Our mission is to deliver exceptional training to optimise wellbeing, performance and leadership capacity.
Grounded in research from the fields of positive psychology, positive education, neuroscience, positive organisational practices, mindfulness, and positive leadership, our training provides participants with comprehensive coverage of the key theories, concepts and strategies embraced by the most engaged and resilient individuals, the most positive and productive teams, and the most sustainably purposeful organisations.
Positive Difference was founded by Robert Ritchie, a highly experienced and innovative educator, academic and wellbeing leader, public speaker, and workshop facilitator.
Rob holds a Master of Education degree, a Bachelor of Education, a Bachelor of Arts with Honours, and a Diploma of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing. He is also an accredited practitioner of CAPP's Strengths Profile.
As a member of the Wellbeing Team at The Southport School, Rob prepared and presented a school-based Certificate of Positive Psychology to the whole school teaching and corporate staff throughout 2015 and 2016. For his contribution to sustainably embedding Positive Psychology into the culture of The Southport School, and for his other leadership contributions, Rob was nominated by the school for the 2016 Queensland College of Teachers' Excellent Leadership in Teaching and Learning Award.
In 2017, Rob worked as a sessional lecturer and tutor at Griffith University's School of Education and Professional Practice and convened the Internship Program at the Gold Coast campus.
Since 2017, Rob has devoted his full time to Positive Difference. He offers two signature short courses - the Short Course in Applied Positive Psychology and the Short Course in Positive Leadership. Each course is conducted face-to-face in small groups over two days in premium hotel venues, with our current offerings posted on our Calendar webpage. In adapting to the demands of living with the COVID-19 pandemic, and with the aim of reaching a wider audience, Rob now also offers these signature courses virtually through Microsoft Teams.
As master trainer for Positive Difference, Rob's depth of knowledge of the research base and dynamic presentation skills have been in demand in a range of different settings – for example, to upskill Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander aspiring leaders on behalf of the Queensland Education Leadership Institute (QELi); to deliver Positive Leadership training to businesses in Central Queensland in partnership with Capricorn Enterprise; to facilitate the Parent Workshop complementing the Junior Leader Program of Veteran Mentors; and to serve as a keynote speaker via Zoom at the 2021 New Zealand Teaching and Rural Principals' Conference in New Plymouth.
Keen to contribute with rigour to the research base in Strengths-based Positive Education, Rob now also works with a growing number of schools to embed the language of Character Strengths (Peterson and Seligman, 2004) into the professional practice of classroom teachers and support staff, and across school processes such as behaviour management and restorative practices, semester reporting, student leadership, school camps, award ceremonies, and more. Rob welcomes approach from school leaders working in complex environments who seek an affordable, sustainable, strengths-based approach to Wellbeing and Engagement that makes a significant difference to both staff and student morale and relationships, importantly without intensifying staff workload.
Serving teams across the education, health, corporate and government sectors, Rob looks forward to receiving your enquiries to prepare and deliver highly engaging professional development experiences tailored to your strategic priorities to grow the wellbeing, performance and leadership capacity of your people.