Co-Active Coaching, 2nd Edition: New Skills for Coaching People Toward Success in Work and, Life

This book is well worth the time to read. I have completed a credentialed training course, and found that this book really helped drive the concepts home, so that they are in my "being" as a coach. It is detailed and thorough, really explaining the purpose behind certain concepts that just weren't explained in my coach training. I have noticed a change in my coaching style already. I am very thankful to have read this book and highly recommend it to those who are looking for a comprehensive examination of the basics of coaching.

I am a professional coach who has been using these principles in my practice for a number of years. Initially, I thought some of them were somewhat questionable, but over time, I have found this to be the most powerful and simple methodology available. It is to learn and apply.

One principle of good coaching is to ask powerful questions. This is what evokes deep inquiry and access to important needs underlying emotions. This is primary focus of any coaching method, but this book emphasizes doing this within the context of a negotiated relationship which serves as a container for the client's process. This creates the safety for magic to happen.

This book emphasizes that it is the coach's responsibility to hold the client's agenda and take their leads from the client's process. This is much different than an arm's length approach centered on the coach's opinions and expertise. This is very validating to the person who is receiving the coaching and helps deepen the relationship. This creates a positive feedback loop over time and allows the person being coached to be more vulnerable.

Another aspect of this particular model is that it taps into people's peak experiences to mine for important values and experiences that point the way to fulfillment. If these are developed properly, they can help the client to propel themselves beyond their biggest fears. This dimension of the model relates to fulfillment which is the ultimate goal of this methodology along with balance and self-management.

The explanation of the overall model is excellent. Focusing on the client's fulfillment, balance and process forms the foundation of the coaching relationship. The authors clearly explain that the coaching relationship is continuously negotiated and refined so that a safe space is maintained that provides just the right balance of challenge and support for personal growth. This is a good foundation for any kind of interpersonal growth work and gives the coach frequently reality checks which are important in working with different personality types. Some other coaching models are prone to a lot of mind reading, but the negotiated relationship aspect of this methodology helps to counterbalance this tendency.

In Part II the authors talk about five foundational skills: listening, the use of intuition, curiosity, action and learning and self-management. It may seem obvious on the surface, but empathetic listening guided by curiosity and intuition helps people to really open up. This method places these skills squarely in the middle of the coaching process and emphasizes staying with the client's process in the moment and trusting the leads that come as pointers to solutions. The value of intuition in coaching can't be overestimated and in this way the model goes beyond simple talk therapy based on cognitive principles. As we all know, much of communication is non-verbal e.g. facial expressions, body language and tone of voice. Paying attention to these and other non-verbal cues often results in deep insights that might normally be dismissed.

I also like the explanation of the relationship between action and deep learning. These two areas can be looked at metaphorically as two legs walking. In other words, to move forward the person being coached needs to alternate between deep learning and taking action to move forward in their process. I have found this to be true. Deep learning by itself is not enough to bring about lasting change. One must alternate learning with taking what is learned and applying it in the world.

Overall, this method respects the client's unique process and provides a way to work with anyone where the coaches own projections are not likely to intrude. It is optimistic and trusts that at the core, the person is good and used methods that help the client to get to this "felt sense." This is complimented by an emphasis on embodying change which they refer to as the "in the bones" principle. I have used this method over many hours of coaching and it does get results. It is also easy for new coaches to learn and has built in mechanisms that prevent new coaches from getting themselves into trouble.

While in some ways the book could have been better written or organized, it is still well-presented and packed with lots of useful information beyond the basics. It also has specific tools and forms that a new coach will find useful in their practice.

I have read many coaching books and this is the best one I have found overall. I think any coach, manager, parent or counselor would benefit from reading this book. What this book doesn't address is how to get a practice up and running. However, that is not its purpose.

Co-Active Coaching was a terrific book for "detailed knowledge" of coaching principles. It gave a brief synopsis of coaching concepts for the first few chapters; and then used the following chapters to explain in much more detail the major elements involved in coaching people. It simplified coaching into five very critical elements and explained really well how each element worked to make the reader a better coach.

This book may be okay for some, but the authors take to much time getting to the point. To much "fluff". They wrote the book as if they totally created the concept of 'Life Coaching' themselves. To spend a whole chapter on 'Intuition'...Please! The authors feel as if they have to explain the same skill over and over, and twenty different ways. I totally lost interest, and couldn't even finish the book. And I think the "Gremlin idea" is stupid. I'm not telling my client a Gremlin took their motivation! That being said, this book is going back.

I am taking a coaching class and I've been reading this book as I go. The book is extremly thourough and very self explanatory. Nothing difficult about it. It is a simple step by step book that explains the process of coaching. Great book and I highly recommend.