An international conference like #ECPP2014 offers an abundance of possibilities to get acquainted with a subject, like positive psychology. Every day we could choose from lots of workshops, paper sessions and symposia. Richard and I coordinated our programs, to learn as much as we could. Every break we told each other what we saw and heard. Already at the first break I found him with radiating eyes and a smile from ear to ear, eager to tell what he experienced. He attended the workshop of Edite Amorim from THINKING-BIG on ‘Positive Leadership, changing leaders from within.’

His first words were: ‘It was a workshop, so we worked! We walked and talked and got connected. Edite has so much energy, she energizes her whole audience.’

In Edites vision, powerful teams show 5 characteristics:

1. Empathy and attention to colleagues
2. Powerful communication (active listening, information flowing)
3. Commitment to the goal
4. Feeling of belonging & meaning
5. Continuous improvement of goals & methods

She illustrated her vision with the story of a young Swedish couple that started a restaurant that has many volunteer-chefs. They all come to learn leadership from the chef and owner. And like this chef-leader, throughout the workshop Edite let the attendants see, hear, feel and almost smell these characteristics with simple but joyful tasks. Of course I won’t reveal those tasks, you just have to come to experience her workshop your selves. But at http://www.thinking-big.com/about.html you can peak and see the slides.

One great point of view of Edite I like to share with you, because so many organizations still try to shove their employees in sets of competences or job requirements, instead of looking at the qualities their employees already have: Everybody starts on his or her own level. There is no good, better or worse: this is your level and from that level you can improve. You are good as you are, challenge yourself to become even better!

Somewhere during the #ECPP2014 we exchanged business cards and Edite got my card with ‘Miracles’, the only card that fits her!

Here you find a video from Edite Amorim, explaining the BIG THINKING concept.