5 Favorite Positive Psychology Books for Business Leaders
As my blog and newsletter readers know, I read and enjoy a lot of books each year! I am always looking to learn new skills and ways to keep growing my business, Sarah Scala Consulting. Here are my 5 favorite books on positive psychology. These are excellent reads for Coaches, HR leaders, CEOs and Business Managers — anyone who works with people, really.
Flourish by Martin Seligman — Seligman is known as the founder of positive psychology. I read this book 9 years ago after reading his earlier book, Authentic Happiness. I enjoyed this book so much that I bought a copy and decided to add Optimism, Resilience, and Grit as a speaking topic for my clients to help them move through the emotional impacts of change. I have taught and spoken on this topic at conferences and events all over the country. Here is a link to a quick video of me speaking on the topic.
Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi — I first read this book at age 20 when I was in undergraduate school, and again last year as part of a curriculum for a coach training program I attended at the Gestalt International Study Center. This book shares the research and FLOW model which defines flow as the sweet spot where there is not too much anxiety or boredom.
Positivity: Top-Notch Research Reveals the Upward Spiral That Will Change Your Life by Barb Fredrickson. I enjoyed this book and appreciated learning about her defined positivity ratio which helps people understand how much positivity they need versus negativity. My number is 5 positive things for every negative. Find out your ratio for free here.
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. This classic book shares about Frankl’s experiences in the Auschwitz concentration camp during WWII and the psychological attributes of prisoners that helped them endure their captivity prior to being freed. This book also includes his idea of “meaning”.
Now, Discover your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham. I read this book 10 years ago and found it to be helpful with understanding my personal strengths and those of my team members. The book includes a link to take Gallup’s StrengthsFinder Assessment. Research indicates that focusing on people’s strengths is much more effective and productive than trying to correct weaknesses, and a great place to start is in defining what your top strengths are.
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What are your favorite books on positive psychology? Please share in the comments. If you have specific questions, ask me. I’m happy to help.
Learn more about our approach to coaching with Positive Psychology in our recent Blogs and Case Studies:
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Originally published at https://www.sarahscala.com on November 26, 2018.
