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Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology and Work

P. Alex Linley, Susan Harrington .

This handbook synthesizes research and practice from the field of positive psychology to provide leaders, managers, and HR professionals with a comprehensive framework for building thriving, high-performing organizations by focusing on human strengths, well-being, and an abundance-based approach to work.

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What it’s about

In a world of constant change and relentless competition, traditional management approaches focused on fixing problems and weaknesses are proving insufficient. The Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology and Work offers a powerful alternative paradigm, demonstrating how to unlock extraordinary individual and organizational performance by focusing on what is right with people. Drawing on insights from leading scholars and practitioners, this comprehensive volume explores the application of positive psychology principles to leadership, employee engagement, team dynamics, and organizational culture. It provides actionable frameworks for developing authentic leaders, fostering meaningful work, building psychological capital, and creating work environments where both people and profits flourish. For any leader, manager, or HR professional seeking to move beyond mere problem-solving to create a genuinely positive and sustainably successful organization, this handbook is an essential guide.

The through-line

Who it’s for
The reader is a leader, manager, HR/OD professional, consultant, or coach who is responsible for improving organizational performance and the lives of people at work. They want to move beyond constant firefighting and traditional, often ineffective, management practices to create a workplace that is both highly successful and deeply fulfilling for its members.
The problem
Traditional, deficit-based management approaches are failing to unlock employee potential, resulting in widespread disengagement, high turnover, and stagnant performance. The modern workplace is increasingly complex and demanding, and old models are insufficient to meet these new challenges. This leaves leaders and managers feeling frustrated, ineffective, and caught in a cycle of solving recurring problems. They feel a conflict between the pressure for bottom-line results and the desire to create a humane, positive environment, leading to cynicism and burnout.
The plan
  1. First, understand the changing world of work and why old, deficit-based models are failing.
  2. Second, learn the principles of positive organizational leadership, including how to develop authenticity, leverage strengths, and harness positive emotions to lead change.
  3. Third, discover how to create positive work environments that foster the key psychological drivers of performance: employee engagement, meaningful work, and well-being.
  4. Fourth, implement specific, actionable strategies like coaching, mindfulness, and strengths-based development to enable a positive working life for every individual.
  5. Finally, apply integrated models to build a holistically positive organization where individuals flourish and the business thrives.
The payoff
You create an 'Abundant Organization' characterized by high engagement, innovation, and sustainable performance. · Your employees are flourishing, bringing their best selves to work, and finding deep meaning and satisfaction in their contributions. · Your organization becomes a magnet for top talent and achieves superior business results, including higher productivity, profitability, and customer loyalty.

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