Positive Psychology

In Short

Build on strengths and what works rather than fixing deficits
Best for: Seligman et al. positive psychology tools
Positive Psychology is a structured tool for coaching and facilitation. Build on strengths and what works rather than fixing deficits. It provides a repeatable framework that can be adapted to individual, team, and leadership development contexts.
Type of tool: Seligman et al. positive psychology tools
Expected outcomes:
- Improved ability to build on strengths and what works rather than fixing deficits
- A concrete action or development plan to take forward from the Positive Psychology process

In Detail

Positive Psychology is a practical tool designed to help coaches, leaders, and facilitators build on strengths and what works rather than fixing deficits. It sits within the category of Seligman et al. positive psychology tools, making it particularly useful for practitioners working on capability development, team performance, and individual growth in organisational settings.

In practice, Positive Psychology is delivered as a 6-step process. The process begins by introduce Seligman's PERMA model: Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Achievement. The session closes by design a 30-day practice targeting the weakest domain. The structured approach ensures that participants move through a consistent experience while leaving room for the facilitator to adapt pacing and depth to the group's needs.

Positive Psychology is most valuable when practitioners need a reliable, repeatable approach that can be adapted to different contexts without losing its core structure. It bridges the gap between conceptual understanding and practical application, making it a durable addition to any coaching or facilitation toolkit.

How to Use

1. Introduce Seligman's PERMA model: Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Achievement. 2. Participants rate their current level in each domain (1-10). 3. Identify the lowest scoring domain. 4. Apply domain-specific interventions: for Positive Emotion -- three good things exercise or gratitude practice; for Engagement -- identify and play to signature strengths; for Meaning -- reconnect to purpose. 5. Apply Fredrickson's Broaden-and-Build: use positive emotion to expand thinking and build resources. 6. Design a 30-day practice targeting the weakest domain.

Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Directly addresses the challenge of build on strengths and what works rather than fixing deficits through a structured, repeatable approach Adaptable to different seniority levels, team sizes, and organisational contexts Generates actionable insight that participants can apply immediately in their work	Effectiveness varies based on the facilitator's skill level and familiarity with the tool Requires adequate time for both the exercise and a meaningful debrief to realise full value May not be appropriate for all cultural contexts without adaptation

Created by Martin Seligman, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Barbara Fredrickson

When to Use

This tool is suited to the following coaching and facilitation contexts:

Context	Relevant
Individual Coaching	✓
Team Coaching
Leadership Development
Facilitation / Workshop	✓
Online / Virtual

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