Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast

Our bodies have to calm down before our thoughts can follow — and this is the step most of us skip. In this second episode of our special bonus season, hosts Dr Michelle McQuaid and Evie Wright share practical body-based tools you can use anywhere, anytime: in meetings, during difficult conversations, or mid-presentation (without anyone noticing). With guest insights from somatic expert Nahid de Belgeonne, author of Soothed, learn how to think of your nervous system as an inner toddler that needs our compassion and care — not criticism.   00:03 Michelle and Evie welcome listeners back and recap last episode's core insight: our brain is constantly asking "am I safe enough?" — and our nervous system responds accordingly.  05:36 Why trying to "think your way calm" doesn't work — when we're in our protection circuit, we have less blood and oxygen in the thinking part of our brain, so we need to soothe our body first.  09:53 Nahid de Belgeonne introduces the powerful reframe: think of your nervous system as

Discover why the pace of change has left so many of us quietly cracking — and why this isn't a personal energy or resilience failing. In this first episode of our special bonus season, hosts Dr Michelle McQuaid and Evie Wright explore how to decode the signals your nervous system sends: why you say "I'm fine" when you're anything but, or "I'll take care of it" when you're already exhausted. With guest insights from therapist and author Sue Marriott, learn about the connection and protection circuits that shape your responses to stress, and discover why understanding your green, blue, and red zones is the first step to navigating the super cycle of change we're all living through. 00:03 Michelle and Evie introduce this special bonus season on why so many of us have been feeling like our nervous systems are fraying. 01:03 The research behind "quiet cracking" — why 1 in 2 workers feel like they're holding it together on the outside while falling apart inside. 03:23 Why many of our resilience tools and self-

While new data suggests 58% of changes fail, organizations using human-centered methods achieve 93% success rates. What's the difference? This final episode reveals how the HEART framework helps teams thrive through today's supercycle of change by helping people feel 'safe enough' to embrace not having all the answers, self-organize around actions they care enough to own, and measure success by growing their capabilities to navigate uncertainty together. We bring together all five HEART factors into one simple practice you can do anywhere, anytime.   02:00 Michelle shares how she talks with leaders about the supercycle of change they are currently experiencing and the emotional and social impact it is having on their people. 06:35 Michelle explains how she helps leaders understand how to prioritize a more human-centered approach to change. 13.25 Michelle outlines why and how she gets leaders to embrace "I don't know" when it comes to navigating complex changes. 16:25 Michelle shares why and how she helps le

Change initiatives often start with such confidence - neat timelines, clear milestones, everyone aligned - yet within weeks things feel messy and unpredictable. What makes the reality so different from the plan? This episode explores why "tiny is mighty" when it comes to navigating complex change. We share the T in our HEART framework with practical tools for embracing polarities rather than false choices, starting where you are, sensing when to adapt, and celebrating small wins that build the resilience needed to thrive in ongoing uncertainty. 01:04 Chelle explains the benefits of Taking Tiny Steps when it comes to navigating change. 09:30 Chelle shares the four elements that make it easier to take tiny steps together from polarities to celebrations. 16:44 Chelle offers a metaphor from Peter Senge to understand why we need to sense, learn, and adapt when it comes to navigating complex change. 20:52 Chelle provides two personal tools to embrace "both/and" thinking as we navigate the polarities of change.

Why do some teams emerge from uncertainty stronger and more connected, while others splinter into silos where everyone's fending for themselves? The difference lies in whether people feel safe enough to admit they're struggling and ask for help. This episode reveals why reaching out is often the one simple act standing between you and success during change. We share the R in our HEART framework with practical tools for normalizing struggle, making it easier to ask for and offer help, and ensuring no one burns out from caring. 01:12 Chelle explains why Reaching Out helps us to navigate the uncertainty, fear, and doubt that comes with change. 09:15 Chelle shares the three elements make it easier to ask for help when we're feeling vulnerable and overwhelmed 11:46 Chelle provides two individual tools we can reach for help to ensure we are asking cleanly and clearly for help rather than manipulating others 17:38 Chelle offers two organizational tools we can use to create a help-seeking culture. 23:49 Chelle s

Ever notice how some changes leave people feeling energized and capable while others leave them exhausted and overwhelmed? What creates this difference? Why do some uncertainties feel like exciting challenges while others trigger that familiar "Oh FUD!" spiral of fear, uncertainty and doubt? This episode explores how to fuel people’s confidence, make the most of their capabilities, and help them stay curious about how they can navigate change more effectively together. We share the A in our HEART framework with evidence-based approaches to help you build on people’s strengths while also dealing with their challenges and struggles. 01.09 Michelle explains how our brains are wired to help us thrive through change - even when its challenging. 06:36 Michelle shares the 80/20 rule of change that helps to energize rather than exhaust people. 10:33 Michelle offers two organizational tools that can help workplaces embed a strengths-based approach change. 13:39 Mchelle outlines how leaders can map and support the s

Have you ever been in a meeting where someone shares a "big announcement" and you can practically hear everyone's minds turning off? Compare that to times when you're figuring out a problem together with people you trust - same amount of work, totally different feeling. What makes some complex changes feel safe enough to lean into while others feel dead on arrival? This episode explores how to turn grudging compliance into willing commitment during change. We share the E in our HEART framework with practical tools for meaningful conversations that support self-organization. 01.09 Michelle shares how we can engage people more purposefully around change - even when the change is not something they want. 05.00 Michelle explains why compliance rarely lasts more than three months, and how we can win people's ongoing commitment to change 08:50 Michelle outlines the three basic human needs we all share when it comes to engaging purposefully in change. 13:30 Michelle provides two organizational tools to help wor

Why do some people thrive during change while others get completely overwhelmed? It comes down to whether their nervous system feels "safe enough" to stay curious and collaborative. This episode explores how your emotions impact your brain's internal navigation system and energy for change. We share the H in our HEART framework with concrete tools for reading these signals at individual, team, and organizational levels, transforming emotional chaos into psychological safety. 3:00 Chelle explains why Honoring Feelings is the best neurological place to start when navigating change. 8.13 Chelle shares what has surprised her when working with team and leaders about honoring feelings during times of uncertainty. 11.42 Chelle provides practical examples of how we can honor feellings at the 'Me' (indidvidual) level during change. 15.37 Chelle offers evidence-based tools to help leaders and teams honor feelings at the 'We' level when navigating change together. 21.25 Chelle suggests ways organizations can make it eas

Ever wonder why change feels so much harder than it did in the past? We're in an unprecedented supercycle where disruptions collide and create ongoing "Oh FUD!" responses - Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt that are flooding our nervous systems. Based on our work with organizations around the world, we share why traditional approaches miss what matters most and introduce our HEART framework for supporting teams through the emotional reality of transformation, even when uncertainty is the only constant. 1:49 Michelle discusses the concept of a "poly crisis" and why we are in a supercycle of change for the foreseeable future. 5:43 Michelle explains the "Oh FUD!" feeling many of us are having about change. 16:28 Michelle explores why assessing the dimensions of safety and predictability for change can improve our confidence. 20:02 Michelle introduces the HEART of Change Framework to help us navigate people's emotional and social experiences of change. 37:18 Michelle explains "H" - Honoring Feelings. 39:50 Miche

In this week's episode - join us for a chat and a laugh as we reminisce about the highs (and lows!) of 250 episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work.  Thanks for listening! MPPW Podcast on Facebook Thanks so much for joining me again this week.  If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post. Please leave an honest review for the Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.  And don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It’s free! You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing. Thank you!

Dr. Peggy Kern is an associate professor at the Centre for Wellbeing Science within the University of Melbourne's Graduate School of Education. Originally trained in social personality and developmental psychology, Peggy's research focuses on understanding, measuring, and supporting wellbeing across the lifespan. She works with schools and workplaces to examine strategies for supporting wellbeing and bridging gaps between research and practice and has published three books, over 100 peer-reviewed articles and chapters, and most recently the wonderful and freely available Palgrave Handbook of Positive Education. In this week's podcast - our very last one ever – we explore what we’ve learned from 250 episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work and the best of these insights can be used to support wellbeing strategies in workplaces, schools, and communities." Connect with Peggy Kern: https://www.peggykern.org/ You’ll Learn: [03:55] - Peggy reflects on the evolution of the field of positive psychology and what

Halla Tómasdóttir is the CEO of the B Team, a group of courageous business and civil society leaders working together to transform business for a better world. Halla started her leadership career in corporate America, working for Mars and Pepsi-Cola. She was on the founding team at Reykjavik University, where she established the executive education department, founded and led a successful women's entrepreneurship and empowerment initiative, and was an assistant professor at the business school. She was the first female CEO of the Iceland Chamber of Commerce and later went on to co-found an investment firm with a vision to incorporate feminine values into finance. The company successfully survived the infamous economic meltdown in Iceland, and in 2016, Halla was an independent candidate for the president of Iceland, where she entered a crowded field of candidates and finished as the runner-up with nearly 30% of the vote. In this week's episode, we explore why we need to throw out the old leadership playbooks a

Greg Walton, who's an associate professor of psychology at Stanford University. Much of Greg's research investigates psychological processes that contribute to major social problems and how wise interventions that target these processes can address such problems and help people flourish even over long periods of time. Dr. Walton's research has been recognized with awards from numerous organizations, including the American Psychological Society's Rising Star of the Year Award. And has been published in leading journals and covered in major media outlets all over the world. He's the co-editor of the Handbook of Wise Interventions: How Social Psychology Can Help People Change, and we are so honored to have him here with us today. In this episode, we explore how wise interventions - simple shifts to the way we make meaning of what's happening in the world around us - can have a big impact at work. Connect with Greg Walton: https://www.wiseinterventions.org/ You’ll Learn: [03:05] - Greg explains what makes an i

Luke Burgis, who's the entrepreneur in residence and director of programs at the Ciocca Centre for Principled Entrepreneurship at the Catholic University of America, where he also teaches business and develops new education initiatives. Luke's co-created and led four companies in wellness, consumer products, and technology. He is the founder and director of Fourth World Ventures, an incubator for people and companies that contribute to the formation of a healthy human ecology. And Luke's new book Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life has just been released. In this week's episode we explore how desire impacts our wellbeing and the simple steps we can take to positively shape our desires for the good of ourselves and others. Connect with Luke Burgis: https://lukeburgis.com/ You’ll Learn: [02:39] - Luke explains why understanding what shapes our desire is an important part of caring for our wellbeing. [04:07] - Luke explains what mimetic desire is and how it influences our motivation. [06:49]

Kim Cameron is a professor of management and organizations at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business. He’s co-founder of the Centre for Positive Organizational Scholarship and professor of higher education in the school of education at the University of Michigan. Kim is recognized as among the top 10 organizational scholars in the world and his work on virtuousness, downsizing, effectiveness, corporate quality culture, and the development of leadership excellence has been most frequently downloaded on Google. He has also published more than 140 academic articles and 15 scholarly books, the most recent of which is Positively Energizing Leadership, which is due for release in August this year. In this week’s episode, Dr. Paige Williams talks to Prof. Kim Cameron about Positively Energizing Leadership. Connect with Kim Cameron: https://positiveorgs.bus.umich.edu/ You’ll Learn: [03:47] - Kim explains the inherent tendency in all living systems that underpin positively energizing leadership [06:05] - Kim explai

John Hagel, who’s recently retired as a partner from Deloitte, where he was the founder and chairman of the Silicon Valley-based Deloitte Centre for the Edge, which focuses on identifying emerging business opportunities that are not yet on the CEO’s agenda. With more than 40 years of experience as a management consultant, author, speaker, and entrepreneur, John has just released a new book, The Journey Beyond Fear, which addresses the psychology of change. And he’s also developing a series of programs to help people navigate through change at many levels. In this week’s episode, we chat with John Hagel, who helps us discover how positive emotions can help us move beyond fear. Connect with John Hagel: https://www.johnhagel.com/ You’ll Learn: [02:20] - John shares why psychology is as important as strategy [04:31] - John shares how narratives help us move beyond fear [10:07] - John discusses the power of alignment with your personal and organizational narratives [13:07] - John outlines how the passion for th

Robert Biswas-Diener, as we remember and savor the incredible research and life of his father, Ed Diener, who recently passed away. Over the last 40 years, Ed published hundreds of articles, amassing more than 250,000 citations. Ed’s earliest work focused on defining and establishing measures for happiness, and his satisfaction with life scale is the most widely used measure of wellbeing today. And has been cited 30,000 times. Ed’s w- later work focused on the relation of personality and of income to happiness, the cultural dimensions of happiness, the consequences of happiness, and happiness policies. Ed won the highest prize in psychology, The Distinguished Contribution to Science Award, was a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. And was a founder of Perspectives of Psychological Science, and The Journal of Happiness Studies. In this week's episode, we honor and savor the research of Dr. Ed Deiner and discover what his 40 years of happiness research can teach us. Connect with Robert Biswas D

Stephen Trzeciak is a physician-scientist and chief of medicine at Cooper University Healthcare, and professor and chair of medicine at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University. Stephen specializes in intensive care medicine, and is a National Institutes of Health-funded clinical researcher, with more than 100 scientific journal publications. Currently, Stephen’s research has focused on a new field called Compassionomics. And he is the co-author of the best-selling book of the same name, which we are going to dive into in our discussion today. In this week’s episode, Dr. Paige Williams speaks with Dr. Stephen Trzeciak about his research into compassion and the difference it can make in organizations. Connect with Dr. Stephen Trzeciak: https://www.compassionomics.com/ You’ll Learn: [02:05] - Stephen defines compassionomics [07:20] - Stephen describes what research suggests is the difference Compassionomics makes [10:36] - Stephen explains the impact of compassionomics in reversing the effects of burnout

Michael Bush is the CEO of Great Place to Work. The global research and analytics firm that produces the annual Fortune 100 best companies to work for list, and dozens of other distinguished workplace rankings all over the world. Driven by a love of business and an unwavering commitment to fair and equitable treatment, Michael joined Great Place to Work as CEO in 2015, bringing 30 years of experience leading and growing organizations. He’s also a former member of President Obama’s white house business council, and a founding board member of the private equity seed fund, Fund Good Jobs, which invests in small Inner-City businesses. In this week’s episode, we discover what the latest research suggests creates a great place to work and why prioritizing people’s wellbeing improves productivity and profitability. Connect with Michael Bush: https://www.greatplacetowork.com/ You’ll Learn: [02:32] - Michael outlines the business case for companies to be great places to work. [04:39] - Michael shares the evidence-b

Professor Brian R. Little has been a major innovator in the field of personality assessment and motivation, beginning when he received his Ph.D. in personality psychology from the University of California, Berkeley, and most recently he has been the 2020 winner of the Henry A. Murray Award for distinguished research on the study of lives. He is currently a Senior Fellow in Person-Analytics at the Wharton School, the University of Pennsylvania, and Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus at Carleton University in Ottawa. He is also a widely renowned educator, having received major awards for his teaching at a number of universities, including Harvard where for four consecutive years he was elected a Favorite Professor by his students. Along with Brian’s bestselling books – “Me, Myself and Us: The Science of Personality” and the “Art of Well-Being”; Brian has a very popular TED talk that has been viewed over 20 million times. In this week's episode, Brian Little shares insights from his innovative research on