Positive Psychology at Work:

The Three-Circle Strengths Revolution

As we can see in Supplement 6.10, Cooperrider suggests that there are three aspects to developing strengths-based increases in organizational capability (Cooperrider, 2008).

First, strengths become elevated within organizations. By this he means that a recognition, appreciation and utilization of the strengths of the individuals and the organization becomes a habitual way of behaving, so that such behaviour becomes the first rather than the last resource for growth. Second, people work with their strengths together with others in a way that creates additional capability in the organization. For this to happen people need to know the strengths of others and how to combine them with their own to produce good outcomes. Third, the organization expands its focus to include the wider world.

Cooperrider is unashamedly aspirational in his belief that commercial organizations can do good in the world. He suggests that as the highest human strengths (courage, wisdom, love of humanity, creativity and entrepreneurship) are refracted into the world, so they will have a positive and beneficial impact at world or societal level. He believes that these ways of working can change the world, taking the idea of sustainable growth to a global scale. We have talked about sustainability here without touching on the ultimate sustainability of life on our planet. Many of our biggest organizations are beginning to work out how they can be profitable in a planet-focused, ...