Creating and Sustaining Positive Organizations

By Ryan W. Quinn

I have used a heavy hand this week by labeling personality as our enemy and by cataloguing all of the problems it causes. I suspect that some of our readers may not like the stance I have taken. That is fine. This is a blog where we share what we have come to believe based on the research and based on our experiences. Readers’ comments are always welcome, and we invite you to agree or disagree. As my week of discussing personality comes to a close, however, I think a few general comments are in order. (more…)

By Ryan W. Quinn

Almost immediately after our MBA students arrive at the Darden School of Business and begin taking classes, my colleagues and I in the Leadership and Organizational Behavior area teach our students about moving from being self-focused to being other-focused (see chapters 7 and 8 of Lift, Leadership and Self-Deception by the Arbinger Institute, or Bonds that Make us Free by Terry Warner). It tends to be a powerful, culture setting experience for our students. (We have discussed these concepts on this blog before, with regards to succeeding by focusing on the positive and finding peace .) The core idea is empathy: when we can truly feel how others feel about a situation, then their dreams, fears, needs, and desires matter as much to us as our own dreams, fears, needs and desires. We cease to worry about living in our self-created worlds of blame and rationalization (which all of us do), and instead see the world openly and freely, spontaneously acting in ways that seek to benefit others and benefit ourselves.

One day, I was talking to one of my colleagues, Martin Davidson, about these ideas, and he made a comment that was stunning to me. He said: “I am an introvert. I generally like to be alone. Being with other people tends to drain me, while being alone re-energizes me. But I find that when I am other-focused, my introversion—my need to be alone—ceases to matter.” (more…)

By Ryan W. Quinn

Two of my colleagues once sat down to design an executive education program. It was an exciting new concept. One of the classes in the program, however, required the teaching of some analysis that required exquisite attention to detail. When my colleagues reached this part of the design, one colleague, whom I will call Phil, declared that he could not teach that class because, “I am a big picture person.”

The power behind Phil’s statement is that it was true. Phil is a “big picture person,” and he is a master at seeing the big picture and capturing its opportunities. If you were to ask Phil’s wife if you should give Phil any work that required attention to detail, she would tell you, “Definitely not!” So would his colleagues, his administrative assistant, or anyone who knows him well.

Everyone would agree…except the colleague that Phil was designing this new executive education program with. (more…)

By Ryan W. Quinn

I once sat in a meeting with a group of colleagues who were discussing a serious work issue. At one point in the conversation, the discussion got heated, between two of the colleagues in particular. After two or three minutes of vigorous discussion about the issue, one of the two colleagues, referencing the famous Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), said, “Well, that is because you are a ‘T’ and I am a ‘J.’” (A ‘T’ in the MBTI means that a person’s style is to think about things, deliberate, collect all the data, and not rush to decisions. A ‘J’ on the other hand, indicates that a person is decisive, quick to judgment, with a bias for action.) To my surprise, when the first colleague finished saying this, the second colleague agreed, the heated discussion ended, and the conversation moved on to another topic.

The reason I was shocked by this interchange was because even though the two colleagues were able to move on peaceably, the work issue they had been discussing was not resolved. It was simply ignored as if nothing had happened. We were no better off as an organization, but everyone seemed to think that this was okay because the fight had ended—almost as if the personality type solved their issue for them! (more…)

By Ryan W. Quinn

I have learned, over the years, that when people in organizations make attributions about problems in their organizations, it is easy to point to personality flaws—or shall I say, perceived personality flaws. This became apparent again as I was working with a boss and one of her direct reports, helping them uncover the reason for their difficult working relationship. My conversations happened with each of them individually—they were never in the same room when I talked to them. I have gotten to know these two people quite well, and I am convinced that both of them are wonderful, hard-working, committed, and ethical people. And, the two of them were having repeated and frustrating conflicts with each other. Each of them was convinced that the other one’s personality was the reason why they could not work together productively. Each of them claimed that there was some flaw in the other person’s character that prevented that. In each case, I did not see the flaw that the other person saw. In fact, I saw the opposite. (more…)

By Robert E. Quinn

I am fortunate to have the opportunity to travel to places around the world teaching the principles of positive leadership, and with each new place I visit, I gain a new perspective. As I walked along an Australian shoreline with a friend during one of these international trips, we noticed an aboriginal fishing with a throw net.  We stood and watched for a time—it was beautiful.  We felt compelled to approach him and start talking to him.  He met our greeting with a very distant and guarded response.  It was a response I have often seen when a white man approaches an aboriginal.  The interface between the white culture and the aboriginal culture had been less than ideal.

Instead of reacting to his caution, we asked about the fish in his bucket.  He said a few words explaining that they were bait fish.  He used them to catch bigger fish and he pointed to two lines in the water.  He cast his net and we expressed genuine appreciation for his skill.  He seemed touched by that.  Just then one of his lines started to move, he had a bite.  He ran to it but the fish was gone.  Then the other line started to move he ran to that one but again the fish was gone.  We expected some disappointment.  Instead there was enthusiasm.  He said, “Those are the first two bites I have had all day. You fellas brought me good luck!”  We continued to talk and he began to light up like a Christmas tree.   He began to teach us about his fishing.  We were fully engaged and so was he.  As that relationship became more trusting, we all started to grow.

When trust goes up the quality of interaction elevates and learning follows.  The involved people are pulled into the growth mindset.   Consider another example. (more…)

By Robert E. Quinn

I met with a young woman who worked with us last year and is now in a doctoral program in another state.  She had much she wanted to tell me.  At one point, she spoke about some negative things that happened to her.  Later she told me she was keeping a gratitude journal.  When she told me this she returned to the negative events and said, “It is so amazing, I look at those negative things and I see the value in them and I feel like everything that happens to me is part of one big whole.  I have never experienced anything like it before.” (more…)

By Robert E. Quinn

Venkat Ramaswamy is the Hallman Fellow of Electronic Business and Professor of Marketing at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, and colleague of mine http://www.bus.umich.edu/facultybios/FacultyBio.asp?id=000119750.  During one of our chats he spoke animatedly of his work.  An hour later he had hardly stopped to take a breath!  His enthusiasm was catching, and I wanted to know more.  He is interested in something called co-creation.  To create is to invent, make, or establish something new.  To co-create is to invent, make, or establish something new by engaging with others; it is the process of creating together. 

Co-creation has been going on since the beginning of time, yet this idea has not only taken on greater importance today, it has also taken on new meaning.  With the world-wide web and social media, people around the world are more linked than ever before.  They are less passive and more active participants in influencing what is going on.  The Arab Spring provides a recent example.  Entire governments were overthrown by common people who were technologically linked.  To the shock of those in power, the people engaged in the co-creation of new governments.

Groups and organizations can take advantage of co-creation.  But they must understand the key elements.  (more…)

By Robert E. Quinn

Recently I spoke to a room full of plant managers who work in a very tough industry.  I was saying things they were not used to hearing, and challenging assumptions that were previously unquestioned.  Because I put everything into their language and their world, I had credibility and it was hard to discount what I was saying.  Yet they said less than most groups say.  They were deeply thoughtful.  It was like they were being hit with new truth and were not sure how to process it.

I was expecting them to grow and I was expecting them to grow others.  They were very inexperienced in thinking about the dynamics of growth.  In their corporation there is talk of learning and growth but what is really valued is control and efficiency.  So they listened but said little.

I contrast that experience with an experience that occurred that same evening.  I have a friend who is a successful entrepreneur and also a deeply spiritual man.  He now serves on a number of boards and he was in the area for a meeting.  We met at the airport for dinner.

When he saw me coming he threw open his arms and gave me a huge, enthusiastic hug.  I felt so welcomed.  We immediately began to converse about what puts energy into our lives.  Within minutes we were sharing intimate experiences and meaningful insights.  I shared some of the insights I presented to the plant managers.  He matched each one with a story and another insight.  The conversation was profoundly uplifting.  It seemed like only minutes had passed when we noted it was time to catch our respective planes.

My time with the plant managers was wonderful.  I delighted in teaching them.  Yet, they had little to share with me, which was understandable.  My conversation with my friend was different.  I was energized for hours after that conversation.  I am still energized by that conversation.  There is a concept that explains the difference: it is called the growth mindset. (more…)