Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Sign up for a Positive Acorn course today and join their upcoming live courses in September 2026 — positiveacorn.com/courses
Robert Biswas-Diener is a coach, author, and researcher known for his original thinking and willingness to challenge conventional wisdom in the coaching field. His books include "Positive Provocation" and "The Upside of Your Dark Side," both of which explore nuanced perspectives on coaching and human psychology.
In this conversation, we explore:
— Why coaching is "easy to learn but hard to master" and the patience required to develop true expertise
— How observing other coaches (especially those with different approaches) accelerated Robert's growth as a coach
— The value of short coaching sessions for developing efficiency and precision
— Why Robert believes we should question coaching "fortune cookie wisdom" and think more deeply about our practice
— The nuanced approach to giving advice and challenging clients in coaching relationships
And more.
You can learn more about Robert's work and training programs at https://positiveacorn.com.
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Robert Biswas-Diener is a psychologist, author, and “Positive Provocation” thought-leader who asks provocative questions that challenge conventional wisdom in coaching. Co-author of Radical Listening and author of Positive Provocation: 25 Questions to Elevate Your Coaching Practice, his work helps coaches deepen their practice through curiosity, experimentation, and reflection. You can check more about his work at robertdiener.com/.
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Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
01:42 - Counterpoint Thinking
05:11 - Questioning Assumptions
07:40 - Challenging Coaching Culture
10:13 - Power of Observation
13:06 - Average to Exceptional
16:29 - Overlooked Practices
18:58 - Path to Mastery
23:22 - Learning from Others
26:43 - Self-Directed Learning
33:14 - Effective Experiments
36:29 - Preparation Practices
37:45 - Purpose of Preparation
39:44 - Positive Provocation
41:31 - Strong Provocation Arguments
43:23 - Support vs Challenge
46:28 - Giving Advice Well
51:13 - Intentional Provocation
54:19 - Book Recommendations
56:19 - Robert’s Mission
58:14 - Purpose of Life
01:01:27 - Positive Acorn Training
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Interview Links:
— Dr. Biswas-Diener’s website - positiveacorn.com
— Dr. Biswas-Diener’s book - amzn.to/3KmcVN0
— Positive Acorn's courses - positiveacorn.com/courses
Sign up for a Positive Acorn course today and join their upcoming live courses in September 2026 — positiveacorn.com/courses
Robert Biswas-Diener is a coach, author, and researcher known for his original thinking and willingness to challenge conventional wisdom in the coaching field. His books include "Positive Provocation" and "The Upside of Your Dark Side," both of which explore nuanced perspectives on coaching and human psychology.
In this conversation, we explore:
— Why coaching is "easy to learn but hard to master" and the patience required to develop true expertise
— How observing other coaches (especially those with different approaches) accelerated Robert's growth as a coach
— The value of short coaching sessions for developing efficiency and precision
— Why Robert believes we should question coaching "fortune cookie wisdom" and think more deeply about our practice
— The nuanced approach to giving advice and challenging clients in coaching relationships
And more.
You can learn more about Robert's work and training programs at https://positiveacorn.com.
---
Robert Biswas-Diener is a psychologist, author, and “Positive Provocation” thought-leader who asks provocative questions that challenge conventional wisdom in coaching. Co-author of Radical Listening and author of Positive Provocation: 25 Questions to Elevate Your Coaching Practice, his work helps coaches deepen their practice through curiosity, experimentation, and reflection. You can check more about his work at robertdiener.com/.
---
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
01:42 - Counterpoint Thinking
05:11 - Questioning Assumptions
07:40 - Challenging Coaching Culture
10:13 - Power of Observation
13:06 - Average to Exceptional
16:29 - Overlooked Practices
18:58 - Path to Mastery
23:22 - Learning from Others
26:43 - Self-Directed Learning
33:14 - Effective Experiments
36:29 - Preparation Practices
37:45 - Purpose of Preparation
39:44 - Positive Provocation
41:31 - Strong Provocation Arguments
43:23 - Support vs Challenge
46:28 - Giving Advice Well
51:13 - Intentional Provocation
54:19 - Book Recommendations
56:19 - Robert’s Mission
58:14 - Purpose of Life
01:01:27 - Positive Acorn Training
---
Interview Links:
— Dr. Biswas-Diener’s website - positiveacorn.com
— Dr. Biswas-Diener’s book - amzn.to/3KmcVN0
— Positive Acorn's courses - positiveacorn.com/courses
