Bridging Positive Psychology and Jesuit Pedagogy: A Case for Implementing the Reflected Best Self Exercise in Jesuit Business Schools

This paper explores the synergy between Jesuit pedagogy and positive psychology. We argue that Jesuit Business Schools (JBSs), with their emphasis on holistic education and ethical leadership, naturally align with positive psychology principles and can be viewed as positive institutions. We propose a broad implementation of positive psychology interventions in JBSs and provide an example of how this can be achieved through the integration of the Reflected Best Self Exercise (RBSE), a developmental strengths-based intervention. We detail the theoretical foundations of RBSE and provide guidance for its integration into teaching strategic management at the undergraduate level. Based on an analysis of students’ RBSE essays, we provide evidence of positive outcomes for students, including the discovery of new strengths, the experience of positive emotions, the reassessment of past actions, and the development of forward-looking strategies, and discuss the alignment of these outcomes with Jesuit values.