the role of positive leadership in times of crisis

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Greece HR Conference

Kim Cameron

Ross School of Business

June 2014

The Role of Positive Leadership in Times of

Crisis

© Kim Cameron, University of Michigan

© 2014 • Kim Cameron and The University of Michigan • All Rights Reserved

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Criteria for Content

•Empirical foundation – Validity

•Theoretical grounding – Explanation

•Successful application - Utility



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| | | Negative Deviance Normal Positive Deviance

Individual:

Physiological Illness Health Vitality

Psychological Illness Health Flow

Organizational:

Economics Unprofitable Profitable Generous

Effectiveness Ineffective Effective Excellent

Efficiency Inefficient Efficient Extraordinary

Quality Error-prone Reliable Perfect

Ethics Unethical Ethical Benevolent

Relationships Harmful Helpful Honoring

Adaptation Threat-rigidity Coping Flourishing

Deficit gaps Abundance gaps

SOURCE: Cameron, 2003.

A Deviance Continuum

difficult,

challenging, &

demanding; not

soft and squishy



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Explanation

Focusing on

Abundance

Gaps

The

Heliotropic

Effect



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Research Illustrating Heliotropism

• The Pygmalion Effect

• Positive Emotions

• Positive Imagery

• Groups of Gratitude, Positive, Approach Goals

Versus Ingratitude, Negative, Avoidance Goals

• Positive Relationships

• Positive Energy

• Strengths Orientation

SOURCES: See Cameron & Lavine, 2006; Cameron, 2007 for references



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Effects of Abundance - Individuals

Comparisons between individuals characterized by the right-hand factor compared to the left-hand factor have shown dramatic differences:

Gratitude Journal versus Frustration Journal Capturing the Best versus Capturing the Worst Virtuous condition versus Non-virtuous condition

– more antibodies after vaccines

– stronger genetic expression

– more mental alertness, acute and long lasting memory, and faster learning

– Enhanced filtration, bodily fluid exchange, energy efficiency, coherence

– more inquisitiveness, creativity, and exploration

– higher levels of productivity and quality performance

– recovery from disease, and avoidance of depression after spouse loss

SOURCES: See Cameron & Lavine, 2006; Cameron, 2007 for references



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Fostering Gratitude

(1) Gratitude Journal

(2) Gratitude Visit or Letter

(3) Gratitude Cards

(4) Positively Embarrass

(5) Letter to Families



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Emotions and Health



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Positivity and Brain Functioning

Mental acuity is

greater when

positive events

are imagined

compared to

negative events.

Sharot, Riccardi, Raio & Phelps (2007) Nature 450, 102-105



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Vagus Nerve and Positivity


SOURCE: Cohn & Fredrickson, 2011

Engendered positive emotions

enhance vagal nerve functioning

and, consequently, long-term

wellness.



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Positive Relationships

• The presence of positive relationships predict:

– Recovery from surgery

– Incidence of prostate cancer

– Immunity to colds and flu viruses

– Incidence of heart attacks

– Ability to cope with stress (oxytocins)

– Worker satisfaction and productivity

– Life expectancy

• Due to hormonal, cardiovascular, and immunity

responses in the body.

SOURCE: Heaphy & Dutton, 2007; Dutton & Ragins, 2007



An Explanation for Relationship Effects

• Goals of entering freshmen (Crocker)

• Kidney dialysis patients (Brown)

• Borders

• Predicting change in hospitals (Grant)

• 99,000 people die of healthcare acquired infections each year. That translates into 271 people per day or a Boeing 767 airliner

crashing and killing all on board every day. MRSA -- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus -- alone is estimated to kill

around 19,000 people annually in the United States.

Hand hygiene

prevents you

from catching

diseases.

Hand hygiene

prevents

patients from

catching

diseases.

0% increase 33%

increase



Maps of Organizations

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http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=organizational+charts+for+kids&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=QjnTVsNJ5_-02M&tbnid=T3r9fTpQE0maHM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blm.gov%2Fnm%2Fst%2Fen%2Fprog%2Ffire%2Ffire_planning.html&ei=IpXLUYijBMakyAHBmYCYCw&bvm=bv.48340889,d.aWc&psig=AFQjCNGnbNPJWNaNweRo1YIUpGs5bMg-mA&ust=1372382874497015



Alternative Reporting Relationships

• Information

– Who gives information to whom?

– Who gets information from whom?

• Influence

– Who influences whom?

– Who is influenced by whom?

• Energy

– Who energizes whom?

– Who is energized by whom?

Traditionally,

leadership =

influence



Density in Energy Networks

Energizing De-energizing

Density = 69% Density = 6%

ANALYSIS: Baker, 3/10/2010 15



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Positive Energizers SOURCE: Baker, 2003.

• Those who positively energize others are higher

performers. Position in the energy network is four times

the predictor of performance compared to position in

informational or influence networks.

• Positive energizers tend to enhance the work of others.

People who interact with or are connected to energizers

also perform better.

• High performing firms had three times as many positive

energizing networks than low performing firms.


© 2014 • Kim Cameron and The University of Michigan • All Rights Reserved 17

Impact of Positive Energy on Individuals

Positive

Energy

of the

Unit

Leader

p < .001

p < .001

p < .001

p < .001

p < .01

Job Satisfaction

Well-Being

Engagement

Enrichment of

Families

Performance SOURCE: Owens, Baker, & Cameron, 2010


© 2014 • Kim Cameron and The University of Michigan • All Rights Reserved 18

Impact of Positive Energy on Units

Positive

Energy

of the

Unit

Leader

p < .001

p < .001

p < .001

p < .01

Cohesion

Experimentation

/Innovation

Team Learning

Orientation

Performance

SOURCE: Owens, Baker, & Cameron, 2010



Attributes of Positive Energizers

Energizers

1. They connect with others as people

2. They solve problems

3. They see opportunities

4. They fully engage in conversations & are heedful

5. They are trustworthy, have integrity, & are dependable

6. They express gratitude & humility

7. They use abundance language

8. They smile

9. They are genuine & authentic

10.They help others flourish

De-Energizers

1. They don’t show concern for those around them

2. They create problems

3. They mainly see roadblocks & have criticisms

4. They don’t create opportunities for others to be valued

5. They often don’t come through on commitments

6. They are often inflexible in their thinking

7. They just get louder when people don’t listen

8. They seldom smile

9. They are superficial & insincere

10. They ensure that they get credit



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Why Do Negative Factors Get Our Attention?

A systematic bias exists in people that shows that the occurrence of negative factors are more powerful than positive factors—“Bad is stronger than good.” SOURCE: Baumeister, et al. 2001

• People are more affected by one traumatic or negative event than by one positive or happy event.

• People are more affected emotionally and do more mental work from a single negative piece of feedback than from a single positive piece of feedback.

• Evolutionary theory suggests why: If people ignore negative information, it could be dangerous. If they ignore positive feedback, it only causes regret.

• Therefore, it is not surprising that negative phenomena get more attention than positive phenomena. It takes conscious effort to focus on abundance.



How About Organizations?

• Getting a group of positive people together does not

make for a positive organization.

• Organizational dynamics make it much more

complex to translate individual outcomes into

collective outcomes.

• Is there any evidence that positive dynamics can

affect organizational performance?

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Abundance in Organizations

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Some Organizational Findings

• Communication patterns in 60 organizations

• Seven matched organizations within a parent corporation

• Intervention studies aimed at an abundance culture change

• Public and private companies in 16 industries

• The airline industry after 9-11

• Financial services performance

• Health care organizations

• Conclusion: An abundance approach and implementing

organizational virtuousness is significantly and positively

related to effectiveness (e.g., profitability, productivity,

quality, innovation, customer satisfaction, employee

retention).



Some Additional Resources

centerforpos.com

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