Coaching Positively: Lessons for Coaches from Positive Psychology

Book excerpt: "Coaching Positively is the book that the coaching profession needed. The growing positive psychology evidence base has a multitude of applications to coaching, and Matt Driver shows us exactly how in this superb book. Blending narrative case examples with masterly insights from the empirical literature, Driver provides a roadmap that will help any coach become masterfully effective in applying the lessons of positive psychology in their coaching. Coaching Positively shares theoretical insights combined with a wealth of practical examples, activities and exercises that any coach can start using immediately. The result is a golden resource for coaches looking for the missing ingredient that enables them to help their clients achieve their goals – and keep achieving them. If you’re a coach who wants your clients to succeed, this is the book that will help you ensure they do." Alex Linley, Founding Director, Capp, www.cappeu.com Author, The Strengths Book: Be Confident, Be Successful and Enjoy Better Relationships by Realising the Best of You "Driver has a writing style that is easy to read and adsorb. He provides a breadth of information together with practical examples and resources such as questions a positive coach might typically ask and is therefore a valuable resource; no mean achievement in only 141 pages." Kevin Chamberlain, Member of the Association for Coaching, UK "Coaching Positively is a cauldron of evidence-based research and personal experiences of how contemporary coaches can implement the latest practices. The author uses his experiences, and those from his panel, to link positive psychology and related disciplines to coaching. He covers a wide range of topics from individual needs through to leadership and all the way to organisational coaching from both practitioners and clients perspective. He also injects humour to let the coaches know they are human." Yvonne Thackray, The Good Coach Coaching is a positive practice which focuses on building people's resourcefulness and positive beliefs about themselves. Recent research into positive psychology supports and builds upon current coaching practice and also refines it. This straightforward, practical book brings together: Substantial psychological research The author's experience of coaching and the practice of many other coaches Examples from coaching clients that shows what has worked best for them The importance of relationships, autonomy and achievement in the coaching process Like many other coaches, managers and consultants, Matt Driver has found this relatively new field to be inspiring and to offer practical insights into his work. It is proving to be of enormous value to people who are interested in what works rather than what does not and who aim to fulfil themselves by developing their natural strengths. Whether you are a coach or a line manager, learning the skills or commissioning coaching for others, you will find this book adds to your knowledge of current practice and gives you a range of practical tools and techniques that will have an immediate impact.