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Authentic Happiness
By Martin Seligman, PhD
Is it possible to become a happier person, even without the gifts of good
genes and good fortune? Martin Seligman, a leading psychologist, asserts
that it is. In Authentic Happiness, he provides a
solid, research-based approach to becoming a person who enjoys life more
consistently and more deeply.
Seligman, former head of the American Psychological Association and author
of the Best-Selling Learned Optimism, believes traditional
psychology has let the majority of the population down by focusing on relieving
the states that make life miserable (eg depression, anxiety and mental illness). His
goal was to use science and psychology to prevent these states in the first
place, and to help people “stuck in the parking lot of life” to
move from a neutral state to one of positive emotional balance. He
set out, with the help of his like-minded psychologist colleagues, to create
a new field of psychology – Positive Psychology.
The first word of the book’s title is important. This
is not about looking/acting happy, this is about engaging in activities
and modes of thinking that actually create happiness. It’s
a very interactive book, one of the first I’ve come across that takes
effective advantage of the internet. The questionnaires and surveys
can be completed in the book, or you can link up to Seligman’s website
and do the questionnaires on-line, gaining access to how your results compare
to others who’ve completed them.
This book has life-changing messages in it: One of my executive clients
gives his copy away and buys himself a new one on a regular basis. If
this trend were to catch on, the principles of Authentic Happiness could
change the world.
Fierce Conversations: Achieving success at work and in life one
conversation at a time (Susan Scott, 2004 ISBN 0 4251 9337 3, audio
available)
In this context "fierce" means real, robust, powerful
and intense.
Susan Scott, an American coach and author, brings together the
multi-faceted issues around spoken communication and our inherent
tendency to massage our conversational content or style according
to our current influences .
The book relates seven principles which will encourage the reader
to succeed in communication, both at work and at home. Each
chapter defines the issue, makes it live for the reader through
real-life examples and provides some experiential assignments to
try. There is a useful appendix of conversational processes at
the back.
There is something in this book for most people, whether it is
around handling difficult conversations at work, one to one meetings
with staff or identifying the underlying meaning of a conversation.
Reviewed by Tony Mathers
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. (Robert Cialdini,
1998, ISBN 0 6881 2816 5) Read review
The cover of this book has an endorsement from the Journal of
Marketing Research which says: “For marketers, this book
is among the most important books written in the last ten years.” But
not just for marketers! I use this book, and the principles in
this book, with every coaching client who needs to expand his/her
toolbox of influencing skills. And that includes most of us.
Ever dealt with the person who beats you over the head with facts,
projections and spreadsheets? You listen, but somehow you’re
still not convinced. For most of us, data alone is not enough – we
also need to be convinced in other ways. This book takes you through
six major influence strategies: Reciprocity, Commitment and
Consistency, Authority, Social Proof, and Liking. These strategies
need to be considered any time you are trying to influence others… or
others are trying to influence you!
Filled with powerful, interesting (and at times, a bit scary)
examples, this book will help you to see how you can be more effective
at winning others over and getting your ideas accepted.
Reviewed by Amy Powell
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