The  Positive Connections program, on the MHealthy Portal concluded on December 1. But you can still learn about five evidence-based strategies to enhance your interpersonal connections!

What are Positive Connections?

Positive connections include moments of joy, comfort, understanding, help, or kindness with another person. Positive connections can happen in a variety of ways– for example, a meaningful conversation or planned activity with another person, or a spontaneous, uplifting interaction with someone. These moments can be cultivated in both your work and personal life. 

Learn 5 Evidence-based Strategies

During the program, you'll learn effective strategies such as gratitude, strength-spotting, and acts of kindness to cultivate these positive moments. These techniques help foster joy and strengthen your relationships with partners, family members, friends, and acquaintances. Professor Jane Dutton and colleagues coined “high-quality connections” to describe brief, supportive interactions built on respect, support, trust, and play. A wealth of research supports the meaningful impact of brief positive connections with others (Stephens, Heaphy, & Dutton, 2011).

"The key to building high quality connections is to be mindful that everyday practices can make a large difference in creating interactions that build strength and capabilities for the people and groups involved. These five strategies for building connections are some of the most potent and easiest to incorporate in how we behave at work and in our lives more generally. If one takes an experimental mindset and adopts small wins with engaging these strategies, you will likely be surprised and delighted by the difference they can make." 

- Jane Dutton, Co-Founder of the Center for Positive Organizations and the Robert L. Kahn Distinguished University Emerita Professor of Business Administration and Psychology.

Gratitude

• Enhance relationships by expressing gratitude, which supports positive relationships to flourish.

• Boost joy and deeper connections by being thankful for others’ impacts in your life.

• Actionable Step: Share your gratitude with others to strengthen bonds.

• This video explains more about the benefits of gratitude in action.

Strengths-Spotting

• Recognize and appreciate the unique qualities and abilities of others.

• Enhance relationship quality by encouraging and reinforcing positive attributes.

• Actionable Step: Offer genuine compliments and encourage others to develop their strengths.

• This video explains more about the benefits of strengths-spotting in action.

Active Constructive Responding

• Foster positive relationships by responding with enthusiasm and validation to good news.

• Increase intimacy, trust, and relationship satisfaction by actively engaging and asking open-ended questions.

• Actionable Step: Actively celebrate and explore positive experiences with others.

• This video explains more about the benefits of active-constructive responding in action.

Kindness in Relationships

• Acts of kindness, whether large or small, can connect people on a deeper level.

• Kindness creates ripple effects, encouraging a more supportive community.

• Actionable Step: Engage in acts of kindness to foster community and connection.

• This video explains more about the benefits of kindness in action.

Creating Moments of Play

• Playful activities foster connection, communication, and a positive emotional environment.

• Demonstrating vulnerability through play creates safety and support in relationships.

• Actionable Step: Incorporate playful moments in interactions to support collaborative and joyful environments.

• This video explains more about the benefits of play in action.

Selected References

• Gable, S. L., Gonzaga, G. C., & Strachman, A. (2006). Will you be there for me when things go right? Supportive responses to positive event disclosures. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91(5), 904.
• Algoe, S. B. (2012). Find, remind, and bind: The functions of gratitude in everyday relationships. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 6(6), 455-469.
• Chancellor, J., Margolis, S., Jacobs Bao, K., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2018). Everyday prosociality in the workplace: The reinforcing benefits of giving, getting, and glimpsing. Emotion, 18(4), 507-517.
• Office of the Surgeon General. (2023). Our epidemic of loneliness and isolation: The US Surgeon General’s Advisory on the healing effects of social connection and community.