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Wow - the first book you must read if you want to know about coaching

Customer Rating:

Simply the best. Its meant to be 5 stars but I made an error! Oops You don't need to say more than that. The GROW model is simple, powerful, and works! The number of issues and topics related to coaching these days can begin to overcomplicate the issue. At its heart is a process for raising awareness and generating responsibility. End of story. If you read this book, try it out and make a difference by helping someone else - it will be worthwhile.

One of the most accessible and influential books on Coaching

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In this highly influential book, Sir John Whitmore describes what he believes coaching is, how it can be used, and the skills required for coaching. Whitmore also outlines his GROW model which can be used both in a personal, corporate and team context. Chapters 1 to 4 explore what coaching is Chapters 5 and 6 look at the skills of questioning Chapters 7 to 10 introduce Whitmore's GROW model - Goals, Reality,Options and Will Subsequent chapters discuss a range of topics - including motivation, coaching the corporation, feedback and assessment and coaching teams. Whitmore also includes chapters on emotional intelligence and spirtual intelligence and their relation to coaching. This book is underpinned by Whitmore's belief in the values and potential of coaching and his emphasis on the performance-related, psychological principles on which he believes coaching is based. In this third edition, Whitmore explains more fully the principles of coaching and illustrates them with simple analogies both from business and sport. This is an accessible and clearly written book which gives an invaluable introduction to the principles of coaching and the widely used GROW model. Each of the elements of the GROW model are carefully delineated with supporting coaching questions. This book is useful for all new coaches and managers using coaching skills in performance management - particularly, if they would like a model to complement outcomes based coaching models they may be aready be using in business or corporate coaching.

A very good introduction to coaching	Customer Rating:
Coaching for Performance by John Whitmore describes the skills and the art of coaching, as well as the benefits. The book is a very good introduction to coaching and is written in a very easy to read style.

A great guide for anyone in the training industry

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Clear and with a straight forward layout, this book makes some relatively complex ideas very simple. I train drivers and instructors, and have made this one of my recommended texts due to the success I have had following Whitmore's approach. I use many of the techniques in the book as part of my training course. Enjoyable and inspiring to read, if you are stuck wondering which of the bewildering array of coaching books will give you a comprehensive yet understandable introduction to the subject - this is the one.

The "Grandfather" of Coaching Books - and Still One of the Best!

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This book, now in its third edition, is the grandfather of coaching books and approaches. Much of what has come to be known as professional business coaching came from Timothy Gallway and Whitmore's sports training techniques. As such, the book provides a simple foundation for coaching based on the context of awareness and responsibility through asking questions and listening. He presents the G R O W model of coaching - Goal, Reality, Option, Will - as a format for coaching sessions. The book begins with a few foundational beliefs of coaches. Unlike old models of management that work from the "carrot and stick" approach, a coach believes in the potential of the client. Whitmore believes that people are only able to change only that which they are aware. Responsibility must stay with the client if they are to perform. Questions raise awareness and yet maintain the client's responsibility. If the coach tells the coachee something, awareness may increase slightly, but responsibility in now in the hands of the coach, the source of the information. Questions cause the client to pay attention to their actions, think at higher levels, and provide feedback for the coach to work from. The G R O W model provides a sequence of questioning and for the coaching session. A coach starts with the client's goal. Either an end goal, like "retire at age 45," or a performance goal, such as "write a new training manual by December." After further clarifying the goal the coach can move on to the current reality of the situation. Asking such questions as: What have you done on the manual up to now? What are the needs that you think a manual might help? What has kept you from finishing the manual these past two years? Options are then generated from the client as to how they can achieve their goal. Finally, What will you do? Whitmore builds several checks and balances into this last step to ensure performance. The final section of the book is new territory in this 3rd edition. Coaching used to be about performance - doing, acheivement. In the past few years coaching has moved to underlaying motivations of personal fulfillment: the "why" underneath the desire to achieve performance goals. Whitmore includes new chapters on coaching for purpose, getting to life's meaning. Of the dozen books on coaching that I own, this one has consistently been the book I refer back to as I try to explain to someone what is coaching: Believe in the potential of people; raise awareness and maintain responsibility through questions and listening; and follow the GROW model. All are the essence of good coaching.