Before We Begin: As we move our way through the course, you are going to see four different icons along the way.  You will come to know these fondly as Read, Print, Practice, and Try. 
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​Read will list the chapters from the book that you need to read before starting the module.
​Click on this Print icon to print the workbook, or download to use the fillable PDF version.
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​Practice will appear at the end of each module and lists all of the different practices that have been presented during each module for you to work on.
Try​ is simply the ideas I'd love you to try out at the right time. ​
Now, we're off to the races ...
(idiomatic) In or into a process of energetic engagement in some activity; in or into a phase of conspicuously increasing satisfaction or success.

​Module 1: Better Way

Read:
Introduction and Chapter 1
Click on the icon to download this if you do not have your book yet.
Print:
Workbook for Module 1
Click on the icon to print or download a fillable PDF
Print:
Through - Line Plan
Click on the icon to print or download a fillable PDF
Print:
Gratitude Journal 
Click on the icon to print or download a fillable PDF

​In this module we will explore some of the challenges and opportunities you are experiencing in your workplace. We’ll cover:
  • Slow death in organizations
  • The cost of doing nothing
  • Flourishing versus languishing
  • Asking transformational questions
  • What is a positive culture?
  • Starting a gratitude practice
  • The through-line approach to implementing practices
  • And more!

Whew! That’s a lot, and it will give us a great foundation from which to start building some new practices.

Getting to Know You!

Let’s start by getting to know each other. Please find the “What Is Your Why?” exercise in the beginning of your workbook and fill it out. Really think about why it is important for you to be here, what you want to learn and how you imagine this course will impact you and those you work with.

​Once you’ve made some notes, head on over to the group Facebook page and tell the rest of us your why. Please use the Facebook page to also list any questions you have as you move along in this course, or share any great ideas that you have a result of your work. If you see questions and ideas there from others in the class, go ahead and comment. We often learn just as much from others as we do from the facilitator in courses like this, so let’s learn from each other!
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Any great new articles you see about culture or organizational health? Please share them with others on this page!

Best & Worst Workplace Exercise

​Turn to your workbook now and do this exercise on your best workplace experience and your worst workplace experience, and then watch the 5-minute video below.

Disrupt HR Video on Being Positively Deviant

Watch this 5 minute video of my talk at the DisruptHR 2018 Conference in Victoria to understand the relevance of the above exercise, and also as an introduction to positive deviance.

Chances are that the words you used to describe your best and worst workplace experiences, actually described some aspect of the culture in your workplace. What makes a workplace great or not so great is the culture.
Try this Best Workplace exercise at your next team meeting
​to stimulate discussion about the need for culture change.

Slow Death, The Cost of Doing Nothing, and Why We Need to Flourish!

Focused Writing 

One practice that I highly recommend to leaders is the practice of focused writing. See page 21 in the book for more on this practice. 

The video below also explains the process of focused writing in a fun way. After you watch the video, turn to the focused writing exercise in your workbook and write about the question asked there. 

Throughout the course we use transformational questions to help us to think differently, take on new challenges and get engaged in new vision. You will read more about these in the book, and we’ll talk more about them in module two. 

Through-Line Approach to Implementing Practices 

We have included a Through-Line Plan (Personal Leadership Plan) here for you to use throughout the course and ongoing.  Listen to this short video on how to use it. You can also read more about this on pages 18-19 in the book.
Good work on this first module! Please take a week to work on the practices, and to begin your Through-Line Plan (Personal Leadership Plan) before moving on to the next module.  Be sure to pop onto the Facebook page to ask any questions you have.
 
We’d like to end this module on a positive note with a little help from our friend, Dr. Michael West. This clip is from the interview I conducted with him when writing the book. I asked him “What is a positive people culture?” and this was his response.
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​Practices
Personal 
        - Best Workplace Exercise
        - Focused Writing
        - Through-Line Plan (Personal Leadership Plan)
Team
        - Best Workplace Exercise with Team
        - Discuss First 3 Turns for Team
Organization
        - Cost of Doing Nothing Exercise
See you again in Module 2! Please read Chapter 2 in the book before the next module.