How to Boost Client Happiness
during Career Transition
Dr. Mary McNabb
Learning Gauge Inc.
mlmcnabb@learningauge.org
Careers Conference
January 27, 2010
Nature of Transition
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Transitions are periods of change caused by events or
non-events that disrupt routines and expectations.
Impact of change is often determined by how well a
person manages the transition.
Zikic and Hall (2009) suggest individuals in career
transition are caught off guard with the career
exploration phase of transition – discovering things
they did not know about themselves or leaving the
known to explore the unknown.
Nature of Transition
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Schlossberg (2005) suggests use of action planning
as a coping strategy.
Others focus on learning about the self in terms of
interests, values, and personality types.
Now career services can also include tools and
techniques from the science of happiness to help
those in transition buoy their resiliency.
What is the new science of happiness?
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Science of happiness and positive
psychology are two interchangeable
terms used to describe a new direction
within the field of psychology.
Positive psychology is the ‘scientific
study of optimal human functioning”
(Ben-Shahar, 2007).
Why is it considered “new”?
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Martin Seligman, President of APA in
1998, launched the scientific study of
positive psychology to:
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be as concerned with strength as with weakness
be as interested in building the best things in life
as in repairing the worst
be as concerned with making the lives of normal
people fulfilling as with healing pathology
develop interventions to increase well being, not
just to decrease misery
Explanatory Style
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Seligman researched learned helplessness
(pessimism) and learned optimism.
Findings include a link between our
explanatory style and degree of learned
optimism
Explanatory style is the way we have learned
to explain situations to ourselves.
Examples of Explanatory Style
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Pessimists will attribute job loss to a
permanent cause (I don’t have the ability to
do the job anyway) and give up easily
Optimists will believe job loss is the result of
temporary causes (the recession) and persist
in finding a new job
Examples of Explanatory Style
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Pessimists tend to form a generalized
explanation for a failure in one area of
their lives (I’m not good at anything)
Optimists tend to form a specific
explanation for a failure in one area of
their lives (I am not the best one for
that job)
Pessimists tend to . . .
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give up easily in the face of adversity,
have low self-esteem,
lack strong commitment to attainable
goals,
mentally attribute control over
circumstances to external forces.
Optimists tend to . . .
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persist despite struggles,
have positive self-esteem that transfers
to many areas of their lives,
value meaningful goals,
mentally maintain some sense of
control over circumstances.
ABCDE Method of Learned Optimism
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A writing technique developed by Seligman to
address negatively biased thoughts. It involves
arguing with your own overly pessimistic thoughts in
order to not let those thoughts control you.
The parts are related, i.e. our reaction
(consequences) to the adversity are often determined
by our beliefs about why the bad event happened.
Lyubomirsky et .al (2008) conducted research using
ABCDE method. They found the ABCDE method to be
useful as a Coping Strategy.
ABCDE Journal Writing Method
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Ask client to use the following method for writing about their
transition experience:
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a. Adversity: describe nature of the loss or problem
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b. Belief: identify negative beliefs interpreting the loss or problem
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c. Consequences: record the consequences arising from the
adversity (feelings, actions, inactions)
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d. Dispute: challenge the negative core belief and consider other
possible reasons for the problem
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e. Energization: Consider a more optimistic explanation for the
problem or loss
ABCDE Interview for Clients in Transition
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Use the ABCDE method to interview clients who are
experiencing job loss, for example:
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1. Tell me about your job and what happened when you lost it?
2. What do you think caused your job loss?
3. What have you been experiencing since you lost your job?
4. How do you feel about the job loss?
5. What have you been doing since you lost your job?
6. What specific evidence do you have for why you lost your job?
7. What alternative explanations could there be for the job loss?
8. What is the most likely thing that could happen now?
9. What is the best possible thing that could happen now?
10. What are the most helpful actions you can take now?
The 40% Factor
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A major finding of the happiness
research compiled by Haidt (2006) is
that:
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50% of a person’s happiness is attributed to
biological or genetic temperament
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40% to learned habits of thinking and acting
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10% uncontrollable circumstances
Strategies to Help Manage Transition
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Lyubomirsky (2008) and colleagues
discovered the following 12 strategies
for boosting one’s happiness. These
strategies were found to correlate with
being more energetic, more healthy,
more hopeful and better able to take
advantage of social networks and new
opportunities.
Strategies for Developing Positive
Thinking Habits
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Practicing gratitude involves expressing
thankfulness and appreciation for life.
Cultivating optimism involves striving to see
the positive side of circumstances.
Avoiding overthinking involves avoiding
excessively pondering the meanings, causes,
and consequence of your character, your
feelings, and your problems.
Strategies for Living in the Present
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Goal-setting that enhances happiness
provides structure and meaningful use
of time and involves:
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Actions plans that have communal purpose
and long-term importance;
Activities that are harmonious with
individual’s interests and core values; and
Allows person to experience optimal
challenges and find new opportunities.
Strategies for Living in the Present
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Increasing Flow Experiences involves
engaging in activities that balance one’s
skills with the challenge level of a task
or activity.
Savoring Life’s Joys involves consciously
reflecting on positive past, present and
future (anticipated) experiences.
Strategies for Managing Stress
and Hardship
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Problem-focused coping is useful when a problem
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Emotion-focused coping is useful when the only
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Learning to forgive is defined as reduction in the
can be acted upon or made to go away.
action available is to manage emotions, such as
physical exercise, seeking emotional support from a
professional and positive social activity.
drive for revenge and release of resentment leading
to increased understanding of others; it does not
require restoring or maintaining harmful
relationships.
Nurturing Your Body and Soul
(discipline)
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Nurturing one’s spirit through a belief in a higher power that is
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Nurturing one’s body through meditation involves deep
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Nurturing one’s body through physical activity and regular
supportive, protective and unconditionally caring can boost selfesteem and provide a sense of security and peace.
breathing exercises and positive mantras that can lead to
greater awareness of one’s unique life purpose and letting
things unfold in their own time.
exercise reduces anxiety and stress, improves sleep and
cognitive functioning, acting like a happy person which
increases beneficial hormones.
Strategies for Investing in
Social Connections
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Acts of kindness that are enjoyable and
meaningful provide benefits to recipient
and the doer.
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Nurturing social relationship which yield
positive emotions provides tangible
support during times of transition.
Happiness Assessment Tools
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Some suggested tools from the
University of Pennsylvania’s Authentic
Happiness Website:
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http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.
edu/questionnaires.aspx
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Optimism Test
VIA Signature Strengths Questionnaire
Work-Life Questionnaire
Concluding Remark
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The research-based strategies and tools
from the science of happiness are
important for career development
practice – to boost clients’ psychological
capital for managing transitions and
help promote positive workplaces and a
resilient workforce.
Recommended Resources
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Ben-Shahar, T. (2007). Happier: Learn the secrets to daily joy
and lasting fulfillment. New York: McGraw Hill.
Brooks, A.C. (2008). Gross national happiness: why happiness
matters for America—and how we can get more of it. New York:
Basic Books/Perseus Books Group.
Gilbert, D. (2006). Stumbling on Happiness. New York: Alfred A.
Knopf.
Lyubomirsky, S. (2008). The How of Happiness: A Scientific
Approach to Getting the Life You Want. New York: The Penguin
Press.
Recommended Resources
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Haidt, J. (2006). The happiness hypothesis. New York: Basic
Books/Perseus Books Group.
Seligman, M.E.P. (2002). Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive
Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment. New York:
The Free Press.
Seligman, M.E.P. (2006). Learned optimism: How to change your mind
and your life. New York: Vintage Books.
Schlossberg, N.K., Waters, E.B., Goodman, J. (2005). Counseling Adults
in Transition: Linking Practice with Theory (Second Edition). New York:
Springer Publishing Company.
Zikic, J. & Hall, D.T. (2009). Toward a more complex view of career
exploration. The Career Development Quarterly, 58(2), pp. 181-191.
Recommended Resources
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Stumbling on Happiness 12 Week Study Guide for Discussion
Groups from Daniel Gilbert, Harvard University
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http://www.randomhouse.com/kvpa/gilbert/index.html
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How of Happiness Blog by S. Lyubomirsky
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http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/how-happiness
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PBS Three-Part Seminar: This emotional life (2010) is hosted by
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Dr. Gilbert, Professor of Psychology at Harvard University. Part
3: Rethinking Happiness can be found online at
http://www.pbs.org/thisemotionallife/series/episodes/3