What actually predicts a good life? Not IQ. In this episode of Connected Culture, organizational psychologist and CEO coach Dr. Jamie Shapiro sits down with her mentor, Dr. Stewart Donaldson, one of the founding figures in positive organizational psychology. They walk through PERMA+4 — the nine building blocks of flourishing that now hold up across about 12 countries — and why relationships consistently land among the top one or two drivers of a good life.They also get into why a single leader who isn't oriented toward these principles can devastate an entire culture, and how the energy a leader brings can now be measured in any organization. YOU'LL LEARN Why credible science of wellbeing has to start with strong measurement— The original five building blocks Martin Seligman identified— The "plus four" that rounded out the model: physical health, mindset, environment, and perceived economic security— Why relationships consistently land in the top one or two drivers of flourishing— What the "ripple effect" is, and why one leader sets the tone for an entire culture— How positive psychology emerged from a field that spent 80–90% of its focus on problems and deficits— Why a leader's energy — the kind they give or drain — can now be studied in any workplace ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Stewart I. Donaldson is one of the founding figures in positive organizational psychology, whose work has helped shape what the field understands about wellbeing and human flourishing. He is the acting director of the School of Community and Global Health (SCGH), a distinguished university professor, president of the Claremont Flourishing Center, executive director of the university's Claremont Evaluation Center (CEC), and executive director of The Evaluators' Institute (TEI). Trained in organizational psychology, statistics, and evaluation science, he brought rigorous measurement to a field many of his peers once dismissed — and helped build the evidence base behind PERMA+4, work that has since been translated and tested across roughly 12 countries. Deeply committed to improving lives through research, evaluation, and education, he continues to bridge science and practice alongside Dr. Shapiro through the Love Lab and Love Center, and mentors the next generation of researchers through the dissertations he advises. ABOUT THE HOST Dr. Jamie Shapiro is an organizational psychologist, master-certified executive coach, and the founder and CEO of Connected EC, where she coaches CEOs and executives at Fortune 500 companies. She holds a PhD in Positive Organizational Psychology from Claremont Graduate University and has coached CEOs and executive teams since 1998. A New York Times bestselling author, Jamie also writes on leadership and wellbeing for Psychology Today and Forbes. After experiencing executive burnout herself, she became committed to reshaping how leaders show up for themselves, their teams, and their organizations. Her book Brilliant: Be the Leader Who Shines Brightly Without Burning Out, and her new book, Connected Culture: The New Science for Thriving Teams and Cultures — which introduces the 5Cs model that anchors this podcast — distill that mission into practice. Learn more at connectedec.com If this episode resonated, please follow the show, leave a rating, and share it with someone you think needs to hear it. New episodes drop weekly.
