Positive Leadership
Report from my workshop at Frankfurt School
“Is there a point at which positive leadership can become too much? Is there a tipping point?”
This question led us straight to the heart of the matter in my session at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management.
Twice a year, I give online workshops there on #PositiveLeadership & #PERMA. I always look forward to exploring this topic with a new group.
There are students who are still developing their view of leadership and others who already have leadership experience. The discussions are correspondingly diverse.
The first session covers the basics: What is behind positive leadership? How does the PERMA model contribute to well-being? Why is it more worthwhile to look at strengths and potential than at deficits? And what does the research say?
In the second session, we talk about implementation in everyday life and why this leadership approach is a meaningful response to many of the challenges of our time. And the participants always bring exciting questions to the discussion.
This time, the focus was on the measurability of positive leadership. We discussed KPIs such as engagement, employee satisfaction, sickness rates, and 360-degree feedback. But it also became clear that much of this goes beyond dashboards—attitude, atmosphere, relationship energy. And good leadership needs both: clarity and a feel for interpersonal relationships.
How does good cooperation develop in diverse teams?
We looked at how important psychological safety is for people to share their views.
And how quickly strengths become visible when diversity is given space.
Focusing on strengths always triggers a lot of resonance. How do I recognize my own strengths—and those of others? And above all: How can this be meaningfully implemented in everyday life?
Then there was the question of hierarchy: Is positive leadership also possible at higher management levels, where power structures and politics limit the scope for action?
We quickly moved on to corporate culture and the realization that individuals can achieve a lot, but don't have to carry everything on their own.
Back to the initial question.
Yes, positive leadership can tip over. When positivity becomes mandatory. When difficult feelings have no place or everything seems watered down.
The group agreed: positive leadership is an expression of an inner attitude and not just a behavior for certain situations.
What really makes me happy every time:
In these sessions, I often meet people who have been intuitively practicing positive leadership for a long time without calling it that.
They create connections, they see strengths, they encourage others.
And when they realize that there is a theoretical framework for this, they have a little “aha” moment:
I am on the “right” track with what is important to me. It is having an effect. And I am not alone in this.
I always leave these calls feeling very positive. Because I see how much potential there is and how much appetite there is for good leadership.
