4 Key Characteristics of Positive Organization

To define the key characteristics of a positive organization, let’s draw from the research in positive psychology and positive organizational behavior. The four key characteristics are hope, efficacy, resiliency, and optimism based on the research. 

Hope does not just happen.  Hopeful organizations direct their energy toward the goal and the plan to reach it. Two things play a key role here: willpower and way power. Willpower is a determination to pursue the goal, and the way power is an ability to achieve the goal regardless of the obstacles. Obstacles often occur, and we must have hope that we will be able to overcome the challenges and find a way to achieve the goal. 

Efficacy is a mastery of our success and experiences. The organization and its leadership keep learning and modeling their business based on their and other business successes.  They reach for feedback and feedforward. Receiving positive feedback and understanding what the organization does well is a key to efficacy.  The key questions such as “what went we’’” and “what can we do even better” will increase organizational efficacy.  

 Resiliency focused on organization was covered in detail previously. Let me highlight again the top organizational resiliency factors: optimism, fear of failure, social responsibility, believing in something bigger than an organization, social support, organizational role model, office fitness, organizational intelligence, working smart, and purpose. 

Optimism is naturally built-in in organizations; otherwise, it would not exist. The business must believe in what they do, and that belief is creating positive organizational cells. That is given. 

Optimism should be based on past successes. For new businesses, there are no past successes. However, chances are there are past successes of the founders and past achievements of similar organizations. Optimistic employees will help build Positive Organization; they are up to 10 times more engaged, 31% more productive, and three times more creative than nonoptimistic employees. 

Braco Pobric is an Internationally Recognized Positive Psychology Expert, Executive Coach, and Corporate Trainer. He is the bestselling author of Habits and Happiness: How to Become Happier and Improve Your Wellbeing by Changing Your Habits. Braco is a founding member and Chief Happiness Officer of the Life Success Academy, Certified Positive Psychology Master Coach and Trainer, and former globally Certified Trainer and Business Coach for Dale Carnegie Training. His unique approach to integrated learning in Positive Psychology Coaching (PPMC) program let him train over 60,000 Students in 172 countries.