At Innova, we’ve long believed that great engineering and great organizations are not just built on technical excellence, they are built on people. As we continue to evolve and expand, we’re drawing inspiration from an unexpected but powerful source: positive psychology.
In a groundbreaking TED Talk, psychologist Martin Seligman challenges the conventional pursuit of happiness. He proposes a shift, from focusing solely on feeling good, to cultivating wellbeing through five core pillars: Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment (PERMA). It’s a powerful reminder that sustainable performance grows not just from solving problems, but from investing in what makes life and work worth doing.
In our daily practices at Innova, we see these principles in action:
- Positive Emotion when we celebrate small wins, share a laugh in tough moments, or feel proud of the impact of our work in our projects.
- Engagement when we become fully absorbed in solving complex engineering challenges.
- Relationships when trust, respect, and collaboration thrive across offices, borders, and time zones, because good engineering is always a team effort.
- Meaning when we contribute to projects and proactively create successful teams.
- Accomplishment when we see tangible results, knowing we were part of building something lasting.
Seligman’s research is a call to action: Wellbeing is not just personal, it’s organizational. And it’s something we can build intentionally, by asking better questions. Not just “What’s broken?” but “What’s strong?” “What engages you?” “Where do you find purpose in your work?”
This philosophy aligns with our commitment to blameless problem-solving, where challenges are met with curiosity and improvement, not finger-pointing. By cultivating a culture grounded in trust, growth, and purpose, we aim to support not just performance, but resilience, innovation, and personal fulfillment.
As we practice engineering, we design the future of our company and how we work together. Let’s continue building a culture that empowers every team member to thrive—not only as professionals, but as whole human beings.
To explore this idea further, listen to Martin Seligman: The New Era of Positive Psychology | TED Talk
Carlos & The Innova Team