RESEARCH
By Dr Carmelina Lawton-Smith
Positive psychology is now a popular topic in coaching, with many publications demonstrating the value of positive interventions (Driver, 2011; Boniwell et al, 2014).
The key idea put forward by this approach is that psychology has spent too long studying individuals who are unwell, to try to draw lessons about the human condition. We now need to study those who are thriving and flourishing to define the conditions for optimal functioning. Then we can use that knowledge to create interventions and tools to help others.
This focus on optimal functioning demonstrates clear synergy with coaching and has made it a topic of interest to many coaches.
The aim of this article is to highlight some of the research in support of positive approaches in coaching, but also its potential drawbacks. It will cover three areas: the availability of data, intervention engagement and the focus on positive experiences.
Scientific approach
“At the core of positive psychology coaching is a belief in the power of science to elucidate the best approaches for positively transforming clients’ lives” (Boniwell et al, 2014, p157).
This focus on the scientific method has generated many studies that show the impact of interventions and provide data to prove the case. While this data can be valuable, it is often taken too much at face value, with little scrutiny of the potential implications for coaching practice. For example, Lyubomirsky et al. (2005) found that those instructed to contemplate each day “the things for which they are grateful” did show an increase in happiness, but only if the activity was done once a week. If the activity was done three or more times a week, levels of happiness decreased.
As coaches, how can we stop our clients thinking such thoughts more often than is prescribed? It’s very hard to introduce a thinking task and then tell clients not to think about it on certain days of the week!
Other data highlights that measuring emotions, such as happiness, at a single point in time, often with no more than seven self-report questions, causes an “emotion measurement problem” (Lazarus, 2003), raising questions about how much weight can be given to such data. Out of context, the data can also be misinterpreted and be used to infer an outcome that may not be justified. Coaches must therefore fully understand what the data is able to tell us and what it is based on.
A more selective way
Many of these interventions do seem to align well with coaching though. One example is the ‘Best Self’ exercise (Sheldon & Lyubomirsky, 2006). In this activity individuals are asked to imagine their “best possible self in the future”, assuming everything has turned out as well as possible, and then to continue this activity over a period of four weeks.
This exercise was found to produce immediate, positive emotions, although it had to be maintained in order to continue to have an influence.
Despite the strong evidence base, clients do not always respond well to the introduction of such tools. This may be explained partly by the notion of ‘fit’ (Lyubomirsky et al, 2005). In other words, some tools only work well for some individuals. Coaches may therefore need to be selective in how they apply such approaches.
However, engagement is often also affected by how positive psychology has been portrayed in the media. Positive psychology has been the subject of ridicule and this, plus the plethora of self-help literature, has left it with a poor image that is hard to shake off.
Also, the often sugary language used, such as ‘gratitude visits’, means that many in the organisational sector find it hard to engage with its stipulated activities.
This raises the danger that interventions are being adapted to make them more acceptable and appropriate, but at the same time, invalidating the data that proved the efficacy of the original tool.
Coaches using such tools need to be mindful of the potential issues and to find effective ways to maximise the value of the tools and techniques, to avoid potential resistance.
Positive psychology also carries a significant health warning around awareness of time and place. Coaches should be aware that an individual who has just received some very bad news may need time to offload and experience sadness, loss or anger. Coaches who cheerily announce their intention to create a positive focus for the conversation may find the working relationship and rapport seriously tested!
Beware assumptions
Despite these reactions, many coaches use the principles of positive psychology successfully to create a positive focus for conversations.
It has been shown that sharing positive events can enhance well-being (Gable et al, 2004). Focusing on successes or achievements, therefore, can be a valuable coaching approach.
Positive psychology does provide some valuable ideas that merit further investigation in the coaching context and the evidence base is building in this respect.
However we should beware of assuming that it offers a complete philosophy that can be transplanted into the coaching profession. New paradigms can be seductive, but they are not always infallible.
Dr Carmelina Lawton Smith is an independent coach and senior lecturer on the MA Coaching and Mentoring Practice at Oxford Brookes University Business School. Contact: clawton-smith@brookes.ac.uk
References/Bibliography
I Boniwell, C Kauffman and J Silberman, ‘The positive psychology approach to coaching’, ch 11, In Cox, E, Bachkirova, T & Clutterbuck, D (Eds), The Complete Handbook of Coaching, 2nd Ed, London: Sage, 2014
M Driver, Coaching Positive: Lessons For Coaches From Positive Psychology, Maidenhead: OUP, 2011
S Gable, H Reis, E Impetti and E Asher, ‘What do you do when things go right? The interpersonal benefits of sharing positive events’, In Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 87, 228-245, 2004
S Lyubomirsky, K Sheldon and D Schkade, ‘Pursuing happiness: The architecture of sustainable change’, In Review of General Psychology, 9(2), pp111-131, 2005
R Lazarus, ‘Does the positive psychology movement have legs?’, In Psychological Inquiry, 14(2), pp93-109, pp2003
K Sheldon and S Lyubomirsky, ‘How to increase and sustain positive emotion’, In The Journal of Positive Psychology, 1(2), pp73-82, 2006