Creating and Sustaining Positive Organizations

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 ‘P’ and I am a ‘J.’” (A ‘P’ 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…)

By Shawn Quinn

A strengths-based approach to leadership is powerful.  Weaknesses are difficult to ignore and we tend to spend the majority of our time focused on weaknesses and fixing problems, both at home and at work, and with ourselves and our colleagues or family.  But recently I heard a story about someone with a weakness—being a poor presenter—who became more confident and capable when colleagues focused on his strengths.

A senior level partner of large consulting firm had been working over the last year to enhance relationships in a large Fortune 100 company where the firm had done a little work.  As the relationships progressed, they were asked to present a proposal for a significant project.  There was a key person in the firm who was extremely expert in the areas where the client needed help, but this individual was not only a bad presenter, it was actually painful for him to speak in front of people. This is not unusual. We’ve all heard that public speaking is second only to dying as the general public’s number one fear!  In previous similar situations the partner would have invited this individual to attend presentations as a member of the team, but would have kept him in the background with no visible role.

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By Shawn Quinn

I have a colleague who often gets nervous about teaching executives.  She worries she won’t be able to relate her research in a way that will feel valuable and that she will have trouble connecting to the executives in general.  This colleague of mine demands excellence from herself and those around her.  She has felt frustrated and unsure after consistently receiving what she deemed as low scores from executives evaluations of her performance.  I talked with her a few times along with others to try to help her but she had a pretty consistent experience for a number of years.  Something changed during the last program and she ended up with excellent scores from the executive evaluations.

When this colleague entered the room to teach, there was a break and we started catching up on life.  She recently has had to deal with a lot of important issues around an aging parent, how much time to make for personal relationships versus work, what is most important to her not only in work but other activities she wants to participate in and so on.  She described with passion the clarity she had come to around what really matters to her.  As she talked she seemed different to me.  She was completely clear about her life purpose and priorities, she was completely aligned with her values, she was open to feedback and learning as she moved toward her purpose and she was trying to consider what would most positively benefit everyone impacted by the decisions she makes.  She had changed her psychological state which is at the essence of the LIFT concept. (more…)

By Robert E. Quinn

In my previous blog entry my friend described a boss who damaged the emotional network in his organization.  He surmises, “If one person’s negativity can do all that, maybe another person’s positivity can also have equally powerful shockwaves.”

It is a wonderful idea but it raises a question.   In a negative context, can a person choose to be a positive influence, a source of positive shockwaves? And if so, how does he communicate the positivity to his team?

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