Flourishing schools –a positive psychology perspective on leadership and communication · positive relationships 10 Flourishing schools (Wastian, Uckfield, 15.06.2018) Positive

www.inforp.com

Flourishing schools – a positive psychologyperspective on leadership and communication

County Meeting of Primary HeadteachersUckfield, 15th June 2018

Monika Wastian

Positive Psychology: A shift towardshappiness and well-being

• Roots: Humanistic psychology (Maslow, Rogers …), philosophy, religion

• Psychology and psychotherapy have made shifts:– Focus: Dysfunctions, deficits strengths– Psychotherapy salutogenesis– Palliative approaches prevention– Defense expansion

• Examples– Stress, burnout, PTSD Resilience, mindfulness …– Depression, anxieny etc. well-being, happiness– Reduce shortcomings Foster strengths, virtues, talents– Resource-focussed coaching

Flourishing schools (Wastian, Uckfield, 15.06.2018)2

(Seligman, 2011)

Why a shift towards positive psychology?

• Depression has gone up *– depression is about 10 times as high than it

was 50 years ago– Age of first onset of depression: Approx. 30

vs. below 15 nowadays• Happiness has gone down: British and German

have become less satisfied *• Increase in mental illness and associated health

problems have also become a social and economical issue


(* Seligman, 2011, pp. 78)

Flourishing across European countries 2006/7 (% of citizens)


(Huppert & So, 2013)

A theory of well-being: PERMA

• Well-being = PERMA:– Positive emotions (including happiness and life

satisfaction)– Engagement– Relationships– Meaning– Achievement

• Goal: Flourishing• How to get there: 24 character strengths

– Aspects of wisdom and knowledge, courage, humanity and love, justice, temperance and transcendence

– Test: VIA Survey of Character Strengths(https://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/questionnaires/survey-character-strengths)


(Seligman, 2011)

Why use positive psychology approaches? Studies have proven an increase of …

• Positive school and workplace behaviour: Curiosity, love of learning, creativity, engagement

• Positive emotion, well-being, happiness, optimism• Meaning and purpose, resilience, flow• Individual and team performance: learning, grades

and skills, working speed• Social skills: Empathy, cooperation, assertiveness,

self-control• Health, health-related behaviour (diets, exercises)

and life expectation


(Overview: Seligman, 2011)

Why use positive psychology approaches? Studies have proven a decrease of …

• Mental illness, depression, anxiety• Hopelessness• Physical illness, pain• Bad conduct at school (aggression, delinquencies)


(Overview: Seligman, 2011)

Positive psychology in education: Examples

• Penn (University of Pennsylvania) ResiliencyProgramme – various schools worldwide, including UK

• Strath Haven High School, Philadelphia• Geelong Grammar School, Australia


Positive psychology in education: The Penn Resiliency Programme

• Goal: Increasing students‘ ability to handle day-to-day problems in adolescence and preventingdepression

• Depression, anxiety, hopelessness, conductproblems (e.g. aggression, delinquency), illness ↓

• Optimism, well-being, health-related behaviour (e.g. diet, exercise) ↑

• Strength of effects depends on group leaders‘– Positive psychology training and supervision– adherence to the programme


(Seligman, 2011, pp. 80)

Why leaders should foster cooperation and positive relationships


Positive leadership and communication

• Positive awareness and emotions at workcustomer loyalty, profitability, productivity ↑; employee turnover ↓ *

• Negatively perceived supervisory interactionsblood pressure ↑, cardiovascular recovery after work ↓ **


(* Harter et al., 2003; **Wong & Kelloway, 2015 )

Positive communication: Losada*-Ratio > 3 : 1

• Marcel Losada* and other researchers countedpositive and negative words in talks. Quality ofcommunication = Ratio positive : negative words

• Findings for Losada-Ratios:– Flourishing organisations are > 2.9 : 1; below that

ratio they are not doing well economically– Couples: ≥ 5 : 1 for strong and loving marriages;

below 2.9 : 1 couples were heading for divorce– However, don‘t overdo. ≥ 13 : 1 results in a loss

of credibility.


(cf. Seligman, 2011, pp. 66)

Positive psychology is „about other people“ (Christopher Peterson)

• There is no „selfish gene“ (Dawkins)• Cooperation and positive relationships are

crucial for the individual well-being and for thesurvival of mankind

• „A cooperative group will bring down a mastodonmore readily than an asocial group“.

• Most positive events involve being with others. Good relationships are the most importantsource of emotional well-being and lifesatisfaction for humans.



Why leaders should foster cooperation: It is a fundamental human motivation


(Overview on game experiments and graphics: Bauer, 2011, pp. 36)

„Drive“ targets

Human „drive“

Fairness, trust, social acceptance

Well-being, motivation, health

Neurotransmitters (Dopamine, opioides, oxytocin)

Motivation system: Neurons in the midbrain

Behaviour: cooperation

Why foster positive relationships? –Research findings

• We want to share, to give, to cooperate:– Study subjects reacted more positively (measured by physiological

response), if they did not receive a money bonus themselves, but instead observed that the bonus was given to another person, whohad less than themselves.

– Giving, donating happiness* and release of happinesshormones.

– Doing a kindness, gratitude (e.g. gratitude visit) well-being ↑, depression ↓ **

– Babies aged < 18 months prefer cooperative strategies and helpothers, e.g. by showing them something.

• We want friendship and love– „Is there someone in your life whom you would feel comfortable

phoning at four in the morning to tell your troubles to? If youranswer is yes, you will likely live longer than someone whoseanswer is no.“ ***

– Capacity to love and to be loved well-being at the age 80. ***


(Overview: Bauer, 2011; *Ren & Ye, 2016; **Wood et al., 2010, and Davis et al., 2016; ***Overview: Seligman, 2011, p. 21)

Why foster positive relationships? –Research findings

• Loneliness– Depression, stress, self-defeating behaviors,

anxiety, anger, negative mood, fear of negative evaluation ↑

– Mental and physical health, optimism, social skills, social support, positive mood, extraversion, emotional stability, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and sociability↓

• Bad social relationships and isolation * – Mortality risk ↑ – the effect is as strong or

stronger than for other risk factors (smoking, drinking, lack of physical exercise, obesity etc.)


(Caccioppo et al, cf. Seligman, 2011, * Holt-Lunstad et al., 2010, cf. Bauer, 2011)

Social exclusion, humiliation, unfairness hurt – and cause distrust and aggression


(Bauer, 2011, S. 54)

Bottom up drive: + aggressive impulse

Experience + upbringing

Prefrontal cortex: Social attunement

Top down control: -aggressive impulse

Input: Pain, social exclusion,

humiliation, unfairness

Output:distrust, hostility,

aggression, violence

Amygdalae: fear

Insula: disgust

Hypothalamus: Stress

Brainstem: arousal

Cingular cortex„Ego“

Why positive leadership? – Research findings

• Unfairness, social exclusion, denial of acceptanceor a perceived threat of relationships, belonging, acceptance, reputation aggression, withdrawal, illness, self-defeating.

• Pain, danger, a lack of resources (material oremotional) aggression

• Lack of care and attention for childrenintelligence, performance, problem-solving, social appreciation and integration↓, social exclusion and humiliation ↑ „cycle of violence“

• Experienced pain is stored in the brain (i.e. cingularcortex) and is also activated by social exclusion, rejection, scorn and humiliation same reaction! aggression


(Bauer, 2011, pp. 42)

Positive leadership and communication:five easy to use methods

1. Use, foster and seek / give feedback on strengths – your own and those of others(e.g. team members, pupils)

2. Respond actively and constructively3. Think and talk about things that went well4. Express your gratitude5. Show kindness


Experience it: Strengths (10 minutes/person)


• Think / tell of a work situation when you were at your best. – What did you do? How did you do it? – Go into detail.– How did you feel while you did it?– How did it turn out? = major positive result / success (1 sentence)

• Now look at the 24 signature strengths– Wisdom and knowledge: ingenuity, curiosity, judgment, love of learning,

perspective, social intelligence– Courage: valor and bravery, perseverance, honesty– Humanity: love, kindness– Justice: teamwork and citizenship, fairness, leadership – Temperance: humility, prudence, self-control– Transcendence: appreciation of beauty and excellence, gratitude, hope,

forgiveness, humor, spirituality, zest

• What do you think, what do the others think: Which one(s) did youuse in the situation?

• If you made the VIA strength test: Which of your 5 top strengths didyou use?

Experience it: Strengths (10 minutes/person)• Think / tell of one of your subordinates: Which of the 24 signature

strengths might be among his or her top strengths?– Wisdom and knowledge: ingenuity, curiosity, judgment, love of

learning, perspective, social intelligence– Courage: valor and bravery, perseverance, honesty– Humanity: love, kindness– Justice: teamwork and citizenship, fairness, leadership – Temperance: humility, prudence, self-control– Transcendence: appreciation of beauty and excellence, gratitude,

hope, forgiveness, humor, spirituality, zest• Now think of /discuss her/his tasks and typical work experiences:

– What are typical tasks she/he has to do every day? How and towhat extent can she/he make use of her/his strengths in thissituation?

– If you find that she/he cannot use the strength in typical worksituations: What work situations / tasks would be the best forher/him to make use of the strengths?


Experience it: Active and constructive responding

Type of response

Your response

Active and constructive

“That is great! I know how important that presentation was to you. Tellme more about it: Where were you when he congratulated you? Whatdid he say? How did you react? We should celebrate!” Nonverbal:maintaining eye contact, displays of positive emotions, such as genuinesmiling, laughing.

Passive and constructive

“That is good news. You deserve it.” Nonverbal: little to no activeemotional expression.

Active and destructive

“Yes, that’s him. He will have forgotten about it by the time you will askfor a promotion.” Nonverbal: displays of negative emotions, such asfurrowed brow, frowning.

Passive and destructive

“Have you seen my mobile? I wonder whether I left it at the restaurant.”Nonverbal: little to no eye contact, turning away, leaving the room.


• Imagine your colleague shares a positive event with you: “The headmaster congratulated me to my presentation at the XY Conference”.

• 4 ways of responding – 1 to build a positive relationship:

Try it out: Active and constructive responding

• Colleague A: Tell your colleague B of a positive event

• Colleague B: Respond actively and constructively– Listen carefully – Ask the person to relive the event with you– Spend lots of time responding

• Talk about it: How was your experience? How and when could you use (or improve) active and constructive responding in your job or private life?

• Practice it after the conference: When and to whomwill you respond actively and constructively?


Experience it: Three things that went well

• Try it out for a week and if you like it, stick to it:– Write down 3 positive events per day (they

can be small or big in importance; e.g. “I had a nice chat with my neighbour”, “our team won the championship”)

– Why did it happen?– What does it mean to me (to my family, to our

team, to our project …)?– If it is important: How can I or we have more

of this in the future?



Experience it at work: What-went-well sessions

• Variations: What-went-well sessions at work– Every morning with your pupils– At the beginning of each team meeting– …

• Encourage your pupils, team members, ... to talk about …– something that went well (small or big in importance; e.g. “the new

coffee maker arrived”, “TV reported about our project”)– Why did it happen?– What does it mean to me (to our class, our team, our project …)?– If it is important: How can I or we have more of this in the future?

• Important for a successful implementation of the sessions: Explain yourpupils, team members, … – why you implement the sessions (advantages, goal) and – how it works (tell and show them what to do);– Explain or – with adults – negotiate the rules (e.g.: „telling a positive

event is voluntary, not mandatory“; „never judge or even criticise a story or a contribution“) and the setting (e.g. time frame).


Try it out: Kindness and gratitude

• „Find one wholly unexpected kind thing to do tomorrow and just do it. Notice what happens toyour mood.“

• Think about a person who did you a favour, whohelped or supported you. Express your gratitudeface-to-face, if possible, and tell the person whather favour or support meant to you.


(Seligman, 2011, p. 21)

Implementing positive psychologyin education

• Key success factors for implementing positive psychology *):– Group leaders / teachers get intensive training in it– ... and then get professional supervision (e.g. by qualified

and experienced psychological supervisors or coaches)– They stick to positive psychology materials / programmes

that have proven to work• To benefit most of positive psychology, it should be embedded

in usual work processes or, resp., in curricula. Examples:– Teaching English + the strength awareness: „Identify the

main signature strength of Nelson Mandela“– Starting each day with a „What-went-well“ session– Giving team members feedback on their strengths (Which

strength did I observe? When? In which other situationscould you make best use of your strength?)

– Identifying strengths that are needed for a task


(* Seligman, 2011, pp. 82)

Think about it: First steps of using positveleadership and communication at work

• How could positive leadership and communication be implemented at your school: Specifically, withinthe next month, which methods would you like to tryout? Where? With whom? When?– Use, foster and seek / give feedback on strengths– Active and constructive responding– What-went-well sessions– Showing gratitude or kindness– …


Thank you for your attention

• Your questions, commentsand inquiries are welcome. Please do not hesitate tocontact me:

– Monika [email protected]: +44 / 7881 / 935 963http://www.inforp.com


References• Bauer, J. (2011). Schmerzgrenze. München: Karl Blessing.• Davis, D. E., Choe, E., Meyers, J., Wade, N., Varjas, K., Gifford, A.et al. (2016). Thankful for

the little things: A meta-analysis of gratitude interventions. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 63(1), 20-31.

• Harter, J. K., Schmidt, F. L. & Keyes, C. L. M. (2003). Well-being in the workplace and its relationship to business outcomes: A review of the Gallup studies. In C. L. M. Keyes, J. Haidt, C. L. M. Keyes & J. Haidt (Hrsg.), Flourishing: Positive psychology and the life well-lived. (S. 205-224). Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association.

• Huppert, F. A. & So, T. T. C. (2013). Flourishing across Europe: Application of a new conceptual framework for defining well-being. Social Indicators Research, 110(3), 837-861.

• Ren, Q. & Ye, M. (2016). Donations make people happier: Evidence from the Wenchuanearthquake. Social Indicators Research.

• Seligman, M. (2011). Flourish: A New Understanding of Happiness and Wellbeing. London, Boston: Nicholas Brealey Publishing.

• Wong, J. H. K. & Kelloway, E. K. (2015). What Happens at Work Stays at Work? Workplace Supervisory Social Interactions and Blood Pressure Outcomes. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology.

• Wood, A. M., Froh, J. J. & Geraghty, A. W. A. (2010). Gratitude and well-being: A review and theoretical integration. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(7), 890-905.


Appendix: Dimensions of the VIA Survey of Character Strengths

• The test is available on https://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/testcenter


VIA Survey of Character Strengths (1)

• Wisdom and knowledge – Ingenuity / originality /

practical intelligence– Curiosity / interest in the

world– Judgment / critical

thinking / open-mindedness

– Love of learning– Social, personal,

emotional intelligence– Perspective / wisdom

• Courage– Valor and Bravery– Perseverance / Industry /

Diligence– Honesty / integrity /

genuineness• Humanity and love

– Kindness and generosity– Loving and allowing

oneself to be loved



VIA Survey of Character Strengths (2)

• Justice– Teamwork / citizenship /

duty / loyalty– Fairness and equity– Leadership

• Temperance– Self-control– Prudence / discretion /

caution– Humility and modesty

• Transcendence– Appreciation of beauty

and excellence– Gratitude– Hope / optimism / future-

mindedness– Spirituality / Sense of

purpose / faith / religiousness

– Forgiveness and mercy– Playfulness and humour– Zest



Organisationspsychologie / Institute of Organisational Psychology [email protected] Deutschland: Untere Grasstr. 6 81541 München Telefon: +49 (0) 89 6900070

United Kingdom: 2/2, 5 Parnie Street Glasgow G1 5RJ Phone: +44 (0) 7881 935963

Exercises to help you flourish*

Signature Strengths Exercise

According to Martin Seligman (2011, pp. 38), founder and leading authority in the field of Positive Psychology, “the purpose of this exercise is to encourage you to own your signature strengths by finding new and more frequent uses for them. A signature strength has the following hallmarks”, among others: “A sense of ownership and authenticity (‘This is the real me’); a feeling of excitement while displaying it, particularly at first; … invigoration rather than exhaustion while using the strength; … joy, zest, enthusiasm, even ecstasy while using it.”

Now please identify your five major strengths by making the VIA Survey of Character Strengths, which is available on the University of Pennsylvania website https://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/testcenter. You will get your results immediately and can print them out if you like. (The test is free, but you need to register for an account. If you prefer not to sign up for an account, you find a brief version of the test in Martin Seligman’s book mentioned below.)

“As you complete the questionnaire, pay most attention to the rank order of your own strength. Were there any surprises for you? Next, take your five highest strengths one at a time and ask yourself, ‘Is it a signature strength?’

After you have completed the test, perform the following exercise: this week I want you to create a designated time in your schedule when you will exercise one or more of your signature strengths in a new way either at work or at home or in leisure – just make sure that you create a clearly defined opportunity to use it.

For example: If your signature strength is creativity, you may choose to set aside two hours one evening to begin working on a screenplay; … if your strength is an appreciation of beauty and excellence, you might take a longer, more beautiful route to and from work, even though it adds twenty minutes.

The best thing to do is to create the new way of using your strength yourself.

Write about your experience. How did you feel before, during, and after engaging in the activity? Was the activity challenging? Easy? Did time pass quickly? Did you lose your sense of self-consciousness? Do you plan to repeat the exercise?”

Bring your test results and your notes to the County Heads Conference. You will not be asked to disclose your results or notes at any time – they are just for yourself, in case you want to look them up when we refer to the Signature Strength Exercise during the conference.

*) Why do the exercises? According to the Theory of Well-being (Seligman, 2011), boosting our well-being – signified by an increase of positive emotions, engagement, meaning, positive relationships and accomplishment – helps us flourish. The flourishing exercises have proven to increase our well-being significantly. Specifically, the Signature Strengths Exercise substantially increased happiness and reduced depression. See a summary of respective research results in:

Seligman, M. (2011). Flourish: A New Understanding of Happiness and Wellbeing. London, Boston: Nicholas Brealey Publishing.

Organisationspsychologie / Institute of Organisational Psychology [email protected] Deutschland: Untere Grasstr. 6 81541 München Telefon: +49 (0) 89 6900070

United Kingdom: 2/2, 5 Parnie Street Glasgow G1 5RJ Phone: +44 (0) 7881 935963

Monika Wastian’s Bio and Session Outline

Monika Wastian Monika Wastian, Director of the Institut für Organisationspsychologie (Institute of Organisational Psychology), Coach and Consultant in Munich and in Glasgow, holds a degree in psychology.

She has worked as a consultant, coach and manager for more than 25 years. She has also been publishing, lecturing at various universities, doing research, and developing methods in her fields of expertise since 2001 – i.e. in coaching and in psychological facets of change and project management. These involve human-factor related topics such as leadership, communication, competency and talent management, stress management, organisational development, personality development etc.

Session title: Flourishing schools – a positive psychology perspective on leadership and communication

The education system requires both courageous and collaborative leaders, who genuinely want to work together and support each other. As effective head teachers, you develop, motivate and empower others, you encourage and build trust – whether you lead your teams or communicate with pupils and their families. Positive psychology provides tools and concepts, which help you deal with these challenges effectively and in a way that is more joyful and rewarding for you as a leader.

In this session, you will get an overview of core concepts of positive psychology and how you and those you lead and cooperate with can benefit from them. Drawing from research findings and best practice examples of leadership coachings, Monika Wastian will outline attributes and methods of positive leadership and their impact on wellbeing, performance, health, motivation and commitment of subordinates, cooperation partners and also of pupils.

You will have an opportunity to discuss how positive leadership and communication relate to your own setting and leadership practice. You can also experience a piece of positive psychology yourself: Please find attached a brief exercise. You are invited to try it out some days before the conference starts. We will refer to the exercise in the session and you can deepen your experience by discussing the exercise and your conclusions with each other. (There is no need to share any private or confidential content of your experience; the discussion will only refer to the method and its effect).

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Flourishing schools –a positive psychology perspective on leadership and communication · positive relationships 10 Flourishing schools (Wastian, Uckfield, 15.06.2018) Positive