Hi Everyone!
In this message, you will find:
References to Coaching Training books
Three Products of Coaching
Three Core competencies, five sub processes and five key abilities of coaching
A Good Way To Learn How To Coach Effectively
Details of Coaching Discussion Lists
Training Resources
Free Teleclasses
and more. Enjoy.

This article started off as a response to an inquiry about books written on the subject of coaching, suitable for an introductory coaching course for HR professionals. It sort of took on a life of its own. Here is a link to a resource which shares a few of the many books on coaching that are currently available. Here is another resource.

References to Coaching Training books
Coach Universe is in the process of assembling a more comprehensive list, so please send us the name of *any* book you are aware of on coaching that is not listed here. The names and eventually descriptions of most of the more popular coaching books will be posted here, so please do check back from time to time.

In our training at Coach Universe, we focus on the language, practices, competencies and distinctions of coaching, which we have gleaned from perhaps over a dozen books about coaching. My personal favorite is
Coaching: Evoking Excellence in Others
by James Flaherty

In his book, Flaherty suggests that three products of coaching are:
a) long term excellence (the client meets the high objective standards of the discipline in which coaching is occuring;
b) self-correction (well coached clients can observe when they are performing well and when they are not and will make any necessary adjustments independently of the coach and thus coaches avoid the temptation of becoming indispensable and, instead, work to build the competence of their client; and
c) self-generation (well coached people know they can always improve and continually find ways on their own to do so. They learn in ways that improve their competence).

I also have found The Handbook of Coaching: A Comprehensive Resource Guide for Managers, Executives, Consultants, and HR by Frederic M. Hudson to be a valuable resource.

One book you may not find listed in your travels that I have been exposed to which you may find useful is Mike Jay's Coach2 The Bottom Line. In his book, which I have found to be a very easy read as a general introduction to (business) coaching, Mike defines three core competencies, five "sub-processes" and five key abilities, which I will share here.

Three core competencies
Connection
Clarification
Commitment

Five sub processes
Openings
Possibilities
Plans
Outcomes
Action

Five key abilities
Observing
Listening
Discerning
Modeling
Delivering

A Good Way To Learn How To Coach Effectively: Learning by Doing:
It is important to note that while one may learn through study the language, practices, competencies and distinctions of coaching, it is my experience that the best way to learn how to coach is to practice coaching, and according to me, the primary skill of a coach is excellence in listening skills. One may be very articulate, a master of observation, highly skilled in the artful question, and a guru in the area of assigning relevant practices, however it is imperative in coaching to master the art of listening. Another domain that is extremely useful to the coach is facilitation. Masterful coaches by their very nature are masters at listening and facilitating.

I hope that in developing your training program you will consider including several resources which address coaching, training, facilitation, listening and modeling. I have recommendations for resources in all of these areas, so please let me know if you need anything else.

Recommendation for those learning to coach: Participate in a coaching discussion list:
Being very attached to collaborative learning, I would also recommend that you include in your program an invitation to your trainees to participate in a discussion list focused on coaching. I can recommend several, and here is a link that describes some of what is available and how to participate:
http://www.coachuniverse.com/onlinecommunities.htm
Personally, of course I am attached to the Coach Universe Virtual Community discussion list, however there is more activity (um, like drinking from a firehose) at Training Ideas.

Training Resources:
Finally, for anyone who trains coaches or anyone else, I'm not sure that you have encountered this book, but I highly recommend it:
Training with NLP: Skills for Managers, Trainers and Communicators
by Joseph O'Connor and John Seymour

These two gentlemen are highly skillful in articulating the difference between outstanding trainers and everybody else.
Here is a quote from the cover:
"This book will help trainers to understand what it means to be truly learning and learner centered. Its greatest strength is that it focuses not only on the outward skills and techniques a trainer needs, but also on the "inner game" where beliefs, values and emotions wield their powerful influences." - Peter Honey, chartered psychologist and management consultant

I hope this post has been helpful, and invite anyone who wishes to discuss anything included here ongoingly to participate in the Coach Universe Virtual Community. To participate, simply send a blank email to coachuniverse-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or email me directly letting me know who you are and that you wish to participate, and I'll subscribe you.

While I do not always have time available to participate as actively as I would like to in the ODNet-Coach Virtual Community, I very much appreciate the value of this list, and am humbled by the collective experience as well as the powerful commitment to excellence.

Free Teleclasses:(posted Saturday, February 2, 2002 at 7:12am Pacific)
Just fyi, Coach Universe is continuously hosting free teleclasses that may be of interest to some of you reading this, since they are focused on leadership development, coaching and mentoring competencies and other related areas.

We do these types of classes often, typically on Saturday mornings at 9am Pacific. We announce upcoming classes, most often free, on the coach universe virtual community/discussion list. (Subscribe here) Here is a link to a page where some of us post upcoming classes:
http://www.coachuniverse.com/BaseQuicki/wiki.cgi?UpcomingTeleclasses

The class announcement for two upcoming classes, one of which is being offered this morning at 9am Pacific, is here:
http://www.synergycentral.com/announcements/teleclass1.htm
This morning's call focuses on new leadership competencies, and is led by Sylvia Dolena. Next Saturday's call, also at 9am Pacific, addresses coaching and mentoring skills for leaders, and is coled by Sylvia Dolena and Dwayne Cox, cofounders of Coach Universe.

Thank you for your interest in coaching.

Enjoy your life!

Warmly,
Dwayne Cox