Positive Psychology Principles in Your Work with Technically-Gifted Clients

Coaching Geeks: Using Positive Psychology Principles in Your Work with Technically-Gifted Clients

by Molly Hetrick

Chapter in The Happiness of Coaching:

Inspiring Stories from the World’s Happiest Coaches, 2024

I was a leader of geeks. That may not be the politically correct term in this time and place, so let me rephrase - I had the privilege of leading a remarkable team, a group of brilliant individuals who possessed the ability and a thirst for tackling challenging problems using analytical tools to extract insights from data. They were technically-gifted and analytically-minded.

Leading this team was a unique experience, a delicate balance between joy and challenge. They were fiercely independent, resolute in their commitment to taking the high road, and driven by a desire to create work that would stand the test of time. They rarely followed the crowd. As a middle manager, my role was to translate organizational priorities and demands into practical, meaningful challenges that this smart team could embrace.

What I noticed was that, although my team members were committed to the work, they remained open to question the underlying strategy or the approach. This was, at times, frustrating - particularly when we were in a time crunch. And yet, I appreciated their push-back and skepticism, as it was usually well-placed and accurate. We were in a complex organization with many stakeholders and we could not always make our own path. Accepting these constraints was sometimes challenging.

On a personal level, I was at a crossroads in my life, facing a mid-life reevaluation. As I approached my 50s, my oldest child was heading off to college, my sister-in-law was battling cancer and my mother’s ongoing chronic conditions loomed over us. These life events encouraged me to reconsider my life’s work, to contemplate how I wished to contribute to the world in my remaining years of work.

I embarked on a journey of self-evaluation and soul-searching, engaging in the same activities I now encourage my coaching clients to undertake – Clifton Strengthsfinders, Myers-Briggs, reflecting on the activities that brought me the most joy in my life and work. It was through this process that I discovered my gift of coaching.

My coaching education and practicum taught me that coaching techniques - inquiry, appreciation, and curiosity - could help unlock the unsung talent within my team members. Today, individuals with the same left-brain-leaning qualities as my former team members actively seek out my coaching support, and I am honored to walk with them on their change journeys.

This chapter explores how I have applied concepts from positive psychology coaching with my technically-gifted clients. Note that we humans are a complex tapestry of attributes and skills. Each coaching client is a uniquely-gifted person who deserves a unique coaching experience. Here I’ve distilled a handful of key techniques that have resonated with many of my clients.

1. Reduce the Mystical Element

Coaches, by nature perhaps, lean toward the spiritual, driven by our belief in the power of emotion and thought to facilitate change. Many believe in manifestation, guardian angels and prayer. There’s a place for that. But when working with clients of a geeky disposition, it’s probably wise to dial down the “woo woo.”

Technically-gifted clients tend to be skeptical of concepts that haven’t been tested empirically. Mystical results are difficult to prove. When you’re providing a resource, homework, or behavioral intervention – be selective – and provide evidence of its value. This evidence-based approach will resonate well with the analytical mindset.

Thankfully, we now have a growing body of evidence supporting the effectiveness of positive psychology principles. It’s worth wooing your client with evidence that these techniques work. For instance,

• Employees whose bosses who demonstrate compassion and empathy display higher levels of resilience in challenging situations (1)

• Companies with the highest levels of employee well-being exceed stock market benchmark performance (2)

• Individuals who have a life purpose live longer (3)

• Awareness of one’s personal identity is correlated with higher levels of well-being, income and marital satisfaction (4)

2. The Scientist of Self

To engage your client further, encourage them to assume the role of a social scientist, observing their own behavior and that of others. Jon (5) was a former client who began to recognize that he really appreciated his team members, but very rarely told them so. He knew, from his own experience, that receiving positive feedback encouraged him and made him feel valued. He wanted to let his colleagues know how much they were contributing. To begin making this behavioral change, Jon’s homework was to:

• Notice: Pay attention when someone does something commendable.

• Consider: Think about the words you will use to express your appreciation to them. For example, “Carlos, I noticed that you shared several great ideas for our next iteration in our team meeting today. Thanks so much!”

• Express: Say it to them.

• Observe: Pay attention to how your teammate responds.

• Reflect: Record your teammate’s response and your feelings about their response in your journal.

This type of observational exercise gives your analytically-minded client something tangible to do, that is neither overwhelming nor threatening. The act of logging these observations helps create a personal dataset of stimuli and response – evidence which will reinforce the positive effects of this behavior change.

3. Cultivate Empathy

Empathy is the ability to understand and imagine the thoughts, perspectives, and emotions of others. Empathy can be cultivated – through greater self-awareness and opening up to differences in others.

Taylor, a seasoned Ph.D. biologist, faced the challenge of transitioning into a leadership role in the lab, requiring her to navigate the intricacies of people management and the politics of the c-suite.

Prior to our coaching engagement, Taylor had raised [what she thought was] a great idea to the executive team, which was subsequently dismissed. This left her feeling perplexed, dismayed and discouraged. In our first session, Taylor said that, although she was recently promoted, she thought she should return to an individual contributor role – she wasn’t cut out for management.

As we began to peel back the layers, it was clear that Taylor had not done her homework before putting a proposal forward. Yes, the proposal made perfect sense to her and yet it did not meet the needs of the key decision makers. To help bridge the divide between her current perspective and those of the decision makers, I asked Taylor to do an exercise to enhance her empathy of the c-suite players. She was just getting to know each of them personally now but had a fairly good idea of each of their roles.

• Identify: List the decision makers and their roles in the company. Given their role, what are their primary priorities for the company?

• Analyze: Consider the main points of disagreement each individual had with your proposal.

• Empathize: Putting yourself in their shoes and taking into account their responsibilities in the company, guess why they dismissed the proposal you submitted.

• Reflect: Write down your feelings, beliefs and assumptions about their point of view.

• Seek Common Ground: Consider if there’s room for negotiation and whether a win-win is possible.

4. Celebrate Short-Term Wins and Foster Long-Term Vision

Making change in large organizations is challenging. There are an infinite number of variables at play – not least of which is getting individuals and organizations to change. Therefore, when your client is embarking on a long-term challenging goal, encourage them to create short-term milestones and to celebrate the small wins. Each step forward is a step closer to the goal and making a meaningful lasting impact in the organization.

Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer, authors of The Progress Principle (6), found that acknowledging small wins leads to greater creativity, meaning, productivity and better relationships. There is momentum created when we begin to see our efforts building toward something greater.

Ria – a leader of geeks and geek herself – came to our coaching session wanting to figure out what her next challenge was going to be. She had tackled a few big challenges over the last year and did not want to become complacent [or bored]. I suggested to Ria that she develop a long-term leadership credo and vision of herself. As she did this, it provided compelling motivation for her to strive to adopt new skills and behaviors that she observed in other leaders whom she admired. She used this vision to draw a map of actions and conversations she wanted to have over the next year to prepare herself for her next step. This road map provided meaningful and concrete steps for Ria to take, and gave her renewed energy.

Working with technically-gifted clients can be a unique and rewarding experience, much like leading a team of brilliant individuals. As we’ve explored in this chapter, applying positive psychology principles in your coaching practice can make a significant difference in helping these analytical minds unlock their full potential.

It’s essential to recognize that each client is a unique individual with their own set of attributes and skills, and tailoring your coaching approach to their needs is crucial. By reducing the mystical element and providing evidence-based practices, you can gain their trust and engagement.

Encouraging clients to become “scientists of self” by observing their actions and the impact they have on others will reinforce new, more constructive behavior. Furthermore, celebrating short-term wins and fostering a long-term vision will create momentum and motivation, especially important when faced with new and challenging situations.

Coaching geek clients is a dynamic and enriching journey that allows you to support them in thriving with their unique capacities. You will help empower them to reach their full potential and be ready to embrace new challenges. Enjoy the journey!

Notes:

1 Dutton, JE, Workman, KM, & Hardin, AE. (2014). Compassion at work. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 1(1), 277–304.

2 De Neve, JE, Kaats, M, & Ward, G. (2023). Workplace wellbeing and firm performance. University of Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, Working Paper Series 2304.

3 Alimujiang A, Wiensch A, Boss J, et al. (2019). Association between life purpose and mortality among US adults older than 50 years. JAMA Network Open, 2(5).

4 Goldman, B, Masterson, S, et al. (2002). Goal-directedness and personal identity as correlates of life outcomes. Psychological Reports, 91(1), 153-66.

5 I’ve used pseudonyms for my clients’ names.

6 Amabile, T. M., & Kramer, S. (2011). The progress principle. Harvard Business Review Press.