Revealing Hidden Strengths at Work: Unleashing Your Employees’, Stakeholders', and Organization's Greatest Potential
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Graduate group
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uncovering strengths
whole system engagement
mattering
psychological safety
Pygmalion effect
appreciative inquiry
leveraging difference
workplace
organizations
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Leadership Studies
Organizational Behavior and Theory
Other Psychology
Performance Management
Strategic Management Policy
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Abstract
This paper presents a theory of how to best uncover and use strengths in the workplace. The discovery, understanding, and use of strengths is central to positive psychology. Strengths are vital in life and at work. Not all individuals use their strengths effectively at work. Those who do, do better for themselves and their organizations. Further, strengths can be hidden from self, others, or both. Hidden strengths can be revealed, developed, and used. Perhaps there are specific factors and contexts that can uncover a myriad of unexpected strengths for use by individuals, groups, and organizations. This paper proposes mattering, psychological safety, the Pygmalion effect, engagement with the whole system, whole systems thinking, and leveraging strengths born of difference as key factors in uncovering and utilizing strengths in the workplace. It explores how the literature supports aspects of this thesis. The overarching thesis is put forth for exploration, discussion, and investigation.