late allo+ing (eo(le's a((etite for

commitment to %ecome clear, As the realie their "ream can %ecome a realit a sense

of (ri"e* confi"ence an" em(o+erment gro+s among the mem%ers shifting their

min"sets an" %ehaviors to+ar"s fin"ing +as to s!ccessf!ll "eliver action,

In m e>(erience if there are challenges or (ro%lems the gro!( has %een (revio!sl

gra((ling +ith the +ill s!rface at this stage, ;he goo" ne+s is % this (oint o! have

esta%lishe" a strong sense of tr!st an" o(timism in the room ena%ling the gro!( to "eal

+ith these iss!es in constr!ctive +as, As the gro!( +or$s to solve these together* the

commitment to their "ream %ecomes even stronger,

Summits

1!mmit (artici(ants are invite" to i"entif the levers of change that can %e engage"

across the sstem, ;he are then given the o((ort!nit to vote +ith their feet on +hichchange levers the +ant to invest their energ an" reso!rces in "evelo(ing, ;his is a

(o+erf!l moment as o! can (hsicall see +here (eo(le +ant to (rioritie the change

effort,

Once the have selecte" their change lever (artici(ants are given s(ace to %rainstorm

(ath+as for+ar", ;hese are generall +ritten on 8ostBit notes an" (lace" on large

%oar"s so i"eas can %e move" aro!n"* gro!(e" together an" then (rioritie" for action,

e(en"ing on timings these i"eas ma %e fe" %ac$ into the room or commente" on %

other (artici(ants,

;o move (eo(le %eon" "ialog!e an" "reams the are then invite" to ra(i"l (rotot(e

the !nfol"ing of one of their (ath+as, With a foc!s on "esign thin$ing (eo(le are a%le

to !se their strengths to %egin imme"iatel creating their f!t!re, Gro!(s are then

selecte" to share their (riorities an" (rotot(es +ith the gro!( for fee"%ac$ an"

"isc!ssion, Again* all %rainstorming %oar"s an" (rotot(es are collecte" for !se in the

1!mmit o!t(!t "oc!ments,


25/70


26/70

7 E%IE ,/AT ,I%% +E

Remem%er* "eliver is the o((ort!nit for (eo(le to shrin$ the change into small actions

!(on +hich s!staina%le s!ccess can %e %!ilt, Yo!r goal is to allo+ (eo(le the

o((ort!nit to ste( !( < or %ac$ < +hen it comes to ta$ing acco!nta%ilit to act !(on the(ath+as, Yo! +ant (eo(le to ma$e a clear commitment to the changes the +ill create

so o! can ga!ge +hat is li$el to %e achieve" an" if o! have an remaining ga(s,

Questions To Use

Yo! can test (eo(le's +illingness to ta$e on res(onsi%ilit for "elivering change % !sing

(hrases li$e: 5If there +as one action o! co!l" ta$e* +here +o!l" o! %e +illing to

start&6 @ shrin$ing the change o! im(rove (eo(le's level of comfort an" confi"ence to

ta$e action an" realie the "esire" o!tcomes, Instea" of raising the %ar o! +ant tolo+er it so far o! can easil ste( over it,


If there +as one action o! co!l" ta$e right no+ to create a ha(( connection

+ith someone* +here +o!l" o! start&

If there +as one small e>ercise ha%it o! co!l" start this +ee$* +hat +o!l" o!

%e e>cite" to tr&

If there +as one thing o! co!l" start tomorro+ to %egin creating res(ectf!l

relationshi(s in this team* +hat +o!l" o! %e +illing to tr&

What's the first thing o!'" li$e to "o to hel( electrif engagement in o!r team&

;o im(rove (resenteeism in o!r team* +hat's the first action o!'" %e +illing tolea"&


In coaching conversations I hel( clients shrin$ the changes the +ant to create %

as$ing them to select an 44Bmin!te ha%it for one of their (ath+as, 7I; researchers

have fo!n" that o!r ha%its r!n on sim(le ne!rological loo(s of c!e* ro!tine an" re+ar",

@ creating sim(le c!es that ma$e it eas to get starte"* committing to at least 4.

min!tes of the "esire" %ehavior an" ens!ring the re+ar" their efforts* this ro!tine

#!ic$l %ecomes a reg!lar (art of their "a,4/

Workshops

In a +or$sho( setting this is the time to %egin creating a change management (lan,

Using a sim(le tem(late the gro!( can ca(t!re the ste(s the nee" to ta$e on each of

their (ath+as* +ho +ill %e res(onsi%le for lea"ing an" e>ec!ting these changes*

a""itional reso!rces or s!((ort that ma %e re#!ire"* ho+ the +ill comm!nicate their

(rogress an" agree +hen the +ill ne>t meet to integrate their efforts,


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28/70

It's vital as o! transition from the +or$sho( to e>ec!tion to tr an" maintain the

environment of colla%oration* coBcreation an" share" res(onsi%ilit o!'ve no+ ignite",

Enco!raging* s!((orting an" cele%rating the efforts of o!r team as the move into

action is essential to maintain their motivation,

Summits

;his is no+ the time to form the innovation teams that +ill carr the (ath+as for+ar",

8eo(le are invite" to lea" an innovation team on the follo+ing %asis: Yo! m!st %elieve

this is im(ortant to the organiation* an" o! m!st %e +illing an" a%le to ma$e it

ha((en, ;his is not a time for recommen"ations, It is a call for (eo(le to commit to

carring actions into fr!ition,

;eam lea"ers are as$e" to (re(are a tenBsecon" o!tline of +hat the ho(e their team

+ill accom(lish an" (artici(ants can choose +hich teams the +ish to 0oin either 0!st for

the remain"er of the 1!mmit or to have an ongoing role in this gro!(, ;he are

enco!rage" to commit as f!ll as the can to ma$e their innovation a realit,

Each team is given a sim(le tem(late to com(lete, ;he are as$e" to "etail: team

mem%ers? team comm!nication rhthm? their goal? ho+ this s!((orts the "ream an"Qor

"esign? +hat actions nee" to %e ta$en? +hich sta$ehol"ers nee" to %e incl!"e"? +ho +ill

"o +hat % +hen? +hat is the timing for com(letion? +hat a""itional reso!rces +ill %e

re#!ire" an" ho+ the +ill get them? an" +hen the +ill meet ne>t,

;eams are as$e" to ma( their $e milestones onto a 1!mmit roa"ma( generall a

(hsical s(ace ta(e" to the floor of the roomJ so the +hole gro!( can get a sense of

+hat is li$el to ha((en an" +hen an" an collisions can %e navigate", All change (lans

are collecte" an" co(ies "istri%!te" to teams as (art of the 1!mmit o!t(!t (rocess,

;o finish* each (artici(ant < regar"less of their role in an innovation team < is as$e" to

reflect an" share one thing the can "o as the leave the 1!mmit to hel( %ring the

"ream to life, I often ca(t!re these on (eo(le's han"s or have them +rite them on

foot(rints an" then (lace them "o+n to create a (ath+a o!t the "oor an" into the

f!t!re, Alternativel this can %e r!n as an o(en mic session +here (eo(le can sharesomething that has %een meaningf!l to them "!ring the 1!mmit an"* if the +ant to*

a"" something the are (ersonall committing to "o or something the +o!l" li$e to

offer to the gro!(* %e it time* s(ace* access to "ata* intro"!ctions to $e reso!rces or

finances,


29/70


30/70

WHY APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY WORKS

;o 5a((reciate6 is to val!e an" recognie the %est in (eo(le or the +orl" aro!n" !s, An" to 5in#!ire6 is to %e

o(en to as$ing #!estions an" %eing o(en to seeing ne+ (otentials an" (ossi%ilities,49 ;o "eliver on these

fo!n"ational (remises* five im(ortant (rinci(les g!i"e" the creation an" a((lication of the frame+or$, ;he

incl!"e":

The con!tructioni!t princip)e < +hat +e %elieve to %e tr!e "etermines +hat +e "o, ;h!s the

#!estions +e as$ %ecome the material o!t of +hich the f!t!re is conceive" an" constr!cte", For this

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HOW TO MOVE FROM FUNCTIONING TO

lour!"#$

When it comes to your experience of work and life lately, would you describe yourself as

flourishing, just functioning or maybe even flailing? Take a moment and think about it.

Recently when you’ve woken up in the morning, are you looking forward to the day ahead? Are you

feeling well and doing well when it comes to the life you’re living?

We all have these moments of genuine wellbeing. These moments, researchers have found, make it

possible for us tofeel connected, to do what matters and to be healthier and happier as we navigate

the highs and lows we all experience.

And yet for most of us, as quickly they appear, these moments seem to pass: bright sparks in a sea of

the mundane, the ‘ordinary’ and the exhausting.

I get it. Back in 2007 this was my life. Although I was living in New York with my beautiful family, in a

good job that paid me more money than I could spend and I was in good health, each day it was

getting harder and harder to find the energy to keep up with the life I’d created.

Of course there‘s nothing unique about my story.The truth is less than 30% of people around the

world describe themselves as flourishing.That means that the rest of us fall somewhere between

functioning and flailing. In other words we’re just getting by.

But let’s be honest, despite our best intentions the daily demands of life, our unrealistic workloads, and

our own beliefs about not being worthy, make finding the time – never mind the energy – to look after

ourselves challenging.

But what if it didn’t have to be this hard?

You see a growing body of evidence is now finding that there are small, practical, excuse-proof steps

you can take to improve your wellbeing each day. And yes, while eating well, moving regularly and

sleeping deeply helps, did you know that spending just a few minutes genuinely connecting with

people you value, finding heart-felt reasons to laugh, and doing more of what you do best at work can

also have a significant impact?


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%


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Personally I had no idea. But after completing my Masters in Positive Psychology with the field’s

founder Professor Martin Seligman I discovered thatmaintaining my wellbeing didn’t have to be a

chore or a constant struggle to keep up. Instead, these small moments became the most joyful

parts of my day and soon restored the energy, confidence and sense of purpose that I’d been missing

for so long.

As a result I went on to negotiate roles that better suited my interests, gave me opportunities to travel

the world, led to unexpected promotions and pay raises and allowed me to have every Friday free to

play with my kids. And when I was finally ready to move on, I was even allowed to write the terms for

my own exit so I could launch my own business.

Almost a decade on and despite life’s share of challenges,I truly feel like I’m consistently

flourishing.And I believe you can too – no matter where you’re starting.

To make your journey as easy as possible this eBook features some of the tested, practical steps

researchers are finding can help to cultivate and maintain your wellbeing.

So if you’re tired of dragging your feet through each day;if you’re ready to connect to your sense

of purpose and take pride in the work you do;if you want to improve your relationship with

yourself and others; if, like me, you want to live a life in which you’re truly flourishing, then let’s get

started.

W"&' ! ( )(#$*

In its simplest formwellbeing is our ability to feel good and function effectively. It is what

provides us with the resilience to navigate the natural highs and lows we all experience in our lives,

whilst enabling us to intellectually, emotionally, socially and physically flourish.


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Over the last decade researchers have discovered that people with higher levels of wellbeing are

more sociable and energetic, more charitable and cooperative, and better liked by others. They show

more flexibility and ingenuity in their thinking and are more productive in their jobs. They are better

leaders and negotiators and earn more money. They are more resilient in the face of hardship, have

stronger immune systems and are physically healthier and happier.

So how can you consistently and practically improve your wellbeing, no matter how busy you are?

Professor Marty Seligman, one of the world’s leading researchers in positive psychology and human

flourishing, suggests that wellbeing is cultivated by the presence in our lives of:

POSITIVE EMOTIONS:the right balance of heartfelt positivity to boost our resilience

ENGAGEMENT:the regular development of our strengths

RELATIONSHIPS:the creation of authentic, energizing connections MEANING:a sense of

connection to something bigger than ourselves ACCOMPLISHMENT:the belief and ability to do

things that matter most to us

This framework is often referred to as‘PERMA’.

Other researchers also believe that the cultivation of your Health by eating well, moving regularly, and

sleeping deeply is one of the hygiene factors of wellbeing. Everything just gets easier when this is

present. So in this eBook we’ve added Health to Marty’s framework, making it ‘PERMAH’.

Now how much you require of each of these wellbeing pillars naturally varies between us depending

on the type of people we are, the resources we have available, the situations we are in and the

outcomes we’re trying to achieve. Knowing where to invest your energy and the tested, practical

approaches you can apply is the secret to consistently maintaining

your wellbeing.

You see researchers believe we each have a built -in range for wellbeing - and just like maintaining

our optimal weight by eating well and exercising - we can live at the peak of this range. But just like

eating one piece of broccoli won’t suddenly make you healthy, the same is true when it comes to your

wellbeing. Instead you’ll need to invest small, but regular amounts of energy and effort into evidence-

based activities that boost your ability to thrive mentally, emotionally, physically and socially.

Personally I had no idea. But after completing my Masters in Positive Psychology with the field’s

founder Professor Martin Seligman I discovered thatmaintaining my wellbeing didn’t have to be a

chore or a constant struggle to keep up. Instead, these small moments became the most joyful


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parts of my day and soon restored the energy, confidence and sense of purpose that I’d been missing

for so long.

As a result I went on to negotiate roles that better suited my interests, gave me opportunities to travel

the world, led to unexpected promotions and pay raises and allowed me to have every Friday free to

play with my kids. And when I was finally ready to move on, I was even allowed to write the terms formy own exit so I could launch my own business.

Almost a decade on and despite life’s share of challenges,I truly feel like I’m consistently

flourishing.And I believe you can too – no matter where you’re starting.

To make your journey as easy as possible this eBook features some of the tested, practical steps

researchers are finding can help to cultivate and maintain your wellbeing.

So if you’re tired of dragging your feet through each day;if you’re ready to connect to your sense

of purpose and take pride in the work you do;if you want to improve your relationship with

yourself and others; if, like me, you want to live a life in which you’re truly flourishing, then let’s get

started.

W"&' ! +(ll)(#$*

In its simplest formwellbeing is our ability to feel good and function effectively. It is what

provides us with the resilience to navigate the natural highs and lows we all experience in our lives,

whilst enabling us to intellectually, emotionally, socially and physically flourish.

Over the last decade researchers have discovered that people with higher levels of wellbeing are

more sociable and energetic, more charitable and cooperative, and better liked by others. They show

more flexibility and ingenuity in their thinking and are more productive in their jobs. They are better

leaders and negotiators and earn more money. They are more resilient in the face of hardship, have

stronger immune systems and are physically healthier and happier.

So how can you consistently and practically improve your wellbeing, no matter how busy you are?

Professor Marty Seligman, one of the world’s leading researchers in positive psychology and human

flourishing, suggests that wellbeing is cultivated by the presence in our lives of:

POSITIVE EMOTIONS:the right balance of heartfelt positivity to boost our resilience

ENGAGEMENT:the regular development of our strengths


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RELATIONSHIPS:the creation of authentic, energizing connections MEANING:a sense of

connection to something bigger than ourselves ACCOMPLISHMENT:the belief and ability to do

things that matter most to us

This framework is often referred to as‘PERMA’.

Other researchers also believe that the cultivation of your Health by eating well, moving regularly, and

sleeping deeply is one of the hygiene factors of wellbeing. Everything just gets easier when this is

present. So in this eBook we’ve added Health to Marty’s framework, making it ‘PERMAH’.

Now how much you require of each of these wellbeing pillars naturally varies between us depending

on the type of people we are, the resources we have available, the situations we are in and the

outcomes we’re trying to achieve. Knowing where to invest your energy and the tested, practical

approaches you can apply is the secret to consistently maintaining

your wellbeing.

You see researchers believe we each have a built -in range for wellbeing - and just like maintaining

our optimal weight by eating well and exercising - we can live at the peak of this range. But just like

eating one piece of broccoli won’t suddenly make you healthy, the same is true when it comes to your

wellbeing. Instead you’ll need to invest small, but regular amounts of energy and effort into evidence-

based activities that boost your ability to thrive mentally, emotionally, physically and socially.

SI, STEPS TO WELL-EING

Nurture Positive Emotions

Build Engagement

Invest in Relationships

Create more moments of

Use your strengths – the

Make the time to genuinely

heartfelt positivity in your day

things you’re good at and

connect with other people –

- spend time in nature, find a

enjoy doing – to create more

express gratitude, ask

reason to laugh, take a

moments of flow to help you


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appreciative questions,

break, practice mindfulness

feel more confident, ener-

show kindness – and savor

– to fuel your resilience.

gized and engaged.

the feelings of warmth and

trust that well up with others.

Cultivate Meaning

Grow Accomplishments

Maintain Your Health

Understand how what you do

Embrace a learning mindset

Choose to eat well, move

each day has a positive

and challenge your fears to

regularly, take time to

impact on others. See how

cultivate the grit you need to

recover and sleep deeply

you’re connected to

achieve what matters most.

each day to ensure you have

something larger than

the energy to consistently

yourself.

flourish.


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WHERE TO START*

Professor David Cooperrider, one of the world’s leading researchers when it comes to creating lasting

behavioral change, has found that every action we take is preceded by a question. When we’re

equipped with the right questions and the tools to pursue them, we unleash endless possibilities for

positive change.

So to clarify what positive change looks like for you when it comes to your wellbeing, we recom-mend

asking yourself the following questions:

If you could invest your energy in just one or two of these wellbeing pillars, which ones would they be?

How would it feel to be flourishing in these areas – both personally and professionally?

Why would this change make a meaningful difference in your life?

Then use thePERMAH Wellbeing Wheel below to map where you are today on each of the

wellbeing pillars and where you would like to be in the coming weeks and months. Try to think big, but

act small, at least to begin with. Research shows that you’re more likely to succeed at improving your

wellbeing if you concentrate on changing just one or two pillars at a time over the next four to twelve

weeks.

Place a circle on the chart to indicate your current level of wellbeing on each of the six steps with the

innermost circle representing perfect wellbeing (a score of 10) and the outmost circle representing

complete languishing (a score of 0).

Then place a star on the chart to indicate where you would like your wellbeing to be in the coming

weeks and months for each of the six steps (it’s fine for some steps if this is the same as where you

already are). Then you can keep revisiting this chart and adding new challenges as

you progress or life changes.

P

H E


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0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

A R

M

NURTURE

POSITIVE EMOTIONS

THE SCIENCE

The appropriate levels of negative emotions like sadness, anger and fear can keep you grounded in

reality and help you to flourish by motivating you to improve your experiences of life. However, when

you start experiencing stress not in moments, but in hours and sometimes even in months and years,

the build-up of negative emotions can start to drag you down into the depths of helplessness,

worthlessness and disgrace, compromising your ability to live the life you want in almost every single

way.

In contrast, Barbara Fredrickson from the University of North Carolina has discovered your brain is

literally hardwired to perform at its best – not when it’s negative or even neutral – but when it’s

positive. Her research has repeatedly demonstrated that positivity changes the scope or boundaries of

your psyche by broadening and building you. For example, positive emotions – like joy, gratitude,

serenity, interest, hope, pride, amusement, inspiration, awe, and love – have been found to make you

more optimistic, more resilient, more open, more accepting, and more driven by purpose.

Ho+ .o '"(/ .o &ll o0 '"&'*

Studies have found positive emotions:

Expand your field of peripheral vision, allowing you to see more than you typically do.


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Flood your brain with dopamine and serotonin and enable you to make and sustain more neural

connections so you can organize new information,think more quickly and creatively, become more

skilled at complex analysis and problem solving, and see and invent new ways of doing things.

Alter how you see your connections with othersso that you look past what separates you – likeracial differences – and think more in terms of “we” and less in terms of “me”.

Best of all as positive emotions accrue, they also build up your psychological, intellectual, social and

physical resources leaving you better equipped to face life’s challenges. By opening your heart and

mind, it appears positive emotions allow you to cultivate more open-minded mental habits, ignite

better connections with others and improve your biological markers for health so that you can lower

your blood pressure, experience less pain, have fewer colds and sleep better.Feeling good isn’t just

a luxury; it’s a basic necessity for optimal functioning in life.


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THE APPLICATION

To truly benefit from positivity you need to slow down and drink in what that gesture means and make

it heartfelt. To monitor and maintain those good feelings, you can start by:

1. TAKING THE POSITIVITY RATIO TEST

Use this free two minute survey –www.positivityratio.com – to measure your positivity ratio, at

roughly the same time every evening for two weeks. Take note of where your ratio sits on your best

days and think about how you can build more of these activities in your work.

2. CREATING “JOLTS OF JOY”

Sprinkle some Jolts of Joy – moments that bring a genuine smile to your face – into your day. This

might include finding a quiet place to take five minutes to recover, putting a favorite song on your iPod,

taking a quick walk outside, watching a funny clip on YouTube or calling a friend.

3. PRACTICING KINDNESS

Practicing kindness – even when it’s unpleasant or we expect to receive nothing in return – helps you

to see others more positively, feel more connected and be more grateful. Try letting others in front of

you when driving through traffic, say something nice to someone, help someone even when you don’t

have to, check in on how others are doing, bring a small gift – like a cup of tea or a healthy muffin –

for a colleague. You’ll find more ideas atwww.randomactsofkindness.org.

4. BREAKING THE GRIP OF RUMINATION

When you dwell on negative thoughts, your brain struggles to see the big picture or think clearly and

creatively causing you to call to mind more and more negative thoughts, sparking a downward spiral

of increased worried, gloom and helplessness. When you find yourself ruminating use a positive

distraction – like exercising, meditating, reading or talking to someone about anything else – to restoresome positive emotions to your brain and leave you better equipped to deal with what’s bothering you.

5. MONITORING YOUR MEDIA CONSUMPTION

Unfortunately, most of the media coverage you watch, listen to or read contains more bad news than

good news which can overload you with negative emotions. In addition, studies are finding social

media consumption can have us comparing ourselves in unhelpful ways to others. Be selective in the

media you consume and mindful of the emotions your media habits are creating.


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-UILD

ENGAGEMENT

THE SCIENCE

Engagement is the feeling you have when you’re one with the music, time stops and you lose

all self-consciousness because you’re fully absorbed in what you’re doing.You may not be

thinking or feeling anything and yet you’re learning, growing, improving and advancing so that you feel

more capable, in control and satisfied afterwards.

Renowned professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, famously identified this state of engagement as the

concept of “flow”. His research has found when you have a clear goal that balances your strengths –

those things you like doing and are good at – with the complexity of the task at hand, a sense of

autonomy and regular feedback rather than feeling bored or anxious, you hit the magical experience

of flow.

Studies find employees who have a chanceto do what they do best each day are up to six times

more engaged in their workmaking it much easier to achieve their goals. They also feel up to three

times more satisfied with life helping them to lower their levels of stress and improve their sense of

wellbeing. And in teams where most employees report they have a chance to use their strengths each

day turnover is lower (by up to 50 per cent), productivity is higher (by up to 38 per cent) and customer

satisfaction is higher (by up to 44 per cent).

Ho+*

Science is repeatedly discovering that it’s our strengths, rather than our weaknesses, that are our

greatest area of growth. Developing strengths builds on neural pathways already dominant in your

brain – advancing you towards the estimated 8,000 to 10,000 hours of deliberate practice required for

mastery in any domain. This doesn’t mean you never fix a weakness. It does mean you should make

an informed choice when investing in your development by understanding you’ll get a

disproportionately larger gain – and more moments of flow – when you build on your strengths.


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THE APPLICATION

Three of my favorite ways to boost engagement include:

1. DISCOVERING YOUR STRENGTHS

If you can’t list your top 5 strengths immediately then the best places to start is to take the free VIA

Survey atwww.viacharacter.org. Then think back on your best moments at work – those times when

you’ve felt really engaged, energized and enjoying what you were doing. Try to spot which of your top

strengths were in play – it may be one or more – to find ways to successfully apply your strengths in

your role.

2. MEETING YOUR BEST POSSIBLE FUTURE SELF

Once you’ve discovered your strengths boost your levels of optimism and self-belief by imagining what

might be possible in the year ahead if everything went as well as it possibly could because you were

using your strengths each day. Journal whatever comes to mind for about 15 – 20 minutes a day, for

three days in a row. Try to detail what you’d spend your time doing, how you’d feel about coming to

work, what your colleagues or clients might say about your performance and most importantly which

strengths you’d be using. Make it as vivid as possible and use these positive images to start pulling

you forward into positive actions.

3. RE-CRAFTING YOUR JOB

No matter what your job description says it’s possible to re-craft your job (even without your manager’s

permission) by making some small changes. This might involve: changing the type and number of

tasks you undertake to better suit your strengths; being more selective about who you spend time with;

or shifting how you think about your work and the meaning you take from it. These small changes can

boost your levels of engagement and help you reclaim your power, motivation and improve yourrelationships. Grab a job-crafting kit atwww.jobcrafting.org.


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INVEST IN

RELATIONSHIPSTHE SCIENCE

According to the Harvard Grant Study, one of the longest running psychological studies of all time,

social bonds don’t just predict overall happiness but also eventual career achievement,

occupational success, and income.

Ho+*

Evolution has hard-wired you for love.You have a biological need for social support and each time

you joyfully connect with another person, the pleasure-inducing hormone oxytocin is released into your

bloodstream, immediately reducing anxiety and improving concentration and focus. It turns out each

social connection also bolsters your cardiovascular, neuroendocrine and immune systems, so the more

connections you make over time, the better you function.

In fact, other people are your best guarantee of lowering your levels of stress and improving your

wellbeing at work. That’s why research suggests having a best friend at work makes it seven times

more likely you’re engaged in your job and is likely to help you produce higher quality work, improve

your wellbeing and make it less likely you’ll be injured on the job.

Fortunately, new research has found it takes just a micro-moment to genuinely connect with

another person. You can do this by:

Sharing one or more positive emotions between you and another;

Synchronizing your biochemistry and behaviors (by looking into their eyes, mirroring their body

language or matching their vocal tone);

Embracing the feelings of mutual care that arise.

This creates what researchers describe as “positivity resonance”. And it’s these micro-moments that

nurture better relationships at the office,by helping you open up and grow, become wiser and more

attuned, and boost your resilience, effectiveness, happiness and health.


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THE APPLICATION

You can build stronger connections and create micro-moments by:

1. RESPONDING ACTIVELY AND CONSTRUCTIVELY

Next time someone shares their good news with you, try to respond actively and constructively by

asking positive questions that allow the other person to continue sharing and savoring their positive

feelings like: “The promotion sounds so exciting, how did you find out?”

2. CREATING CONNECTION RITUALS

One of the best ways to nurture your relationships at work is to create rituals, which allow you connect

with people you value on a regular basis. This might include a daily walk at lunch, a weekly coffee, or a

monthly dinner with your colleagues. Studies show when you get at least six hours of daily social time;

it increases your wellbeing and minimizes stress and worry.

3. SHOWING APPRECIATION

Practicing appreciation and gratitude is a kind of mega strategy to improve your levels of positivity and

your relationships. It opens your heart and urges you to give back – to do something good in return –

helping to nurture new relationships and improve existing ones. Try taking the time to genuinely thanksomeone for what they’ve done to help you each day before you log off and be specific about what

they did that you valued.

4. SPOTTING STRENGTHS IN OTHERS

Next time you’re interacting with a colleague or a client see if you can spot their strengths. These will

be the moments where they’re more engaged, energized and enjoying what they’re talking about or

doing. Just looking for the best in others will improve your relationships. Start thinking of ways you can

help them use their strengths and be sure to give them feedback about how you value or appreciate

their strengths in action.

5. GIVING RATHER THAN TAKING

When it comes to how you interact with other people at work, are you a giver (looking for ways to help

others), a taker (trying to get as much as you can) or a matcher (seeking an even exchange of favors)?

You can see where you fall by taking the free survey atwww.giveandtake.com. These attitudes and

actions shape your interactions with others and a growing body of evidence suggests they play as

much of a role in your success as hard work, talent and luck. Be a successful giver by specializing in 5


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minute favors for others, volunteering at least two hours a week or launching a personal generosity

experiment.


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CULTIVATE

MEANING

THE SCIENCE

Living purposefully is having a sense of connection to something bigger than yourself and

understanding why you get out of bed each day. Most of us long to be more than the sum of the tasks

we perform and yet, for many of us, finding meaningful work feels like something we just can’t afford.

When a sense of meaning is found in our jobs however, a growing body of evidence shows that we’re

happier, more motivated, more committed, and more satisfied, which enables us to perform better. The

fact is we have a universal need to feel we matter, and that our hard work isn’t futile. A sense of

meaning fuels your sense of self-worth and gives you a sense of control over your fate.

In order to experience a sense of purpose, it’s vital the goals you set for yourself are intrinsically

meaningful. They must be personally significant and in accordance with your own values and passions

rather than dictated by your family, friends, workplaces, society or even your boss.

Research also suggests you can find more meaning in your work by:

Using your unique strengths and talents

Finding ways to bring a sense of who you are to the office

Integrating your work with other elements that give your life meaning

Finding ways your company’s mission resonates with your personal mission

Looking for ways your work serves some greater good.

You can test your sense of meaning at work atwww.michaelfsteger.com. The good news is there’s

plenty you can do to make your work more meaningful – no matter who you work for or what your job

description says.


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THE APPLICATION

Three different approaches researchers have explored in creating a more meaningful and purposeful

life include:

1. FINDING PURPOSE IN LITTLE TASKS

Rewrite your “job description” into a “calling description” by turning a piece of paper horizontally and on

the left-hand side writing down a job task that feels devoid of meaning. Then ask: What is the purpose

of this task? What will I accomplish? Who does it help? Draw an arrow to the right and write this

answer down. If what’s written still seems unimportant, ask once more: what does this result lead to?

Draw another arrow and write it down and keep working through this process until there’s a result that

is meaningful to you so it’s possible to see the sum of the tasks.

2. PURSUING GOALS WITH PURPOSE

When it comes to boosting your sense of meaning at work it pays to pick the right kind of goals. Try to

find your “want-to” goals rather than “have-to” goals. Simply write down all the things you can do. Out

of those, select the ones you want to do and think about how these help you give to others. Then,

reduce your choice further by zooming in on what you really want to do and what they help you give to

others. Finally, select those things that you really, really want to do and how this will benefit others –

and then start spending more time on these at work.

3. FOCUSING ON YOUR CALLING

Studies suggest we can find our calling in any job, it’s all a matter of how we view the tasks we’re

undertaking. Take the tale of three men crushing stones. When asked what they’re doing the first

replies “breaking big rocks into little rocks”, the second says “feeding my family” and the third explains

“building a cathedral”. Simon Sinek suggests one of the simplest ways to discover your why is to try

and complete this sentence: Everything I do is to _______ so that ________.

For more on discovering your why visitwww.startwithwhy.com


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GROW

ACCOMPLISHMENT

THE SCIENCE

Born creatures of progress, we all need the chance to learn, grow and evolve or we risk becoming

bored, restless, frustrated and ultimately unproductive. Unfortunately studies have found while 89% of

us believe tomorrow will be better than today, only 50% believe we can make it so.

Accomplishing what matters to us most starts by igniting hope. The work of your head and your heart,

hope occurs when you use your thoughts and feelings to temper your aversion to loss and actively

pursue what’s possible. A sense of hope has been found to drive your persistence, motivation, goal

setting and innovation.

Having the confidence to turn these hopeful thoughts into actions is also helped by tuning into

the beliefs you hold about your abilities and how you can improve upon them.

Professor Carol Dweck at Stanford University has found some of us believe we are born clever or

dumb, good at sports or uncoordinated, musical or tone deaf and there’s not much we can do to

improve our intelligence or talents. She calls this a “fixed mindset” and the result is, we’re more likely to

avoid challenges, be unwilling to be seen to be exerting too much effort and feel threatened by negative

feedback, because we fear others will see any failures as an indication we’re not really good enough.

Consequently we tend to plateau and achieve less than our full potential.

On the other hand some of us believe our intelligence and talents are like muscles that can be built up

with practice (and neuroscience now support this). She calls this a “growth mindset” and the result is

we’re more willing to view obstacles as a challenge, to always try to put in our best effort and to accept

criticism, because we understand learning is the only way to keep getting better.

Consequently we tend to achieve ever-higher levels of success and cultivate grit (passion and

perseverance) to accomplish our long-term goals.


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THE APPLICATION

Five practical and tested ideas to help boost your sense of accomplishment can include:

1. MAPPING YOUR HOPES

Create a hope map by taking a sheet of paper and folding it into thirds, then open it up again. On the

far right write the heading “Goals” and note down a “want-to” goal you’re hoping to achieve. On the far

left write the heading “Pathways” and note down at least three pathways you could take to reach your

goal. In the middle write the heading “Obstacles” and for each pathway note down the obstacles that

are likely to get in your way. Then around the edges of the page note down the things you can do to

maintain your motivation and wellbeing to make the journey enjoyable, to track your progress and

celebrate your efforts and outcomes. Test your levels of hope atwww.hopemonger.com.

2. CHALLENGING YOUR MINDSETS

Tune into the stories you’re telling yourself when faced with challenges, criticism or failure. When these

beliefs don’t serve you well ask: “Is this the only explanation of what might happen next?” Try to

generate as many alternative explanations as possible and choose the story that allows you to feel and

act in a growth mindset. For more on mindsets visitwww.mindsetonline.com.

3. PLAYING AT WORK

By breaking your goals into small missions, setting a limited time frame, leveraging your strengths to

overcome the obstacles and developing a meaningful way of keeping score, you can turn something

overwhelming or tedious into something surprisingly motivating by making it fun and playful.

4. PRACTICING DELIBERATELY

Build your grit by deliberately practicing the skills you need to accomplish what matters most. Make

sure the challenge you’re undertaking exceeds your current skills; seek immediate feedback and

repeat, repeat and repeat until you master the behavior. You can test your levels of grit at

https://sites.sas.upenn.edu/duckworth.

5. BUILDING YOUR CONFIDENCE

More important than competence is confidence when it comes to our success. Improve your

confidence by stepping outside your comfort zone and taking action at least once each day. Try to

think less when you find yourself ruminating about mistakes, failures or upsets. And be authentic by

using your strengths to show up in ways that are true to who you are. Test your


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MAINTAIN

HEALTH

THE SCIENCE

No matter how healthy you are today, you can take specific actions to have more energy and live

longer. Small decisions – about how you eat, move, and sleep each day – count more than you think

when it comes to your ability to thrive at work.

It turns out everything from how well we sleep at night, the foods we put in our mouths, and how much

we’re moving particularly while we’re at work, has a profound effect not only on our own levels of

energy, happiness and productivity but on our colleagues as well.

For example, a study of more than 80,000 people suggests the total intake of fruits and vegetables is a

robust predictor of overall happiness. Every additional daily serving of fruits or vegetables, all the way

up to seven servings, continues to improve our wellbeing and move us toward flourishing.

And while working out regularly is a great habit because most of us spend around 9 hours a day sitting

down it’s essential we’re active throughout the day if we want to remain healthy.

Finally, while your natural tendency may be to get one hour less of sleep to tick that last thing off your

to-do list or have a little fun with friends, the exact opposite occurs when i

Documents

Michelle McQuaid-Can a Question Change Your Life AI (1)