Business Coaching

If you were to discover that there was one verbal skill that would dramatically improve your ability to coach and counsel others more effectively, would you be willing to practice it until you were an expert? That one vital skill is asking intelligent questions, which require a response in either thought or action. It is not good enough just to make a statement which is an assertion of what you think is true. The book emphasises the point that, when coaching and counselling, you should ask more questions, and make fewer assertions. Questions can be used creatively to ask for agreement, gently challenge a belief, gain involvement, generate options and clarify thinking. This is just one of a wide range of effective and creative ideas that the book covers. Coaching is defined here as a form of directive teaching based on demonstration, explanation, feedback and encouragement. Counselling is a form of non-directive communication based on the principle of asking questions to lead people to find solutions, as opposed to telling them what to do.
This readable and informative book explains when to use the best techniques to help people to improve their skills in areas where they are not meeting performance or personal requirements. Changes in technology, organisation and personal expectation are fast and furious these days and this book will help managers and others to guide employees and colleagues towards better performance and more satisfying work.