Coach the Person, Not the Problem

A Guide to Using Reflective Inquiry

By: Marcia Reynolds

Narrated by: Tiffany Williams

From a founding member of the coaching movement comes a detailed guide to mastering one of a coach’s toughest skills: thoughtfully reflecting clients’ words and expressions back to them so they see themselves and their world through new eyes.

“Coaches rely far too much on asking open-ended questions,” says Marcia Reynolds. But questions only seek answers — inquiry provides insight. When, instead of just questions, clients hear their thoughts, opinions, and beliefs spoken by someone else, it prompts them to critically consider how their thinking affects their goals. Reynolds cites the latest brain science to show why reflective inquiry works and provides techniques, tips, and structures for creating breakthrough conversations.

This book will free coaches from the cult of asking the magical question by offering five essential practices of reflective inquiry: Focus on the person, not the problem; summarize what is heard and expressed; identify underlying beliefs and assumptions; unwrap the desired outcome; and articulate insights and commitments. Using these practices, combined with a respectful and caring presence, helps create a space where clients feel safe, seen, and valued for who they are. Coaches become change agents who actively recharge the human spirit. And clients naturally dive deeper and develop personalized solutions that may surprise even the coach.

©2020 Marcia Reynolds (P)2020 Marcia Reynolds

Reccomend .

If you coach and haven't read this yet, I highly reccomend. Well done, well-written, and well received! Vital information necessary to masterful coaching.

Simple instructions with profound impact

This has got to be the most favorite book. I’ve read on coaching this year if you are interested in this line of business, but also deeply care about the people you work with please buy this book.

Required for all coaches

This is the clearest and most focused guide for coaching - at its broadest understanding as a method.

Insightful.

I appreciate that this book supports our clients and ourselves as coaches. It doesn't simply provide a list of questions but offers a method to raise client awareness to reach their goals and inspire us to reflect on ourselves. I know I will refer back to this book repeatedly.

thought provoking

I am not a professional coach, I am a manager of a team and I wanted to find ways to coach differently to produce different results, thus decided to listen to this book. I also bought the book about half way through because I liked what I was hearing. I have gained a new perspective when conducting my conversations. The narrator was very easy to follow.