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The Psychology of Becoming a
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Satu Uusiautti and Kaarina Määttä
A PDF version of this book is available for free in Open Access at www.taylorfrancis.com. It has been
made available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
aninformabusiness
ISBN 978-1-138-78742-1
,!7IB1D8-hihecb!
www.routledge.com
The Psychology of Becoming
a Successful Worker
What is success at work and why is it important? How do top workers
describe their success? How can work, community, leadership, family, or
home and school promote success?
Success at work is often associated with career-oriented individuals who
sacrifi ce other areas of life to achieve highly in the workplace, but success can
also be defi ned in other ways. It can consist of feelings of knowledge, competence
and accomplishment, stemming from an inner drive to work well and create an
expression of mastery. This book focuses on employees who have been rewarded
for their skills and expertise.
Based on the authors’ in-depth research into the phenomenon of success at work,
this book provides a positive human-strength based approach to success and offers
a fresh viewpoint to the modern, demanding and hectic work life. Drawing from
the theory of positive psychology and outlining new theoretical ideas including
work motivation, career orientation, work characteristics, and positive states of
work, success is described as a combination of multiple elements which include
other areas of life. The book is illustrated throughout with case studies from
employees, and it will ignite thoughts about what success at work is and can be,
and how to recognise factors which enhance or hinder success in varying contexts.
Considering a variety of data, this book will appeal to researchers and academics
from the fi elds of work and organisational psychology, positive psychology, career
counselling and coaching.
Satu Uusiautti is Adjunct Professor of Educational Psychology at the University
of Helsinki, Finland, and a Researcher in the Department of Education at the
University of Lapland, Finland.
Kaarina Määttä is Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of
Lapland, Finland.
The Psychology of
Becoming a Successful
Worker
Research on the changing nature
of achievement at work
Satu Uusiautti and
Kaarina Määttä
The Psychology of
Becoming a Successful
Worker
Research on the changing nature
of achievement at work
Satu Uusiautti and
Kaarina Määttä
Contents
First published 2015
by Routledge
27 Church Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 2FA
and by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2015 S. Uusiautti and K. Määttä
The right of S. Uusiautti and K. Määttä to be identified as author of this
work has been asserted by them in accordance with sections 77 and 78
of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.
com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-
Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license. List of fi gures vi
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or Foreword vii
registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and Acknowledgements viii
explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library 1 Introduction 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Uusiautti, Satu. 2 The theoretical starting point: everyone can
The psychology of becoming a successful worker : research on the changing
succeed at work 5
nature of achievement at work / Satu Uusiautti and Kaarina Määttä.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
3 A successful worker 29
1. Employee motivation. 2. Success, 3. Job satisfaction. 4. Employees–
Psychology. 5. Psychology, Industrial. 1. Määttä, Kaarina. II. Title
HF5549.5.M63U97 2015 4 Success begins in childhood 57
158.7–dc23
2014007714
5 Success and the infl uence of exogenous factors
ISBN: 978-1-138-78742-1 (hbk) in adulthood 87
ISBN: 978-1-315-76651-5 (ebk)
Typeset in Times New Roman 6 The road to success – why pursue success at work? 113
by Cenveo Publisher Services
Notes on the authors 136
Index 138
Contents
List of fi gures vi
Foreword vii
Acknowledgements viii
1 Introduction 1
2 The theoretical starting point: everyone can
succeed at work 5
3 A successful worker 29
4 Success begins in childhood 57
5 Success and the infl uence of exogenous factors
in adulthood 87
6 The road to success – why pursue success at work? 113
Notes on the authors 136
Index 138
Figures Foreword
3.1 The interconnectedness of the factors that explain success at The word ‘success’ brings many things to mind. If we stop and think, we will
work among Employee of the Year awardees (Uusiautti, 2008) 33 probably be able to name people who we consider successful. However, upon
3.2 The connection of individual and communal factors with the closer examination the criteria for our nominations might vary, fade and become
perceived success at work (Uusiautti and Määttä, 2013) 50 vague. While someone might have thought about his colleague who has just
4.1 Core factors affecting students’ success (adapted from Määttä moved into a new offi ce with a huge mahogany desk and a view overlooking the
and Uusiautti, 2011: 52) 77 city, another might have thought about a friend who has a beautiful home, a
6.1 The elements of success and their interconnectedness friendly wife and well-behaved children, plus a nice job. What about an artist
(Uusiautti, 2013) 129 who leads an austere life but sells his paintings around the world for big money?
Is success then something one has achieved – but what? Is it possible to study
success? Is it possible to defi ne it?
In this book, we introduce our research on success at work in a very broad
sense. This research can be said to have begun during the fi rst years of this millen-
nium. Adjunct Professor Uusiautti fi rst focused on work drive in nurses and
midwives, expanding her analysis to Finnish Employees of the Year, while
Professor Määttä conducted her studies on love and human relationships. When
our specifi c research streams converged, we began studying positive development
in childhood and adolescence as well as in adulthood and later life. We even
managed to incorporate our ideas on leadership. Now, we think it is time to
compile our fi ndings into a psychology of success. In many parts of this book, we
will refer to the route to success – we hope that this book will function as a sign-
post showing the way to happiness-promoting success at work.
The standpoint in this book rests on psychology, particularly positive psychology.
This means that we deliberately aimed to combine the themes of work success
with fl ourishing and favourable development. Our purpose is to inspire and
challenge researchers and all those interested to examine the possibilities of this
positive approach and to consider this as one example of how to seize phenomena
that are diffi cult to defi ne comprehensively but, fi rst and foremost, we want them
to see the connection between success and happiness.
I n Cape Coral and Rovaniemi, 14 February 2014
S atu Uusiautti and Kaarina Määttä
Figures Foreword
3.1 The interconnectedness of the factors that explain success at The word ‘success’ brings many things to mind. If we stop and think, we will
work among Employee of the Year awardees (Uusiautti, 2008) 33 probably be able to name people who we consider successful. However, upon
3.2 The connection of individual and communal factors with the closer examination the criteria for our nominations might vary, fade and become
perceived success at work (Uusiautti and Määttä, 2013) 50 vague. While someone might have thought about his colleague who has just
4.1 Core factors affecting students’ success (adapted from Määttä moved into a new offi ce with a huge mahogany desk and a view overlooking the
and Uusiautti, 2011: 52) 77 city, another might have thought about a friend who has a beautiful home, a
6.1 The elements of success and their interconnectedness friendly wife and well-behaved children, plus a nice job. What about an artist
(Uusiautti, 2013) 129 who leads an austere life but sells his paintings around the world for big money?
Is success then something one has achieved – but what? Is it possible to study
success? Is it possible to defi ne it?
In this book, we introduce our research on success at work in a very broad
sense. This research can be said to have begun during the fi rst years of this millen-
nium. Adjunct Professor Uusiautti fi rst focused on work drive in nurses and
midwives, expanding her analysis to Finnish Employees of the Year, while
Professor Määttä conducted her studies on love and human relationships. When
our specifi c research streams converged, we began studying positive development
in childhood and adolescence as well as in adulthood and later life. We even
managed to incorporate our ideas on leadership. Now, we think it is time to
compile our fi ndings into a psychology of success. In many parts of this book, we
will refer to the route to success – we hope that this book will function as a sign-
post showing the way to happiness-promoting success at work.
The standpoint in this book rests on psychology, particularly positive psychology.
This means that we deliberately aimed to combine the themes of work success
with fl ourishing and favourable development. Our purpose is to inspire and
challenge researchers and all those interested to examine the possibilities of this
positive approach and to consider this as one example of how to seize phenomena
that are diffi cult to defi ne comprehensively but, fi rst and foremost, we want them
to see the connection between success and happiness.
I n Cape Coral and Rovaniemi, 14 February 2014
S atu Uusiautti and Kaarina Määttä
Acknowledgements ix
Acknowledgements Organizational Studies , 7(3), pp. 11–25 (journal published by Common Ground
Publishing, Champaign, IL, USA)
Uusiautti, S. and Määttä, K. (2013) ‘Enhancing university students’ study success
through caring leadership’. The European Scientifi c Journal, Special Edition , 2/2013
Uusiautti, S. and Määttä, K. (2014) ‘Leaders’ fl ow’. Paper presented at the
International Conference on Social Science and Management, 14–16 March 2014,
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Määttä, K. and Uusiautti, S. (2012) ‘The four-leaf clover of human resources’.
Journal in Organizational Psychology and Educational Studies , 1(1), pp. 37–42
Note : we have made every effort to gain permission for material in the book
This book draws upon the publications and studies listed below, which have been regarding the article Määttä, K. and Uusiautti, S. (2012) ‘The four-leaf clover of
revised and rewritten for the purposes of this book: human resources’. Journal in Organizational Psychology and Educational
Studies , 1(1), pp. 37–42 .
Uusiautti, S. (2008) “ Tänään teen elämäni parhaan työn” Työmenestys Vuoden
Työntekijöiden kertomana [‘Today, I’ll work better than ever’: employees of the
year describe their experiences of success at work]. (PhD Diss., University of
Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland)
Uusiautti, S. (2013) ‘An action-oriented perspective on caring leadership: a
qualitative study of higher education administrators’ positive leadership experi-
ences’. International Journal of Leadership in Education: Theory and Practice ,
16(4), pp. 482–496
Uusiautti, S. (2013) ‘On the positive connection between success and happiness’.
International Journal of Research Studies in Psychology , 3(1), pp. 1–11
Uusiautti, S. and Määttä, K. (2010) ‘What kind of employees become awarded as
Employees of the Year in Finland?’ Enterprise and Work Innovation Studies , 6,
pp. 53–73
Uusiautti, S. and Määttä, K. (2011) ‘Process of becoming a top worker’.
International Education Studies , 4(4), pp. 69–79
Uusiautti, S. and Määttä, K. (2011) ‘Top workers’ virtues and strengths’. G JES:
Education Sciences and Psychology , 2(19), pp. 46–56
Uusiautti, S. and Määttä, K. (2012) ‘The successful combination of work and
family in Finland: The ability to compromise as the key factor’. J ournal of
Comparative Family Studies , 43(2), pp. 151–163
Uusiautti, S. and Määttä, K. (2013) ‘Brisk attitude and optimism – top workers’
childhood experiences forming the basis of success at work’. E uropean Journal
of Educational Research , 2(2), pp. 69–82
Uusiautti, S. and Määttä, K. (2013) ‘Does success at work produce well-being
and happiness or vice versa?’ T he International Journal of Interdisciplinary
Acknowledgements ix
Acknowledgements Organizational Studies , 7(3), pp. 11–25 (journal published by Common Ground
Publishing, Champaign, IL, USA)
Uusiautti, S. and Määttä, K. (2013) ‘Enhancing university students’ study success
through caring leadership’. The European Scientifi c Journal, Special Edition , 2/2013
Uusiautti, S. and Määttä, K. (2014) ‘Leaders’ fl ow’. Paper presented at the
International Conference on Social Science and Management, 14–16 March 2014,
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Määttä, K. and Uusiautti, S. (2012) ‘The four-leaf clover of human resources’.
Journal in Organizational Psychology and Educational Studies , 1(1), pp. 37–42
Note : we have made every effort to gain permission for material in the book
This book draws upon the publications and studies listed below, which have been regarding the article Määttä, K. and Uusiautti, S. (2012) ‘The four-leaf clover of
revised and rewritten for the purposes of this book: human resources’. J ournal in Organizational Psychology and Educational
Studies , 1(1), pp. 37–42 .
Uusiautti, S. (2008) “ Tänään teen elämäni parhaan työn” Työmenestys Vuoden
Työntekijöiden kertomana [‘Today, I’ll work better than ever’: employees of the
year describe their experiences of success at work]. (PhD Diss., University of
Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland)
Uusiautti, S. (2013) ‘An action-oriented perspective on caring leadership: a
qualitative study of higher education administrators’ positive leadership experi-
ences’. International Journal of Leadership in Education: Theory and Practice ,
16(4), pp. 482–496
Uusiautti, S. (2013) ‘On the positive connection between success and happiness’.
International Journal of Research Studies in Psychology , 3(1), pp. 1–11
Uusiautti, S. and Määttä, K. (2010) ‘What kind of employees become awarded as
Employees of the Year in Finland?’ Enterprise and Work Innovation Studies , 6,
pp. 53–73
Uusiautti, S. and Määttä, K. (2011) ‘Process of becoming a top worker’.
International Education Studies , 4(4), pp. 69–79
Uusiautti, S. and Määttä, K. (2011) ‘Top workers’ virtues and strengths’. G JES:
Education Sciences and Psychology , 2(19), pp. 46–56
Uusiautti, S. and Määttä, K. (2012) ‘The successful combination of work and
family in Finland: The ability to compromise as the key factor’. J ournal of
Comparative Family Studies , 43(2), pp. 151–163
Uusiautti, S. and Määttä, K. (2013) ‘Brisk attitude and optimism – top workers’
childhood experiences forming the basis of success at work’. E uropean Journal
of Educational Research , 2(2), pp. 69–82
Uusiautti, S. and Määttä, K. (2013) ‘Does success at work produce well-being
and happiness or vice versa?’ T he International Journal of Interdisciplinary
