ACT for Leadership: Using Acceptance and Commitment Training to Develop Crisis-Resilient Change Managers

The evidence-based executive coaching movement suggests translating empirical research into practical methods to help leaders develop a repertoire of crisis resiliency and value-directed change management skills. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an evidence-based modern cognitive-behavior therapy approach that has been and applied to organizational settings. When utilized as a leadership coaching model, Acceptance and Commitment Training (“ACTraining”) demonstrates effectiveness in increasing work performance and innovation while reducing work stress and work errors. The six domains of ACTraining, acceptance, defusion, values, contact with the present moment, self-as-context, and committed action are all reviewed as a model for executive coaching.