Positive psychology and change : how leadership, collaboration and appreciative inquiry create transformational results

272 Pages·2016·3.04 MB·English

by  Lewis

Positive Psychology and Change

Positive Psychology
and Change
How Leadership, Collaboration,
and Appreciative Inquiry
Create Transformational Results
Sarah Lewis
This edition first published 2016
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Cover image: Getty/klublu
Set in 10.5/13pt Minion by SPi Global, Pondicherry, India
1 2016
To Jem, Jordan, and Rhia.
who enrich my life beyond measure

Contents
About the Author xi
Foreword xiii
Preface xix
Acknowledgements xxiii
1 The Legacy of Twentieth‐Century Ideas about
Organizational Change 1
Introduction 2
A Changing World 3
The Roots of Many Change Models 4
Legacy Thinking about Organizational Change 6
The Legacy Beliefs of Lewin and Taylor in Our Understanding
of Organizational Change 8
Conclusion 20
2 The Challenge of Leadership 21
Introduction 23
Should Decisiveness Be the Priority in Leaders? 24
The Need to Make a Difference 26
What Does Shifting the Organizational Metaphor Mean
for Leaders? 29
New Definition of Leadership 30
Doing Leadership Differently 30
Characteristics of a New Leadership Style 32
Conclusion 50
3 Helping People Engage Positively with Imposed Change 51
Introduction 53
Typical Experience of Imposed Change 53
viii Contents
Unintended Consequences of Imposed Change 55
Understanding the Psychological Impact of Imposed Change
on People 55
Accessing Psychological Resources to Increase Efficacy
and Resilience 60
Conclusion 75
4 A Different Approach to Organizations and Change 77
Introduction 78
Key Factors that Create Living Human System Learning
and Change 78
Distinctive Features of Co‐creative Approaches to Change 80
Principles of Practice for Achieving Change in Living
Human Systems 88
Conclusion 96
5 Using Positive Psychology to Achieve Change
at the Team and Individual Level 97
Introduction 98
Principles 98
Positive and Appreciative Practices 105
Conclusion 117
6 Appreciative Inquiry 119
Introduction 121
Process 122
Purpose 123
Recommended Use 123
Key Ideas 123
Critical Success Factors 128
Key Skills 132
Origins of the Methodology 136
When to Use and Counter‐indications 136
Conclusion 139
7 World Café 141
Introduction 143
The Process 143