Coaching Clients To Shift from Fear to Wisdom - With Shirzad Chamine
Tue Feb 03 2026
I'm joined by Shirzad Chamine, creator of Positive Intelligence, to explore what it really means to learn in difficult times. We talk about fear-based "saboteur" patterns, why toxic positivity makes things worse, and how negative emotions can be useful signals rather than flaws to suppress.
We look at trauma as something all humans experience on a spectrum, how post-traumatic growth actually works, and why compassion must come before reframing. We also explore religion, secular belief systems, technology, political polarisation, and why both faith and rationality get hijacked by fear when we're not paying attention.
This is a wide-ranging conversation about learning to lead — ourselves and others — from love rather than fear, especially in a fractured world.
Read more about Shirzad's work here: positiveintelligence.com
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Shirzad is a New York Times bestselling author of Positive Intelligence, translated into 20 languages. He has been CEO of the largest coach training organization in the world, has trained more than 100,000 coaches, and trained faculty at Stanford and Yale business schools. Shirzad lectures on Positive Intelligence at Stanford University. His Saboteur Assessment has been used by more than 2 million people and a majority of Fortune 100 companies. A preeminent C-suite advisor, Shirzad has coached hundreds of CEOs and their executive teams. He holds a BA in psychology, an MS in electrical engineering, and an MBA from Stanford.
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https://embodimentunlimited.com/cec/
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Join our membership program for coaches, facilitators, therapists and educators who want sustainable growth:
https://embodimentunlimited.com/flourish/
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Check out our YouTube channel for more coaching tips and our Podcast channel for full episode videos
Uplevel your coaching with a free copy of Mark's latest eBook, The Top 12 Embodiment Coaching Techniques
Join Mark for those juicy in-person workshops and events
Fancy some free coaching demo sessions with Mark?
Connect with Mark Walsh on Instagram
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I'm joined by Shirzad Chamine, creator of Positive Intelligence, to explore what it really means to learn in difficult times. We talk about fear-based "saboteur" patterns, why toxic positivity makes things worse, and how negative emotions can be useful signals rather than flaws to suppress. We look at trauma as something all humans experience on a spectrum, how post-traumatic growth actually works, and why compassion must come before reframing. We also explore religion, secular belief systems, technology, political polarisation, and why both faith and rationality get hijacked by fear when we're not paying attention. This is a wide-ranging conversation about learning to lead — ourselves and others — from love rather than fear, especially in a fractured world. Read more about Shirzad's work here: positiveintelligence.com ----------------------------------------------- Shirzad is a New York Times bestselling author of Positive Intelligence, translated into 20 languages. He has been CEO of the largest coach training organization in the world, has trained more than 100,000 coaches, and trained faculty at Stanford and Yale business schools. Shirzad lectures on Positive Intelligence at Stanford University. His Saboteur Assessment has been used by more than 2 million people and a majority of Fortune 100 companies. A preeminent C-suite advisor, Shirzad has coached hundreds of CEOs and their executive teams. He holds a BA in psychology, an MS in electrical engineering, and an MBA from Stanford. ----------------------------------------------- Become a certified embodiment coach. Coach beyond mere words and support clients to transform their lives: https://embodimentunlimited.com/cec/ ----------------------------------------------- Join our membership program for coaches, facilitators, therapists and educators who want sustainable growth: https://embodimentunlimited.com/flourish/ ----------------------------------------------- Check out our YouTube channel for more coaching tips and our Podcast channel for full episode videos Uplevel your coaching with a free copy of Mark's latest eBook, The Top 12 Embodiment Coaching Techniques Join Mark for those juicy in-person workshops and events Fancy some free coaching demo sessions with Mark? Connect with Mark Walsh on Instagram