Positive Organizational Behavior

Citation

Waltz, R.L. (2009), "Positive Organizational Behavior", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 30 No. 3, pp. 297-299. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437730910949580

When I first saw the cover and title of Positive Organizational Behavior, I thought, “Hmm, now there's an oxymoron if I ever saw one.” Intrigued nevertheless, I tried to set my cynicism aside, and opened the book. I consciously avoided looking at the various authors, and instead, examined how the book was laid out. After all, anyone with the gall to put the word “positive” in front of “organizational behavior” had better have a plan of attack (or defense).

Broken up into three distinct parts, the book opens appropriately enough with a section called Introduction and Frameworks. An introduction is always obligatory in such edited compilations, and to follow immediately with the framework I found to be very helpful.

Accentuating the human condition in a positive light, as opposed to our obvious and many deficiencies, is at the core of this compilation. I highlight the articles that I found particularly enlightening, although there is certainly ample material of interest in the articles that I chose not to review.

The first article, Positive Organizational Behavior: An Inclusive View provides a brief synopsis of and roadmap for what follows in the compilation. I appreciated this, as it served to temper my cynicism and heighten my curiosity. It also provided me with a few new additions to my already over‐sized dictionary of acronyms (serving in the military, followed by a 21 year career in aerospace will do that). Positive organizational behavior (POB), psychological capital (PsyCap), psychological capital intervention (PCI), and positive organizational scholarship (POS) are examples that run throughout the book.

Those of us who write curriculum for and teach courses in OB are familiar with the various “ologies” that make up the discipline. Psychology is typically at the top of the list. That is why I appreciated that Psychological Capital was the second article. PsyCap necessarily includes several developmental dimensions that translate into four capacities, or constructs – self‐efficacy/confidence, hope, optimism, and resiliency. A discussion on each is offered, and then when implemented can ultimately lead to sustainable, veritable, performance impact. The psychological capital questionnaire (PCQ) is offered as an instrument for measuring research and practice in this area.

The third article presents a plan for Healthy Productive Work by looking at the existing preventative aspects within a public health strategy. This management model explores the attributes of healthy individuals and healthy organizations; examines models in practice; promotes positive strength through communication competence; and offers concluding implications for POB.

Part Two focuses on positive states, traits, and processes. Positive states focus on POB and positive traits focus on POS. Part Two begins with Positive Emotion in Organizations. Emotion is but one of numerous attributes that make up the individual – the first of three elements in any OB text (the others being group and structure). The core premise here is that managers who present a positive emotional climate can expect said climate to expand into the increasingly higher levels of the organization (which are examined and discussed in detail).

Thriving in organizations conjured up recollections of Tom Peters' seminal work, Thriving on Chaos, first published in 1987. Spreitzer and Sutcliffe focus on the personal positives of thriving, which include promoting self‐development, maintaining health, increasing individual and organizational performance, all of which can be shared.

Given the recent state of the global economy, Ethical Leadership and its attendant Ethical Leadership Scale (ELS) needs to be mandatory reading for at least every MBA student, if not every undergrad business student. So much is written in the popular press and business and leadership journals on unethical leadership. The same can be said about inspirational and transformational public figures, such as athletic coaches. What's lacking in so many of these publications is the science. The ELS deserves an opportunity to be tested as a positive approach to measuring and helping better define what is “authentic” leadership.

Regarding Political Skill in Organizations, I tell my students that they must become “politically savvy” in order to 1, survive, and 2, advance. Positive political skill is, in my opinion, consistent with ethical behavior, and hence, consistent with POB. Perhaps the most interesting notion I took away from this article is that human resource management “place emphasis on developing the social astuteness, influence tactics, sincerity, and networking abilities of employees” (p. 125). A great concept […] I'd love to see how it plays out.

By far the most intriguing article for me was Forgiveness in organizations. While I am not at all unfamiliar with the concept of forgiveness, I have seldom seen it practiced in my professional life. Long memories and “getting back” just seem to be a part of organizational culture, despite forgiveness being a uniquely human virtue. Forgiveness certainly makes sense within the context of POB, and one could argue, an absolute necessity for POB to work. This article encapsulates studies on forgiveness and such organizational attributes as performance and leadership. For any organization serious about pursuing POB, the 10 prescriptions for enabling and engendering forgiveness are a must.

Energy (vigor), self‐engagement, strengths, emotions, and self‐evaluations are also discussed, and are promoted (rightly so) as necessary ingredients in the pursuit of POB.

POB is relatively new, being “pioneered” in 2002 (p. 3). Furthermore, there is no clear agreement as to “what is positive” (p. 4). Accordingly, Part Three explores methodological challenges, and provides expanded definitions of POB and POS, and gives us another acronym, PWB (Psychological well‐being). Researchers and practitioners alike would “benefit from a clearer temporal distinction regarding exactly what constitutes the domain of POB vs POS” (p. 178). Perhaps key to Part Three, and to the entire concept of POB, is the challenge brought forth in the final article, Positive Psychological Capital: Has Positivity Clouded Measurement Rigor? “In order for POB to truly attain the status of a solid scientific endeavor, the psychometric properties of the PsyCap measures must be thoroughly investigated” (p. 191). To be sure, the authors are quick to point out potential pitfalls and challenges in POB's “quest for legitimacy within the organizational sciences” (p. 186). With that gauntlet now thrown, this compilation of articles quite eloquently advances us to the next round.

Being somewhat versed in the areas of Emotional Intelligence, The Power of Full Engagement, and StrengthsFinder, I came away wondering why I hadn't thought of it before […] placing the word positive in front of organizational behavior, and then pursuing the possibilities. Now in the twilight of my own professional life, my response is at once, an emphatic, “Why not?” and “It's about time!” While there are serious challenges ahead, I say, “Let the knowledge acquisition begin.”