 Best resource for positive psychology and coaching |
| Review Date: September 11, 2007 |
| Reviewer: P. A. Linley, Coventry, UK |
Until this book, there was not an accessible source to which the coaching psychologist with an interest in applying positive psychology in their coaching practice can readily turn. And what might coaching psychologists be looking for in a book that purports to do this? An understanding of the scientific backbone of positive psychology? Ready applications to coaching psychology practice? Top tips and recommendations for applying positive psychology in the coaching psychology engagement to leverage strengths, enhance well-being, and drive performance? Or all of the above?
The coaching psychology community is fortunate to count Robert Biswas-Diener and Ben Dean amongst its numbers. For not only have they created and delivered a book that ticks all of these boxes, they have done so in a way that makes it a joy to read and an education in itself. They are uniquely qualified to do so. Robert has literally traveled to the furthest corners of the globe in his quest to understand subjective well-being and character strengths across hugely diverse cultures, including Greenland (where he worked with traditional hunters), Calcutta (where he worked with prostitutes), Israel (where he studied empathy in the West Bank), Kenya (where he worked with Maasai tribal people), and the American heartland (where he worked with the Amish). Ben developed and delivered the hugely successful Authentic Happiness Coaching program with positive psychology founder Martin E. P. Seligman, as well as running his own coach training organisation, MentorCoach, for over a decade. Their combined experience, expertise, and insight are apparent throughout the book.
Positive Psychology Coaching begins by taking a look at the coaching paradox (coaching has not yet reached its own full potential, despite helping others to achieve theirs) and the positive psychology solution (positive psychology can provide more of the theoretical, empirical, and conceptual maps that it is argued coaching needs to achieve its potential). It then explores happiness, positioning it as the goal that we rarely talk about but the pursuit of which we all engage in. The next two sections examine the two major foundations of positive psychology coaching: happiness and character strengths. Chapters three and four examine the core factors that influence happiness, as well as what we can do to cultivate them more, before considering specific tried-and-tested happiness interventions that readily lend themselves to the coaching psychology engagement. Chapters five, six and seven examine the application and use of strengths within coaching, dividing the focus between social strengths (fairness, social intelligence) and personal strengths (curiosity, optimism, creativity). The closing two chapters dive down into focusing on how coaches can help clients craft a perfect job before taking a bird's eye view of what the future of positive psychology coaching might hold.
Throughout, the book is replete with gems and insights that any coaching psychologist could use on any day of the week in any coaching psychology assignment. One of my favourites is reframing the family / work / exercise trade-off (i.e., I find it difficult to exercise because it takes time out of being with family or being at work) to a family / work / health trade-off (i.e., exercise enhances health, and health means we are better with our families and at work), making them complementary rather than competitive. On a personal level, that one really worked for me!
Positive Psychology Coaching is also seeded with the experiences and perspectives of positive psychology authorities from around the world, with the authors selecting key quotes from interviews conducted with these people to enhance the reader's understanding of what positive psychology coaching is all about and why it works. And periodically throughout, we are offered boxed review points for easy reference, and top tips for applications in our coaching work. This makes the book a valuable quick reference resource while preparing for a coaching session, as much as a volume to be read through. The appendix sets out a variety of ideas and offerings that can be tailored to individual coaching psychologists' needs and preferences for designing and delivering positive psychology coaching sessions, including strengths-based conversations, appreciative questioning, and the use of positive psychology assessments.
While ten positive psychologists would likely provide ten different answers as to what should be included in a consideration of positive psychology and coaching psychology, it would be churlish to criticise the book on these grounds. It doesn't include a section on flow, but it does address time orientation. It doesn't examine wisdom, but it does explore savouring. What is most important though, is how Biswas-Diener and Dean weave such a smooth narrative from the first page to the last. When starting reading, one is left feeling as if you are joining Robert on one of his famous journeys, and by the conclusion we not only arrive where we set out to be, but we have seen some fantastic things - and learned some important lessons - along the way. Positive Psychology Coaching is simply the best resource for coaching psychologists who want to introduce more of the positive into their practice. This review was published in the International Coaching Psychology Review (March 2007).
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A Wonderful Resource for Coaches Serious about Happiness
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| Review Date: August 16, 2007 |
| Reviewer: James O. Pawelski, |
As the Director of the inaugural degree program in positive psychology--the Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) program at the University of Pennsylvania--I spend a lot of time thinking about how to disseminate positive psychology research findings in an effective and responsible way. While research has supported the remarkable effectiveness of simple positive psychology interventions, it is crucial that coaches and other practitioners understand the theory and science of positive psychology in order to maximize their effectiveness with clients.
I am grateful to Robert Biswas-Diener and Ben Dean for providing such an outstanding resource introducing coaches to the theory and science of positive psychology. These authors have an amazing command of the positive psychology literature and present it in a way that is quite valuable for serious coaches who are looking for a deeper understanding of positive psychology and its promise for coaching. While this book is very well written and easy to read, it was not intended to be read on the fly. Just as there is no royal road to happiness, so there is no royal road to understanding happiness research. While the book is full of great tips and suggestions for coaches, it is not intended to be an instruction manual. The authors have too great of a respect for the intelligence and creativity of their readers for that.
If you're looking for an accessible, intelligent, compelling introduction to positive psychology coaching--one that will give you an outstanding base from which to launch or transform your own practice--I highly recommend this book. |
Great Resource
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| Review Date: July 31, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Betsy Landau, |
*Places positive psychology within a needed historical perspective.
*Provides a new theoretical perspective, including a strength based approach
*Many useful interventions
*Addresses positive psychology in the workplace as a special and important topic
*Helpful summaries at the end of chapters
*Easily usable for the professional as well as the educated lay person
*Excellent resource for the practitioner and researcher |
The Best Review of Positive Psychology Coaching To Date
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| Review Date: August 14, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Michael B. Frisch, Waco, TX USA |
This is the clearest and most useful review of and guide to positive psychology assessment and intervention that I am aware of. While very critical and direct with a "just the facts, ma'am/mister" style, these authors are actually enjoyable to read. What a rarity! Biswas-Diener and Dean review the literature and identify empirically validated interventions. They also share countless ways to implement research findings in coaching sessions. I love how this book organizes the field into easy to understand broad categories. For example, those of us who are befuddled by the myriad positive psychology interventions out there will love to see interventions broken down into happiness and character strength interventions. It is fascinating to read how happier people really are more satisfied and productive at home and work. "Chronic happiness" is also associated with numerous health benefits, including greater longevity. What many do not understand is that even the happiest among us get dysphoric when thwarted in goal striving. Few also are aware of how positive psychology can easily be integrated with most any other approach to coaching or therapy without debasing either approach. These authors make these points and many, many more. Michael B. Frisch, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology at Baylor University and founder of Quality of Life Therapy and Coaching [...]
Quality of Life Therapy: Applying a Life Satisfaction Approach to Positive Psychology and Cognitive Therapy |
A very helpful guide for coaches and mental health professionals
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| Review Date: September 1, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Sergio Baroni, San Rafael, CA |
| This is a terrific tool for anyone who wants clear, practical ways to create more happiness in their own life and is coaching others to do the same. As a life coach and psychotherapist I really appreciate how the information presented and its applicability to my work. I love the way the authors have taken so many of the compelling and salient findings from the field of positive psychology and translated them into effective techniques and applications for coaches. This sure has made my job easier. I like being able to draw from recent scientific evidence when formulating interventions with clients. Using this book, I am showing my clients how to practice happiness on a daily basis and how to relate every choice they make to the growth of their happiness, rather than what detracts from it. I highly recommend it. |
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