From Strength to Strength: Positivity as an Innovative Leadership Tool

Implementing positivity into leadership is an innovative way to enhance the quality of the employee experience and drive success in the workplace. More than just being optimistic, positivity means assuming good intent not just because you are hopeful, but because you truly believe that people want to be and do good. Leaders can harness the power of positivity by using these strategies:

• Cultivate Self-Awareness: Understand your strengths and weaknesses to lead with authenticity and empathy.
• Embrace a Strength-Based Culture: Align roles with individual strengths to boost morale and productivity.
• Delegate Effectively: Empower team members by delegating tasks that match their strengths.
• Foster Open Communication: Build trust through regular feedback and open dialogue.
• Formalize Positive Reinforcement: Recognize and reward positive behaviors consistently to motivate excellence.

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, the concept of innovative leadership continues to garner attention. While it is not a new idea, its relevance is more critical than ever. But what exactly is “innovative leadership” and how can leaders adopt this unique approach?

At its core, innovative leadership is a dynamic philosophy that combines various leadership styles and methodologies to empower team members, foster creativity, and explore new ways of working. Research shows that innovative leaders are more strategic, people-centric, optimistic, and great communicators which enables them to create psychologically safe environments where team members can thrive. They balance intention with action and maintain openness to new perspectives. By embodying these attributes, innovative leaders can navigate complex challenges and foster a dynamic and adaptable organizational culture.

However, beyond the buzzwords, one crucial element that is often overlooked in discussions about innovative leadership is positivity. Deeper than just having a hopeful outlook, positivity is grounded in psychology and is a transformative approach that can revolutionize how teams operate.

Defining Positivity

Positivity Psychology is the scientific study of strengths that enable individuals and communities to thrive. Integral to this field is the idea that “people want to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives, to cultivate what is best within themselves, and to enhance their experiences of love, work, and play”³.  Simply put, being positive means consciously assuming good intent not just because you are hopeful, but because you truly believe that people want to be and do good. As easy as this is to say, our media-driven society would have us believe otherwise. This is what makes using positivity an innovative approach to leadership.

Self Check

Before we move forward, ask yourself these questions. No really, I mean stop what you’re doing for a few moments of deep reflection. Put your answers in writing and add the date, you may want to come back to this later.

 Think about your team. Take a few moments to think about each individual person. If you have any strong reactions, jot them down before you start to answer the questions.

• Are my team members performing at their best?
  • If yes, how can I show more appreciation for their efforts?
  • If not, what specific things have I done to create an environment where they CAN do their best work?
• What are some roadblocks that inhibit my team’s best work?
• How am I hindering my team’s best work?
  • Do I believe each of my team members is willing and able to do their best work?
  • If not, in what ways have I contributed to their limited performance?
  • If I asked for an update or observed their work, would they be anxious or excited to share it with me?

As you reflect on your answers, you may be a little shocked at yourself. You may feel a little proud but it’s more likely that you’re a little disappointed with yourself. Ever heard of the self-fulfilling prophecy? It’s the idea that our beliefs influence behaviors and that we can unconsciously make our beliefs true by only acknowledging circumstances that align with them. Well, chances are, you realized just how true that can be and I’m here to help you use positivity as a tool to transform your leadership ability.

Positivity as a Leadership Approach

Integrating positivity as a leadership approach requires a fundamental shift in how leaders view their roles and interact with their teams. In contrast to the modern dialogue about “lazy” employees and the struggle to find good talent, positivity in leadership involves adopting a strength-based approach that focuses on identifying, rewarding, and maximizing the inherent strengths of each team member more than mistakes and accountability. Using positivity calls on leaders to observe and learn from their team members with the goal of creating opportunities for growth and innovation rather than just for quality assurance and improvement. It means highlighting what is right more than what is wrong; giving more accolades than consequences. Both are needed, but behavior management shows us that what is attended to most (or is reinforced) also reoccurs most.

Positivity fosters an environment where individuals feel valued, motivated, and engaged, ultimately contributing to the overall success of the organization. Research indicates that the return on investment for training programs teaching managers how to implement positive leadership includes improving employees’ emotional experience, creating a team atmosphere, promoting positive relationships among employees, and enhancing communication; all of which contribute to increased employee commitment, engagement, and satisfaction⁵. By extension of having more engaged employees, other benefits of positivity in leadership include improvements in multiple areas such as 81% in absenteeism, 41% in quality, 10% in customer loyalty/engagement, 18% in sales, and 23% in productivity just to name a few.²

Are you ready to build positivity into your leadership? Here are some key principles and strategies to help leaders harness the power of positivity (#1 & #2 are imperative for successful use of the other strategies):

5 Strategies to Help Leaders Utilize Positivity

1. Cultivate Self-Awareness: Self-awareness is a critical component of leadership, especially when using positivity. Leaders who are self-aware understand their own strengths and weaknesses, enabling them to lead with authenticity and empathy. Becoming more self-aware also includes challenging your perceptions and biases about your team members. The most effective leaders are those who choose to believe that they and their team members actually have the ability and desire to learn, grow, and to do their best. Acknowledging where limitations exist and taking action to correct them encourages team members to the same.

Tip: Regularly engage in self-reflection and seek feedback from peers and team members. Use tools like 360-degree surveys to gain insights into your leadership style and its impact on your team.

2. Embrace a Strength-Based Culture: A strength-based approach involves recognizing and utilizing the unique strengths of each team member. By assigning roles and responsibilities that align with individual strengths, leaders can boost morale, enhance productivity, and foster a sense of accomplishment. This approach not only empowers employees but also cultivates a positive and collaborative work environment.

Tip: Host a strengths session as a team-building activity. Team members can share their strengths and acknowledge the strengths of others. Use this information to tailor assignments and projects that align with their capabilities and passions.

BONUS NOTE: Formal assessment tools such as DiSC or CliftonStrengths are a great way to identify the strengths of your team members.

3. Delegate Effectively: Being more self-aware and identifying the strengths within your team can make delegation a breeze. Effective delegation is not just offloading tasks but empowering team members to take ownership and excel in their roles. Leaders who delegate based on individual strengths foster a sense of trust and accountability within their teams. This, in turn, leads to higher levels of engagement and job satisfaction.

Tip: Match tasks and projects to team members’ strengths and provide them with the necessary resources and support to succeed. Trust your team to deliver and recognize their contributions. It is about assigning the right task to the right person and then getting out of the way.

4. Foster Open Communication and Feedback: Leaders who encourage open dialogue and actively seek input from their team members build trust and foster a sense of belonging. Constructive feedback helps individuals grow and develop, contributing to a positive and continuous learning environment.

Tip: Implement regular check-ins and feedback sessions with your team and take action. Create a safe space for honest discussions and show appreciation for their input and efforts by finding solutions where necessary.

BONUS NOTE: This can be a great delegation and development opportunity for high performers and future leaders.

5. Formalize Positive Reinforcement: Positive reinforcement involves recognizing and rewarding desirable behaviors and achievements. By celebrating successes and acknowledging efforts, leaders can motivate their team members to strive for excellence. Recognition programs, kudos boards, and rewards systems are effective tools for reinforcing positive  behaviors.

Tip: Establish a recognition program that highlights individual and team achievements. Celebrate milestones and successes, both big and small, to maintain a positive and motivating work environment. Ensure that rewards are frequent, relevant, and consistent. Rewards that are sporadic, undesirable, and/or hard to earn are not rewarding at all.

BONUS NOTE: This is a great way to start building a strength-based culture. Money is a wonderful motivator but regular praise and acknowledgement can be just as rewarding, especially when given publicly.

The Impact of Positive Leadership

Incorporating positivity into leadership practices can have profound effects on organizational success. Leaders who embrace a positive, strength-based approach inspire their teams to reach their full potential, fostering an environment of trust, collaboration, and continuous growth. By prioritizing positivity, leaders can drive workplace success and create a thriving organizational culture.

For more insights and strategies on innovative leadership, check out the recording of my recent LinkedIn Event on “Innovative Leadership: Driving Workplace Success through Creativity and Positivity“.

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References

¹ D’Mello, Susan. 2015. “Innovative leaders excel at creativity, collaboration, courage, and execution.” Korn Ferry.
² Gallup. (2023). “The Benefits of Employee Engagement”. Gallup.
³ Positive Psychology Center. 2024. The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania.
4 Richards, Stacy. 2022. “The 7 characteristics of innovative leadership.” The Bailey Group.
⁵ Yan, Yanling, Zhang, Junwei, Akahtar, Muhammad Naseer, and Liang, Shichang. (2023). “Positive leadership and employee engagement: The roles of state positive affect and individualism-collectivism”. Curr Psychol, 2023, 42(11): 9109-9118.