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The Coach's Coach - Personal development for personal developers, by Alison Hardingham
This is a serious and insightful contribution to the practice of coaching. Although especially useful for professional external coaches, it contains many relevant topics for learning and development professionals working inside organisations. Managers in any function wanting to improve their leadership effectiveness will find much of the content in relation to human behaviour and motivation invaluable.
The book is practically organised and starts with looking at the two critical parties; the coachee and the coach. Then the coaching relationship is explored followed by tools and techniques. Lastly coaching contexts are examined.
For everyone planning to undertake coaching, the ‘Starting Points’ chapter is crucial. Even the most open and enlightened people can be ambivalent about their need for coaching. Certainly, they will be trying to work with what life is dealing them, and how the coach addresses the coachee’s immediate circumstances will influence the outcome. Whether the coaching has been chosen by the coachee or whether it has been prescribed by their employer will shape the way the coachee engages in the coaching process.
The beliefs and values of the coach are reviewed with a special emphasis on respect; everyone sees the world differently. There must also be a belief that people can change. Most importantly, the key goal of coaching is ‘to increase the range of choices open to the coachee’. The potential motives of the coach are also examined, lots of warnings here for those looking for a second career!
Organisational motives are also considered. Preferably these should be in relation to an individual being assisted in realising their full potential - not fixing a problem for the boss! This is a positive and uplifting read.