Ed Batista, The Art of Self-Coaching @StanfordBiz, Fall 2017 Syllabus

COPYRIGHT ©2017 Ed Batista. All rights reserved. Page 1
The Art of Self-Coaching / OB 527
2017-18 Fall Quarter Syllabus
Ed Batista
Photo by Seth Anderson
1. CONTACT INFORMATION
Instructor: Ed Batista
Email, phone, and text all work equally well. I’m generally available 8:00am-6:00pm daily.
Sign up for 1:1 coaching sessions
Faculty Assistant
2. MEETING TIME AND LOCATION: Thursdays, 8:00-9:45am, Zambrano 301 (Z301)
3. CLASS SESSIONS
Sept 28, Oct 5, Oct 12, Oct 19, Oct 26, Nov 2, Nov 9, Nov 16, Nov 30, Dec 7.
Note that the first session is mandatory. Registered students and students who hope to come off
the wait-list must be present at the beginning of this session to remain in the course.

4. COURSE OVERVIEW
In 2009 a student who was about to graduate said to me, "Being coached at the GSB helped me grow
over the last two years, but after I leave school and no longer have access to these resources, how will I
continue to coach myself?"
This course is an attempt to help you answer that question. I define self-coaching as the process of
guiding our own growth and development, particularly through periods of transition, in both the
professional and personal realms. In this course you'll explore a range of practices and disciplines
intended to help you build on what you've learned about yourself over the last two years and continue
that process after graduation. Classes will consist of a mix of short lectures, exercises, small group
discussions, and coaching conversations in pairs.
While this is a self-directed process, it's also highly social and interactive, not solitary. Each week
you'll work with classmates in pairs and small groups, so be prepared to discuss meaningful personal
issues with your fellow students in every class.
5. GRADING
Grades will be determined through attendance and weekly assignments, both of which are discussed in
detail below. This course may be taken Pass/Fail with my permission. I will adhere to the GSB’s required
class GPA of 3.45, but I may deviate from the recommended grade distribution.
5.1. Attendance
Because every class session involves extensive interaction with other students, missing a class
would negatively affect those students’ learning. As a result, you are obligated to attend every
class session. One unexcused absence will lower your grade a full level, and more than one
unexcused absence may result in a U. For students taking the class Pass/Fail, an unexcused
absence may result in a failing grade. As noted above, attendance at the first session is
mandatory, and registered students and students who hope to come off the wait-list must be
present at the beginning of this session to remain in the course.
There are no exceptions for interviews, recruiting trips, compressed classes, weddings, family
events, or any other unexcused absences. Please check your calendar to confirm that you can
fulfill this requirement of the course.
5.2. Weekly Written Assignments
You’ll submit a written assignment based on your responses to the upcoming week’s readings
and your ongoing experience in the course in Weeks 2 through 10. The deadline for each weekly
assignment is Tuesday at 9:00pm.

Other than a general focus on the upcoming week’s readings, the content of each weekly
assignment is to be determined by you as an individual. There are no specific questions,
prompts, or requirements.
There is a 700 word limit for each weekly assignment. Identify the actual word count for your
assignment at the top of the document.
Submit your weekly assignments via Canvas, and use the following naming convention for your
documents: Last Name—First Name–Week Number.
5.3. Grading Criteria
1. Timeliness: Points will be deducted from all assignments submitted after the deadline has
passed. Please note that it is your responsibility to insure that an assignment has been posted to
Canvas, and technical difficulties will not excuse late assignments. Failure to submit a weekly
assignment will have a significant impact on your overall grade and may lower your grade a full
level.
2. Depth of Personal Learning: As the focus of this course is you and your development,
assignments will be assessed on the basis of your ability to discuss how course readings,
materials, and experiences are personally relevant to you as an individual. Good written work
will not be a generic document that could have been written by any student, but, rather, a
uniquely personal discussion of lessons learned that could have been written only by you.
3. Conceptual Rigor: Assignments will also be assessed on the basis of your ability to reference
and interpret various concepts presented in course readings and materials. Good written work
will not simply recapitulate this conceptual material, but instead will employ it to make sense of
your experience in the course.
4. Overall Quality: Finally, assignments will be assessed on the basis of overall quality, which is
not limited to but will specifically include clarity, cogency, and creativity. This course isn't a
composition class, but I view quality as a proxy for the effort you're putting into the process.
6. OPTIONAL COACHING SESSIONS
I’m available for a limited number of optional 1:1 coaching sessions on the days that we have
class. (I’m not available for meetings on other days.) There’s no obligation to meet with me, and
no aspect of these conversations will have any impact on your grade in the course. The agenda
for each coaching session is up to you; it need not focus on issues that we cover in the course.
You can sign up for coaching sessions here
Given the constraints on my availability, please sign up for no more than two sessions. Please be
sure that you can attend a session before claiming a timeslot. If you need to cancel a session,
please let me know via email so that I can make the time available to other students.

7. COURSE SCHEDULE
Concepts, objectives and readings for each class session are briefly described below. Links are included
where readings are freely available online, and other readings can be downloaded as PDFs from Canvas.
CLASS 1: BEGINNINGS (Thursday, September 28, 2017)
Concepts
 Eustress (Hans Selye) and the neuroscience of “joyful education” (Judy Willis).
 Positive psychology (and its downside).
 Coaching as a form of interpersonal support.
Objectives
 Provide an overview of the course.
 Create an environment that supports learning and growth.
 Understand basic principles of coaching.
 Form Personal and Professional Partnerships.
Readings
 Neuroscience, Joyful Learning and the SCARF Model,
http://www.edbatista.com/2010/05/learning.html (Ed Batista)
 Pursuing the Good Life (Christopher Peterson)
o Chapter 1, pages 3-6: “What Is Positive Psychology, and What Is It Not?”
o Chapter 4, pages 14-17: “Blaming the Science Versus Blaming the Victim”
 How Great Coaches Ask, Listen, and Empathize, https://hbr.org/2015/02/how-great-coaches-
ask-listen-and-empathize (Ed Batista)
 Helping (Edgar Schein)
o Chapter 3, pages 30-47: “The Inequalities and Ambiguities of the Helping Relationship”
 Humble Inquiry (Edgar Schein)
o Chapter 3, pages 39-50: "Differentiating Humble Inquiry from Other Kinds of Inquiry"

CLASS 2: CHANGE (Thursday, October 5, 2017)
Concepts
 Model of change (Kurt Lewin and Edgar Schein).
 Grit (Angela Duckworth).
 Mindset (Carol Dweck).
 The complex effects of goal-setting.
Objectives
 Reflect on changes experienced while at the GSB and your personal approach to change.
 Identify goals, hopes and expectations for your remaining time at the GSB.
 Consider implications of these concepts for your career after graduation.
Readings
 Why Change is Hard, http://www.edbatista.com/2014/12/why-change-is-hard.html (Ed Batista)
 Blocking and Tackling (Fundamentals of Change), http://www.edbatista.com/2012/01/blocking-
and-tackling.html (Ed Batista)
 True Grit, http://psychologicalscience.org/index.php/publications/observer/2013/april-13/true-
grit.html (Angela Duckworth and Lauren Eskreis-Winkler)
 The Key to Success? Grit [6-minute video],
https://www.ted.com/talks/angela_lee_duckworth_the_key_to_success_grit?language=en
(Angela Duckworth)
 Fixed vs. Growth: The Two Basic Mindsets That Shape Our Lives,
http://www.brainpickings.org/2014/01/29/carol-dweck-mindset/ (Maria Popova)
o A discussion of the work of Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck.
 Babies, Bathwater and Goal-Setting, http://www.edbatista.com/2012/12/babies-bathwater-
and-goal-setting.html (Ed Batista)
 OPTIONAL: Is Grit Overrated?, http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/05/is-grit-
overrated/476397/ (Jerry Useem)
 OPTIONAL: Angela Duckworth Responds to a New Critique of Grit,
http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/05/25/479172868/angela-duckworth-responds-to-a-
new-critique-of-grit (Anya Kamenetz)

CLASS 3: ATTENTION (Thursday, October 12, 2017)
Concepts
 System 1 and System 2, cognitive effort, ego depletion (Daniel Kahneman).
 Mental control (Daniel Wegner).
 Concentration, practice, presence and single-tasking (Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness).
Objectives
 Consider the importance of attention as a resource.
 Understand the different modes of thinking in Kahneman’s framework.
 Consider difficulties in the process of mental control.
 Begin to explore the relationship between attention and emotion (the topic of Class 4).
Readings
 Thinking, Fast and Slow (Daniel Kahneman)
o Chapter 1, pages 19-30: “The Characters of the Story”
o OPTIONAL: Chapter 2, pages 31-38: “Attention and Effort”
o OPTIONAL: Chapter 3, pages 39-49: “The Lazy Controller”
 White Bears and Other Unwanted Thoughts (Daniel Wegner)
o Chapter 1, pages 1-18: “Mental Control”
 Peak Performance (Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness)
o Chapter 3 (excerpt), pages 53-59: “Stress Yourself”
o OPTIONAL: Chapter 3 (excerpt), pages 60-64: “Stress Yourself”
 OPTIONAL: To Stay Focused, Manage Your Emotions, https://hbr.org/2015/02/to-stay-focused-
manage-your-emotions (Ed Batista)
 OPTIONAL: Growth, Profitability, and Return on Attention,
http://www.edbatista.com/2015/02/return-on-attention.html (Ed Batista)
 OPTIONAL: Meditation is a WORKOUT, Not a BREAK,
http://www.edbatista.com/2015/08/meditation-is-a-workout-not-a-break.html (Ed Batista)
 For further reading:
o Thinking, Fast and Slow (Daniel Kahneman)
 Chapters 4-9, pages 50-105
o White Bears and Other Unwanted Thoughts (Daniel Wegner)
 Chapters 4-7, pages 58-140

CLASS 4: EMOTION (Thursday, October 19, 2017)
Concepts
 Emotional style (Richard Davidson).
 Nine prefrontal functions (Daniel Siegel).
Objectives
 Reflect on your Emotional Style and its impact on your life and career.
 Identify strengths to maintain and potential changes to consider.
Readings
 Emotional Style Assessment (Richard Davidson)
 Emotional Style Assessment Scoring
o Download and complete the assessment (consisting of 60 true/false questions), and
download and complete the assessment scoring BEFORE doing this week’s readings.
o You will not be required to share your results, but bring a copy to class.
 The Emotional Life of Your Brain (Richard Davidson)
o Chapter 1, pages 1-12: “One Brain Does Not Fit All”
o Chapter 3, pages 43-65: “Assessing Your Emotional Style”
 Mindsight (Daniel Siegel)
o Introduction, pages ix-xvi
o Chapter 2, pages 23-44: “Crepes of Wrath: Mindsight Lost and Found”
 Don’t Just Do Something, Sit There! (Mindfulness for Busy People) (Ed Batista),
http://www.edbatista.com/2017/01/dont-just-do-something-sit-there-mindfulness-for-busy-
people.html
 OPTIONAL: Developing Mindful Leaders for the C-Suite, https://hbr.org/2014/03/developing-
mindful-leaders-for-the-c-suite/ (Bill George)
 For further reading: The Emotional Life of Your Brain (Richard Davidson)
o Chapter 4, pages 67-90: “The Brain Basis of Emotional Style”
o Chapter 11, pages 225-252: “Rewired, or Neurally Inspired Exercises to Change Your
Emotional Style”

CLASS 5: HAPPINESS (Thursday, October 26, 2017)
Concepts
 Sources of happiness and hedonic adaptation (Sonja Lyubomirsky).
Objectives
 Understand various sources of happiness as determined by social psychologists.
 Identify “happiness strategies” likely to be most suitable for you.
 Consider the limitations of current “happiness research.”
Readings
 The How of Happiness (Sonja Lyubomirsky)
o Chapter 2 (excerpt), pages 38-68: “How Happy Are You and Why?”
o Chapter 3, pages 69-79: “How to Find Happiness Activities That Fit Your Interests, Your
Values, and Your Needs”
 Activity-Fit Diagnostic (Sonja Lyubomirsky)
o Download and complete the diagnostic AFTER completing the readings above.
o Chapter 21, pages 71-74: “Heritability and Happiness”
o Note that this short reading is essential to avoid common misinterpretations of positive
psychology research. If you find it insufficient, the optional reading by Diener below
discusses these topics in greater detail.
 VIA Survey of Character Strengths, www.viacharacter.org/survey/Account/Register
o Register at the VIA Institute site in order to complete the survey (a 120-question
instrument).
 OPTIONAL: The Science of Subjective Well-Being (Michael Eid and Randy Larson, editors),
Chapter 24, pages 493-507: “Myths in the Science of Happiness” (Ed Diener)
 OPTIONAL: Meaning Is Healthier Than Happiness,
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/08/meaning-is-healthier-than-
happiness/278250/ (Emily Esfahani Smith)

CLASS 6: RESILIENCE (Thursday, November 2, 2017)
Concepts
 Components of resilience and Resilience Quotient (Karen Reivich and Andrew Shatté).
 Neurological sources of resilience (Linda Graham).
Objectives
 Determine your Resilience Quotient.
 Identify current sources of resilience as well more effective ways of coping with setbacks.
Readings
 Resilience Quotient Assessment (Karen Reivich and Andrew Shatté)
 Resilience Quotient Assessment Scoring
o Download and complete the assessment (consisting of 56 questions), and download and
complete the assessment scoring BEFORE doing this week’s readings.
 The Resilience Factor (Karen Reivich and Andrew Shatté)
o Chapter 2, pages 31-47: “How Resilient Are You?”
o OPTIONAL: Chapter 3, pages 48-62: “Laying the Groundwork”
 Peak Performance (Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness)
o Chapter 3 (excerpt), pages 65-74: “Stress Yourself”
 Resilience Stories
o Download and complete this worksheet AFTER doing this week's readings.
o You will not be required to share your worksheet, but you will be conducting an exercise
that involves disclosing some aspect of your response. Bring a copy to class.
 OPTIONAL: Bouncing Back (Linda Graham)
o Chapter 2, pages 29-45: “How the Wiring In of Resilience Can Go Awry”
 OPTIONAL: Embracing Stress is More Important Than Reducing Stress,
http://news.stanford.edu/news/2015/may/stress-embrace-mcgonigal-050715.html (Clifford
Parker)
o A discussion of recent work by Stanford psychologist Kelly McGonigal.
 OPTIONAL: How to Make Stress Your Friend [14-minute video],
https://www.ted.com/talks/kelly_mcgonigal_how_to_make_stress_your_friend?language=en
(Kelly McGonigal)
 OPTIONAL: MIND Reviews “The Upside of Stress,”
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/mind-reviews-the-upside-of-stress/ (Robert Epstein)

CLASS 7: VULNERABILITY (Thursday, November 9, 2017)
Concepts
 Definitions of vulnerability and shame (Brené Brown).
Objectives
 Consider strategies for expressing vulnerability and overcoming shame effectively.
Readings
 Daring Greatly (Brené Brown)
o Chapter 2, pages 33-56: “Debunking the Vulnerability Myths”
o For further reading: Chapter 3, pages 59-111, “Understanding and Combating Shame”
 Brené Brown, Vulnerability, Empathy and Leadership,
http://www.edbatista.com/2014/08/brene-brown-vulnerability-empathy-and-leadership.html
(Ed Batista)
 Vulnerability Stories
 Meta-Emotions
 OPTIONAL: "When You Don't Like What You Feel: Experiential avoidance, mindfulness, and
meta-emotion in emotion regulation" (Horst Mitmansgruber, Thomas Beck, Stefan Höfer,
Gerhard Schüßler)

CLASS 8: UNHAPPINESS (Thursday, November 16, 2017)
Concepts
 Stoicism (Oliver Burkeman).
 Buddhist thought (Pema Chödrön).
 Logotherapy (Viktor Frankl).
Objectives
 Consider a range of approaches to dealing with setbacks and difficulties.
Readings
 The Antidote (Oliver Burkeman)
o Chapter 2, pages 23-50: “What Would Seneca Do?”
 When Things Fall Apart (Pema Chödrön)
o Chapter 11, pages 84-94: “Nonaggression and the Four Maras”
o Chapter 21, pages 177-183: “Reversing the Wheel of Samsara”
o Note that if you find Chödrön too abstract, the optional reading by Burkeman below
provides a more accessible introduction to Buddhist thought.
 Man's Search for Meaning (Viktor Frankl)
o Pages 108-115: "The Meaning of Life," "The Essence of Existence," "The Meaning of
Love," and "The Meaning of Suffering"
o For further reading: Pages 97-107 and Postscript, pages 137-154
 Sources of Unhappiness
 OPTIONAL: The Antidote (Oliver Burkeman)
o Chapter 3, pages 51-74: “The Storm Before the Calm”
 OPTIONAL: Viktor Frankl at Ninety: An Interview,
http://www.firstthings.com/article/1995/04/004-viktor-frankl-at-ninety-an-interview (Matthew
Scully)
 OPTIONAL: Pain, Suffering, and Hedonic Adaptation, http://www.edbatista.com/2015/10/pain-
suffering-and-hedonic-adaptation.html (Ed Batista)

CLASS 9: SUCCESS (Thursday, November 30, 2017)
Concepts
 Popular beliefs about success, fulfillment, and happiness, and sources of social comparison.
Objectives
 Prepare for the challenges that accompany professional struggles and success.
Readings
 This Is Water, http://www.edbatista.com/2015/05/david-foster-wallace-this-is-water.html
(David Foster Wallace)
 The Myths of Happiness (Sonja Lyubomirsky)
o Chapter 5, pages 115-143: “I’ll Be Happy When…I Find the Right Job”
 Managing Oneself Worksheet
o Download and complete this worksheet. You can explore the concepts behind it in
greater depth via the optional reading below.
o You will not be required to share your worksheet, but you will participate in an exercise
 OPTIONAL: Managing Oneself (Peter Drucker)

CLASS 10: ENDINGS (Thursday, December 7, 2017)
Concepts
 Transitions vs. changes (William Bridges)
Objectives
 Prepare for graduation, returning to full-time work, and other impending transitions.
 Acknowledge the endings of the coaching partnerships and other relationships within the class.
Readings
 William Bridges on Transitions, http://www.edbatista.com/2008/08/transitions.html (Ed Batista)
 Transitions (William Bridges)
o Chapter 4 (excerpt), pages 77-92: “Transitions in the Work Life”
o Chapter 88, pages 289-290: “Days Are Long—Life Is Short”
o Chapter 89, pages 291-294: “I Resolve to Take Benjamin Franklin Seriously”
 Partner Feedback
o Be prepared to provide both of your partners with feedback regarding their work with
you over the course of the Quarter. The worksheet above provides a suggested format,
but feel free to use any format that works for you.
 OPTIONAL: Why You Should Make Time for Self-Reflection (Even If You Hate Doing It),
https://hbr.org/2017/03/why-you-should-make-time-for-self-reflection-even-if-you-hate-doing-
it (Jennifer Porter)
 OPTIONAL: A Checklist for Someone About to Take on a Tougher Job,
https://hbr.org/2015/01/a-checklist-for-someone-about-to-take-on-a-tougher-job (Ed Batista)
 OPTIONAL: Transitions (William Bridges)
o Chapter 5 (excerpt), pages 107-123: “Endings”
o For further reading: Chapter 6, pages 133-155: “The Neutral Zone”

Ed Batista, The Art of Self-Coaching @StanfordBiz, Fall 2017 Syllabus

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Ed Batista, The Art of Self-Coaching @StanfordBiz, Fall 2017 Syllabus