Anthony M Grant: Background Information

Dr Anthony M Grant is a Coaching Psychologist. He holds a BA (Hons) (first class honours) in Psychology, a Masters of Arts in Behavioural Science and a PhD. The title of his PhD thesis was "Towards a psychology of coaching: The impact of coaching on meta-cognition, mental health and goal attainment" and is one of few doctoral thesis that explicitly examine Coaching Psychology. He is both a practitioner and an academic.

Anthony left school at the age of fifteen with no qualifications, completed his training as a carpenter and ran his own contracting business. Embarking on a second career in direct sales and marketing, he began tertiary studies in 1993 as a mature age student and then commencing a third career in his 30's as a coaching psychologist.

In January 2000 Anthony established the world's first Coaching Psychology Unit at the School of Psychology at Sydney University where he is the director. The unit offers post-graduate degree programs to Master's level in Applied Science (Psychology of Coaching), the Master of Organisational Coaching and the Graduate Certificate in Applied Science (Applied Positive Psychology), and Anthony was instrumental in the development and introduction of these programs. His coaching research and practice has frequently been reported in the national and international media. He has co-written and co-edited five books on evidence-based coaching and has many coaching-related publications in the peer-reviewed and professional press. His books on coaching have been translated into eight languages, and his is widely recognised as a key pioneer of coaching psychology.

Professional Details, Publications and Conference Papers can be downloaded here (pdf)

Qualifications and Professional Affiliations

• PhD (Psychology), M.A,. (Behavioural Science): Macquarie University, Sydney
• B.A. (Hons) in Psychology; first class honours and University Medal: Sydney University
• Member of Australian and British Psychological Societies (APS and BPS)
• VETAB Accredited Workplace Trainer (Cert VI)
• Registered Psychologist (NSW, Australia)
• Chartered Psychologist (BPS)

Academic and Professional Awards

• Harvard University (2009)  "Vision of Excellence Award" from McLean Hospital Harvard Medical School, for pioneering work in helping to develop a scientific foundation to coaching.
• British Psychological Society Award (2007) for outstanding professional and scientific contribution to Coaching Psychology (Special Group in Coaching Psychology)
• University of Sydney (Faculty of Science) Excellence in Teaching Award 2008
• University of Sydney (Faculty of Science) Excellence in Teaching Award 2002
• O'Neil Prize in Psychology (1997)
• Dick Thomson Prize in Psychology (1997)
• Australian Psychological Society Prize (1997)
• Blanka Buring Prize (1996)
• Walter Reid Memorial Grant for academic performance (1995; 1996, 1997)

Research Grants and Funded Research

• Australian Research Council Linkage Grant (2007 - 2010) Developing leadership for high stress workplaces: Improving well-being, engagement, productivity and staff retention. Total funding A$3,500,000. Investigators: Cavanagh, M.J., Atkins, P., Grant A.M and Spence, G.B.
• Human Synergistics Transformation Research Grant (2008 - 2011) Transformational change in the workplace: 360 feedback and coaching approaches Total funding A$170,000. Investigators: Grant A.M. and de Vries, C.
• Melbourne Community Foundation (Handbury Fund) (2009 - 2010) The Handbury Project: Powerlessness and Acceptance Research Project Funding $49,670. Investigators: Baijan, G. and Grant A.M