Second wave positive psychology coaching difficult emotions: Introducing the mnemonic of 'TEARS HOPE'

Abstract Although the Positive Psychology (PP) approach has only recently established itself as a specialism within coaching, there is already a fresh perspective beginning to take shape within the field. This second wave (Held, 2004, Lomas & Ivtzan, 2016) or PP2.0 (Wong, 2011) calls for us to embrace the dark sides along with the bright sides and to integrate the challenging and difficult aspects of human experience into our understanding of wellbeing and flourishing. The author welcomes this second wave (PP2), making an appeal for PP coaches to embrace the ‘bad’ along with the ‘good’. The current article recognises that PP2’s emphasis on the coexistence, compatibility and contextual nature of emotions can be extrapolated to carefully considered techniques used within coaching conversations. The variety of possible coaching approaches is summarised and discussed by introducing the acronym TEARS HOPE as a mnemonic and model for PP2 coaching with difficult emotions

Embracing the ‘Bad’ along with the ‘Good’ as Part of a Positive Psychology Coaching Dialogue

The application of approaches to coaching that embrace the ethos of positive psychology are flourishing, with solution-focus (Cavanagh & Grant, 2014) and appreciative inquiry approaches (Orem, Binkert & Clancy, 2011) offering the means by which coaches can support positive change through adopting a focus on strengths, competences and achievements and moving away from deficit discourse. Whilst these approaches can be transformational, their success depends upon the coaches’ ability to adopt flexibility within their chosen models. In particular, the way of being a positive psychology coach involves appreciating with honesty, empathy and care the frame of reference of the coachee even when they harbour difficult experiences and the language of problems rather than those of hope and possibility

Coaching Psychology from a Second Wave Positive Psychology Perspective with Strengthsbased Appreciative Coaching for Leaders.

A central feature of positive psychology coaching is identifying and developing individual strengths (Linley, Woolston & Biswas-Diener, 2009; Peterson & Seligman, 2004; Snyder & Lopez, 2009). Although positive psychology coaching (PPC) has been shown to improve management effectiveness (Evers, Brouwers & Tomic, 2006) and productivity (Olivero, Bane & Kopelman, 1997) as well as increasing flourishing (Grant, 2007), limitations of PPC have been an avoidance of the ‘dark sides’ of people which have been shown to impede healthy interpersonal relationships, learning and growth (Nelson & Hogan, 2009). There is also evidence that leaders may already be playing to their strengths in excess to the detriment of their team, with these ‘lopsided’ leaders being at risk of derailing rather than bringing positive outcomes (Kaiser & Overfield, 2011). Thus, leaders in senior positions may need to learn to identify risks in overplaying their strengths, regulate them and even downplay them in certain situations

Do the big-five personality traits predict empathic listening and assertive communication?

As personality traits can influence important social outcomes, the current research investigated whether the Big-Five had predictive influences on communication competences of active-empathic listening (AEL) and assertiveness. A sample of 245 adults of various ages completed the self-report scales. Both Agreeableness and Openness uniquely predicted AEL. Extraversion had the biggest influence onassertiveness but did not uniquely explain AEL variance. Conscientiousness and Neuroticism had small predictive influences on assertiveness. Further investigation into the pathways linking Big-Five facets to the different components of these communication competences is proposed and practical implications including understanding personality traits for successful leadership is discussed

Self-regulation coaching to alleviate student procrastination: Addressing the likeability of studying behaviours

Students who habitually procrastinate may be at risk of underachieving academically as well as putting their health and well-being in jeopardy. The current review of research on procrastination leads to the identification of four broad task likeability factors as encapsulating a range of procrastination patterns. These are: (1) perceived low level of task enjoyment; (2) anticipation of aversive outcomes; (3) estimated inability to do the task; and (4) competing attractiveness of alternative tasks. Each of these low task likeability factors can lead to procrastination when accompanied by particular self-regulation shortcomings, identified respectively as intrinsic/extrinsic motivation, anxieties of performance evaluation, low self-efficacy of performance and weak attentional control of distracters. A self-regulation coaching framework is proposed as a comprehensive way to address academic procrastination. After identifying the low task likeability areas that are involved when faced with an assignment, student coachees can be facilitated to raise self-awareness and develop necessary self-regulation strategies to alleviate their procrastination patterns. The practical implications of this coaching approach are potentially vast. Therefore, further research to evaluate its efficacy is recommended as the next step towards this endeavou

The effect of student leadership roles and behaviours on motivation and well-being.

The aim of this research is to investigate student leadership in secondary school and examine its relationship to self-determination, hope and wellbeing. We are interested in the academic motivation, hope (defined as willpower and waypower thinking) and well-being of students in relation to their perceptions of their own leadership behaviours. This quantitative study involved 247 pupils between ages 13 and 18 years (year 9 to 11 cohorts). There was also a comparison made between students holding positions of office and students who do not currently hold an official role within the School

Pupils as leaders - It is not all about wearing a badge

How can we help our youth to develop their leadership skills and behaviours? When pupils are given leadership roles in school they mature quicker. Yet, pupils perceive leadership as a relational process rather than solely involving someone in a formal badge-wearing position. To explore pupil leadership perceptions and its relationship to wellbeing and hope, sense of school membership and academic self-regulation, a research study was conducted at Sevenoaks School by Dr. Ceri Sims (Chartered Psychologist, Buckinghamshire New University) and Paul Thompson (Head of Geography, Sevenoaks School, Kent - pictured). The survey was completed by just under 250 pupils

5th Annual Applied Positive Psychology Symposium

The annual Applied Positive Psychology Symposium dates back to the inaugural symposium held in May 2015, designed as an opportunity for the first cohort of graduates of the MSc Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) at Bucks to present their completed dissertation work to a wider audience, and prepare papers for the symposium’s Proceedings. Since then, the symposium has grown considerably in scope, aiming to build a community of education and new research in the fast-growing field of applied positive psychology, from across the UK and now Ireland as well. MAPP programmes can currently be found in the UK at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), Buckinghamshire New University (Bucks), and the University of East London (UEL). Other universities also offer some positive psychology courses as part of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. This Proceedings represents the contributions of students, graduates, and staff of many of these programmes to the 5th Applied Positive Psychology Symposium held on Saturday 1st June 2019 at the Buckinghamshire New University High Wycombe campus. This symposium has proved a real success and has only grown in popularity, scope, and engagement each year, with ever more contributions from other MAPP and university positive psychology programmes. We were delighted to be able to return for a fifth year which was our largest event yet, necessitating parallel sessions for the first time, to accommodate a full programme of talks, quickfire ‘flash’ presentations, practical workshops, a video presentation, poster presentations, and even a brief magic show(!), and attracting an audience of 80+. This year we welcomed a number of students from UEL and for the first time University College Cork, Ireland, to present their work, as well as Goldsmiths London, and staff from the University of Buckingham, alongside many Bucks MAPP students and returning graduates. The applied nature of the MAPP courses emphasises using evidence-based practices to actively improve lives and institutions, and MAPP students are at the forefront of this relatively new discipline, contributing innovative and important research, solutions, and products. We hope you enjoy this year’s exciting offerings in this Proceedings