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To readers of the popular press, the words ‘positive psychology’ may conjure up images of happiness gurus and people having their feet massaged, their heads resting peacefully on pink, fluffy clouds. But in this article, our aim is to demonstrate how the new science of positive psychology speaks powerfully to ‐ and has much to contribute to ‐ the development of leadership and the practices and processes of organisations, whether in the public or private sectors. Much of our work is concerned with the applications of this new field, and particularly with building strengths‐based organisations. A key pillar of this work is around enabling strengths‐based leadership, and provides our focus for this article.

This article sets out to highlight some of the positive outcomes in the development of rising female leaders. Latest research shows that organizations and women need to be aware of the challenges hindering the realization of female talent. The article provides an overview of how the strengths approach can help address these challenges through its integration into future female leader development programs. It also presents a pilot case study of strengths‐based development from Thomson Reuters, the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals.

Thomson Reuters explored using the Centre for Applied Positive Psychology's (Capp) 3S‐P model of talent development in relation to the development of female leaders. The 3S‐P model looks at the effect that working on strengths, strategy and situation has on performance. As part of this exploration, Capp's 4M model of strengths development was also used in a coaching and development environment to help delegates align their strengths to their organizational objectives.

The pilot, which was targeted at emerging female future leaders, showed that the strengths‐based “Women in Leadership” program at Thomson Reuters was just as effective for delegates who received the program face‐to‐face as those who received the training virtually, and demonstrated that strengths awareness had an impact on their capacity to deliver their goals and ability to influence.

Strengths‐based emerging female leadership development provides an effective and reliable methodology for developing talent at this level and helps ensure that future female leaders can align their unique strengths profile to their goals and career aspirations.

Thomson Reuters is the first organization to take an explicit strengths‐based approach to the development of its rising female leaders. It is also one of the few organizations to maximize the use of virtual technology in order to develop women at this level in locations around the world. This approach is consistent with the organization's commitment to developing future leaders who demonstrate global mind set and embrace technology to effectively communicate and influence virtually.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an interview with Nicky Garcea, Chartered Occupational Psychologist and Consulting Director of the Centre of Applied Positive Psychology (CAPP ).

This briefing is prepared by an independent interviewer.

Nicky is involved in taking a whole system approach to business issues, working with the CAPP team to develop approaches to a variety of projects, including strengths‐based role profiling, assessment center design, and manager and leadership development. Her particular areas of expertise include strengths‐based selection and recruitment, leadership development and performance management. She is experienced in using positive psychology in the workplace.

The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations.

The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that can have a broader social impact.

The paper provides useful insights into the use of positive psychology in the workplace, with a view to benefiting staff.

This paper sets out to draw comparisons and make linkages between strengths and competency methodologies. Whereas some authors have seen the strengths approach as a revolution in human resources (HR), the authors of this paper see it more as a natural evolution. The paper aims to overview the strengths approach as well as presenting a case study of strengths‐based graduate recruitment from the Big Four professional services firm, Ernst & Young.

The strengths‐based approach to recruitment is described in general, and the particular approach taken to graduate recruitment at Ernst & Young is outlined. Rather than assessing for generic competencies, strengths‐based recruitment seeks to identify the natural strengths of individuals that are aligned to the role for which they are applying. Assessors are trained to look for energy and authenticity, together with evidence of high performance of the strength.

The strengths‐based graduate recruitment project at Ernst & Young delivered a 15 percent increase in the number of candidates de‐selected at first interview, together with a 12 percent increase in the number of candidates appointed following assessment center, compared with the previous competency approach.

Strengths‐based graduate recruitment provides a robust and reliable methodology for attracting, selecting and appointing the best candidates for the role. It delivers a better candidate experience and builds a more positive and differentiated employer brand.

Ernst & Young is one of the first UK organizations to use strengths‐based graduate recruitment systematically in this way The strengths methodology not only supports its interviewing and assessment centers, but also is used throughout its campus events and through attraction and candidate engagement with an online strengths tool developed and managed by Capp.

The purpose of this article is to set out the ways in which pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim embedded a strengths-based approach to the assessment and development of field-based staff during a period of structural and culture change. It provides an overview of how strengths-based methodologies were implemented and embedded through this period. It offers a case study example of how Capp partnered with Boehringer Ingelheim to deliver and cascade its assessment and development solutions. It also provides early evaluation data.

Boehringer Ingelheim introduced strengths through recruitment and development. It built on Capp's strengths methodology and Realise2 tool and model. To aid implementation, cross functional teams were also set up to cascade knowledge and skills across the organizational system.

The initial findings from this program include quantitative and qualitative data from candidates and assessors demonstrating their positive perception of the assessment and development process.

This article provides case study material, client learning and tips for how other organizations could introduce strengths-based solutions into similar culture change, team and personal development projects.

Boehringer Ingelheim is one of the first UK based organizations explicitly to take a strengths-based approach to aid culture change.

Early career recruiters are increasingly focused on finding hidden talent and empowering social mobility, while also managing the reality of large recruitment volumes. A new approach to early careers recruitment solved both of these conflicting challenges.

Using a combination of assessment insights, data analytics and strengths-based recruitment, the Nestlé early careers recruitment process was redesigned. Jobmi mindset assessments, the Capp Situational Strengths Test and the Capp Numerical Reasoning Test were used as online assessments, followed by a strengths-based video interview and strengths-based assessment centres.

Nestlé identified and hired candidates of whom 21 per cent would not have met the previous screening criteria, demonstrating how the new recruitment approach found hidden talent.

Making decisions from assessment insights and data analytics shows that it is possible for volume recruiters to manage, enhance and improve their recruitment processes without need for recourse to arbitrary screening criteria to manage volumes.

Finding hidden talent and empowering social mobility widen opportunity for all people, particularly those from diverse backgrounds. It allows the identification and recruitment of people who demonstrate grit, resolve and tenacity, who might otherwise have been excluded by arbitrary recruitment barriers.

The article concludes with five best practice recommendations for finding hidden talent and promoting social mobility: do not use arbitrary screening criteria; make decisions from assessment insights and data analytics; guard against adverse impact; measure for future potential, not just past experience; and give candidates second chances by being part of a job-matching marketplace.

This article explores how strengths-based recruitment is enabling graduate recruiters to engage, attract and select the best talent. Drawing from the example of major graduate recruiter, Ernst & Young, it shows how strengths assessment can be used at each stage of the recruitment and selection process.

Strengths-based recruitment is focused on assessing candidates in relation to their performance and motivation. It identifies what people do well and enjoy doing, relative to the requirements and job-fit of the prospective employer. Strengths are also assessed online as part of a front-end screening process through the situational strengths test. This assesses the strengths candidates have, together with how they would use those strengths in a range of scenarios and situations they would be likely to experience in the role.

Strengths-based recruitment and the Situational Strengths Test engage candidates by providing them with a realistic job preview of the role. They help candidates to make informed decisions about their own fit with the role. They help organizations to select the candidates who match their requirements more effectively from those who do not, delivering better outcomes for candidates and employers.

Strengths-based recruitment is an engaging recruitment approach that appeals to the Generation Y of current graduates who are focused on the opportunity to use their strengths at work. Ernst & Young has seen improved candidate experience, enhanced business engagement, and better selection outcomes through its use of strengths-based recruitment.