Question 1

What is Positive Intelligence (PQ)?

Accepted Answer

Positive Intelligence is a mental fitness framework developed by Shirzad Chamine that teaches people to identify and quiet their inner Saboteurs — habitual mental patterns that generate negative emotion — and to activate five Sage Powers that enable calm, clear, effective response to challenge. The framework is delivered through a structured app-based program and a coach certification track.

Question 2

Who is Shirzad Chamine?

Accepted Answer

Shirzad Chamine is the founder and CEO of Positive Intelligence, Inc. He is the author of the New York Times bestselling book Positive Intelligence (2012), a Stanford lecturer, and a coach to hundreds of CEOs. He conducted root-cause research involving over 500,000 participants across more than 50 countries before developing the PQ framework.

Question 3

When and where was Positive Intelligence founded?

Accepted Answer

Positive Intelligence was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Question 4

What is a Saboteur in the PQ framework?

Accepted Answer

Saboteurs are the ten mental patterns that PQ identifies as the root source of negative emotion and underperformance. The Judge is the master Saboteur; the nine accomplice Saboteurs (Hyper-Achiever, Controller, Avoider, Pleaser, Restless, Stickler, Victim, Hyper-Rational, and Hyper-Vigilant) each reflect a distinct survival strategy. Participants identify their top Saboteurs via the free PQ Assessment at positiveintelligence.com.

Question 5

What are Sage Powers?

Accepted Answer

PQ defines five Sage Powers — Empathize, Explore, Innovate, Navigate, and Activate — that represent the calm, clear capacities of the Sage mind. Each power addresses a different dimension of responding to challenge without reactive negative emotion. PQ program participants practice activating these powers through daily app-guided exercises.

Question 6

How does the PQ Program work?

Accepted Answer

The flagship program runs six to seven weeks. Participants complete approximately 15 minutes of daily PQ Reps (sensory-focus exercises on the PQ app) and watch weekly video lessons. Small accountability pods of three to five people provide peer support. The program progresses from building Self-Command, to intercepting Saboteurs, to applying Sage Powers to real challenges.

Question 7

Is the PQ Coach certification ICF-accredited?

Accepted Answer

Not in the sense of initial credentialing. The PQ Coach training is approved by the ICF for up to 80 Continuing Coach Education (CCE) units, which count toward renewal of existing ICF credentials (ACC, PCC, MCC). However, PQ Coach Essentials is not an ICF-accredited initial coach training program (ACTP or ACSTH provider), so it does not fulfill the training hours required to apply for an ICF credential from scratch. Coaches who want initial ICF credentialing need to complete a separately accredited program.

Question 8

Do I need an ICF credential to become a PQ Coach?

Accepted Answer

No. Positive Intelligence does not require any external coaching certification to enroll in the PQ Coach Essentials program. Eligibility requires that you are actively receiving compensation for coaching services. Many PQ coaches do hold ICF, EMCC, or other independent credentials, but this is separate from the PQ certification itself.

Question 9

What does working with a Certified PQ Coach involve?

Accepted Answer

A Certified PQ Coach has completed Positive Intelligence's training curriculum and guided at least ten clients through the PQ program. In practice, coaching engagements often follow a structured format: the client runs the 6–7 week PQ program (with daily app practice and pod accountability) while meeting with the coach for additional support, reflection, and application to their specific challenges.

Question 10

How does PQ coaching differ from general coaching?

Accepted Answer

General coaching draws on broad methodologies — ICF competencies, ontological coaching, co-active approaches — and is tailored to whatever the client brings. PQ coaching uses a single proprietary framework and delivers a defined product (the PQ program) as the engagement structure. PQ is best thought of as a methodology a coach adds to their existing practice rather than a comprehensive coaching approach in itself.

Question 11

Is there independent research supporting the PQ framework?

Accepted Answer

Peer-reviewed literature has cited the PQ program's use across 500,000 individuals and 50 countries, and at least one published academic article (available via PubMed Central) has examined its application in organizational and health settings. The framework draws on established neuroscience and positive psychology research, though the PQ model itself is proprietary and not independently peer-reviewed as a distinct psychological instrument.

Question 12

What should I ask a Certified PQ Coach before hiring them?

Accepted Answer

PQ coaching is forward-focused — it works with mental habits, thinking patterns, and performance mindset, and is not a substitute for clinical care. The PQ program is designed for functioning, motivated clients; it is not designed for acute mental health conditions, trauma processing, or clinical depression. Before hiring a PQ coach, ask: Do you hold any independent coaching credentials beyond PQ certification — for example, an ICF or EMCC credential? How long have you been using the PQ framework with clients, and what outcomes do your clients typically see? How do you adapt your approach when a client's challenges are more complex than a standard performance block? And if a client's needs turn out to exceed what the PQ program can address, how do you handle that? Checking the coach's ratings on the PQ Coach Marketplace at positiveintelligence.com alongside a direct conversation gives you the most complete picture.

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