What is positive psychology? What is coaching psychology? How are the two used in workplaces to improve performance and wellbeing and help individuals to flourish? Positive and coaching psychologist Ellen Jackson outlines contemporary research and case studies. Key outcomes of this session include: A basic understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of positive and coaching psychology Insight into current practice in positive and coaching psychology Insight into psychology-based workplace wellbeing programs

1. Positive & Coaching
Psychology
In Practice

2. Positive Psychology
“The scientific study of optimal human
functioning. It aims to discover and promote
the factors that allow individuals and
communities to thrive.”
- Martin Seligman

3. Fourth wave of psychology
1. Disease - Freud - 1850s
2. Behaviorism - Skinner - 1920s
3. Humanistic - Maslow - 1950s
4. Positive - Seligman - 2000s

4. “The science of psychology has been far more
successful on the negative than on the positive side; it
has revealed to us much about man’s shortcomings, his
illnesses, his sins, but little about his potentialities, his
virtues, his achievable aspirations, or his full
psychological height. It is as if psychology had
voluntarily restricted itself to only half its rightful
jurisdiction, and that the darker, meaner half”
(Maslow, 1954, p. 354).

5. Between 1887 and 2001, for every 21 research
studies related to a ‘negative’ topic in psychology
there was only one related to a positive aspect of
life.
Fun fact!

7. Positive institutions
● Positive Education
● Positive Workplaces
○ Positive Organisational Scholarship
● Positive Communities
○ Action for Happiness

8. Leading lights and theoretical underpinnings
● Bandura - Self efficacy
● Clifton - Strengths
● Seligman & Petersen - Character Strengths
● Csikszentmihalyi - Flow
● Deci & Ryan - Self Determination Theory
● Diener - Subjective Wellbeing
● Fredrickson - Broaden & Build Effect
● Snyder - Hope

9. Models
● PERMA
○ Positive Emotion
○ Engagement
○ Relationships
○ Meaning
○ Accomplishment

10. ● Psychological Capital (HERO)
○ Hope
○ Efficacy
○ Resilience
○ Optimism
● Overlap with Mindfulness, ACT

11. Geelong Grammar’s Pos Ed Model

12. Interventions
● Gratitude
● Forgiveness
● Savouring
● Strengths
● Meaning-oriented
● Empathy-related
● Creativity
● Patience
● Courage
● Humour
● Engagement and Flow
● Mindfulness
● Wisdom
● Resilience
● Life Satisfaction

13. Coaching Psychology
“Coaching psychology can be understood as the
systematic application of behavioural science to the
enhancement of life experience, work performance
and well-being for individuals, groups and
organisations who do not have clinically significant
mental health issues or abnormal levels of distress.”
Grant, 2006.

14. Audience
Individuals
Teams
Leaders

15. The steps are:
1. Problem identification
2. Goal selection
3. Generation of alternatives
4. Consideration of consequences
5. Decision making
6. Implementation
7. Evaluation
(Wasik, 1984)

16. Goal setting theory
Motivation theory
Change
Systems theory
Organisational Development
Individual Difference
Psychometrics
Counselling/Therapy - BSFT, CBT
Positive Psychology
Self compassion
Informed by:

17. Coaching models
GROW
● Goal, Reality, Options, Wrap Up
[Homework]
POSITIVE
ACHIEVE
ABCDE - Ellis
● Activating Event, Belief,
Consequence, Dispute, Effect
New Approach

18. Resources:
Top Pos Psych TED talks – includes Seligman, Shawn Achor, Angela Duckworth, Lea Waters (from Melb Uni)
Positive Psychology Program web site
International Positive Psychology Association
VIA Strengths Survey
The Psychology Podcast
Greater Good Web site (http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/)
Centre for Positive Psychology – Melbourne Graduate School of Education (Melb Uni)
Books:
Seligman
Learned Optimism
Authentic Happiness
Flourish
The Hope Circuit
Chris Peterson – Pursuing the Good Life
Carol Dweck – Mindset
Brene Brown – Daring Greatly

19. Questions?

20. Gratuitous Self Promotion

21. Commerce Ballarat 9 May
9.00 - 11.30am

22. Podcast!