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TAL BEN-SHAHAR

Author and Professor, Happiness expert. He taught the most popular classes at Harvard: Positive Psychology and The Psychology of Leadership

Tal Ben-Shahar is an author and lecturer who taught the most popular course at Harvard University on "Positive Psychology," and the university's third most popular course on "The Psychology of Leadership"—with a total of more than 1,400 students.

Ben-Shahar consults and lectures around the world to executives in multi-national corporations, the general public, and at-risk populations. Topics include leadership, ethics, happiness, self-esteem, resilience, goal setting, and mindfulness. He is the author of The Pursuit of Perfect: How to Stop Chasing Perfection and Start Living a Richer, Happier Life and Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment.

An avid sportsman, Ben-Shahar won the U.S. Intercollegiate and Israeli National squash championships. He earned his Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and B.A. in Philosophy and Psychology from Harvard.

Positive Psychology for Difficult Times
Leading With Impact: Strategies for Success
Overcoming Perfectionism: The Permission to be Human
Positive Psychology: The Science of Happiness
Positive Leadership: Making a Difference
The Psychology of Success: The Power of Beliefs
The Question of Happiness: On Finding Meaning, Pleasure and the Ultimate Currency

Positive Psychology: The Science of Happiness

Positive Psychology, "the scientific study of optimal human functioning," provides practical tools for better living. This new subfield within psychology is unique in that it creates a bridge between the Ivory Tower and Main Street -- making rigorous academic ideas easily accessible. In this session, Ben-Shahar discusses current research related to the science of happiness and introduces ideas and tools that can actually make you happier. He covers topics including giving ourselves the permission to be human, simplifying our lives, recognizing the mind-body connection, and re-focusing on the positive.

Positive Leadership: Strategies for Success

Most organizational and individual potential is untapped. Talented individuals are attracted to and thrive in organizations that bring out the best in them. Ben-Shahar discusses how leaders can create a positive environment that nurtures their inherent potential, as well as the potential in those with whom they work. Ben-Shahar presents research and practices from the world of Appreciative Inquiry, and the Strengths-based Approach to Leadership and Organizational Development and illustrates how to blend them into an approach that underpins extraordinary rather than ordinary outcomes, and enables people to reach fulfillment, happiness, wellbeing, and success.

Positive Psychology for Difficult Times

The economic crises, the ongoing market pressures, the globalization of our village, make the task of the leader increasingly difficult. The effective leader is able to be tough and demanding while being respectful, to trust employees while taking responsibility for the outcome, to focus on strengths while learning to manage weaknesses, juggling the day-to-day challenges while keeping an eye on the vision. To be successful in this taxing environment, the leader must be resilient—to face the challenges and bounce back from setbacks.

Positive Education

Positive Psychology, "the scientific study of optimal human functioning," provides practical tools for better living. When this science is applied to education, we not only see higher levels of wellbeing among teachers and students, we also see lower levels of anxiety and depression, improved relationships, and better academic performance. In this presentation, Tal introduces some of the key ideas from positive psychology that can make a difference in the classroom and beyond.