Leveling Up: My Top 5 Coaching Books

“The art of coaching is doing, thinking, and being: doing a set of actions, holding a set of beliefs, and being in a way that results in those actions leading to change.” - Elena Aguilar

Let’s take a moment to reflect on the best advice we’ve been given - perhaps from friends, family, mentors, or managers. Whether those trusted individuals recognized strengths we did not previously see, pushed us to make needed changes, or asked us to reflect in ways we had not done before - those were coaching moments. I am eternally grateful for those moments that have shaped my life, and I strive to maintain connections with incredible people who challenge, teach, listen, and support me. 

In addition to learning from my own coaches, I study the strategies of others whom I’ll likely never meet, but who have shared their techniques with us. Countless books, podcasts, courses, and articles are easily accessible, giving us an opportunity to refine our practices. Below are some of the books that have influenced me most as a coach. These resources are written for a variety of audiences, but the lessons are applicable to leaders at every level. This is not an exhaustive list, so shout out your favorite coaching books in the comments!  

1. The Art of Coaching, by Elena Aguilar 

• Why I Love It: Aguilar guides us to hone in on our coaching values and reflective routines as we support others towards reflective, self-sustaining practices of their own. She discusses Directive, Facilitative, and Transformational Coaching, digging into the latter in depth. In Transformational Coaching, we pause to consider the Behaviors, Beliefs, and Ways of Being that we and those we coach bring to the table. We develop an awareness of our identities and how we show up, in an ongoing journey towards transformational change.

• Brain/Body Connection - Bonus!: The Art of Coaching pushes us to create safe spaces for the people we coach. Acknowledging links between the brain and body connects social emotional and culturally responsive practices, while encouraging us to model those behaviors in our work.

• Additional resources: Resources for coaches and more books including The Art of Coaching Teams.

2. Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain by Zaretta Hammond  

• Why I Love It: I wish I had this book as a young teacher, as it has shaped my understanding of what it means to be culturally responsive. Hammond urges readers to build trust and push students to deeper levels of thinking through an understanding of how the brain works. As we build trust with students, we must at the same time thoughtfully engage them in a productive struggle with the content. Hammond’s explanation of how the brain learns gives us a “why” behind instructional strategies like creating a hook for a lesson, chunking content, and connecting new information to prior knowledge. 

• Brain/Body Connection - Bonus!: All humans seek safety first, before we can engage in deeper, more complex thinking. Creating safe spaces for our students (as well as for adults) calms the body’s stress responses and paves the way for higher-order thinking. 

• Additional resources: A blog, newsletter, and new book coming later this year.

3. The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier

• Why I Love It: Stanier provides a framework for focused staff meetings by posing thoughtful questions (also a great teaching strategy). Effective questions include “What’s on your mind?” and “What else?” This allows us to get a quick status update through a rich discussion of the staff member’s top priorities and current challenges. Targeted questions also allow a coach or manager to determine how we can support the staff member, clear a path, or help them access the resources needed to navigate roadblocks. 

• Additional resources: Box of Crayons, Stanier’s organization, has more books, a podcast, free downloads, and a blog. 

4. Daring Greatly by Brené Brown

• Why I Love It: I love everything Brené Brown! Her straightforward, humble delivery resonates with me, and each time I hear her speak, I leave with a deeper understanding of the human experience. This was my first Brené book, and it changed me forever. She names that no matter how difficult or scary it can feel to be vulnerable, we are wired for connection. Brown encourages us to get clear on whose opinions matter, to take the risk to be vulnerable with those who earn our trust, and to keep getting back in the arena, even after we are knocked down. 

• Additional resources: Netflix special “The Call to Courage,” more incredible books, Ted Talks, resources on her website, and a podcast coming soon! 

5. Trillion Dollar Coach by Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg, & Alan Eagle 

• Why I Love It: Bill Campbell, a gifted business leader and Columbia alum, coached some of the country’s most influential tech leaders, including Google executives (the authors), Steve Jobs, and Sheryl Sandberg. Bill began his career as a football coach and harnessed that style to leave a lasting legacy in the business world. Bill led with his authentic blend of tough love and a brilliant strategic mind, pausing first to consider the team dynamics in any given challenge. 

• Additional resources: The authors also wrote How Google Works.

Why We All Need a Coach

“Connection is why we’re here. We are hardwired to connect with others, it’s what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it there is suffering.”- Brene Brown, Daring Greatly

One of the most meaningful gifts we can give each other is the gift of time and attention. When we spend time with someone who genuinely listens, we feel valued, cared for, and capable. We all have moments of self-doubt and need connection with others to confidently move forward. 

Similarly, in our work, we need to connect with a trusted adviser who listens and helps us identify our vision, set goals, plan, execute, and reflect along the way. At times this can come from a supervisor or another colleague. However, our co-workers can often be pressed for time and have more limited perspectives that are entrenched in the same day-to-day work in which we are steeped. In these instances, as well as for entrepreneurs, it can be incredibly valuable to get the outside perspective of a coach. Coaches have a broader view and dedicated time to support us. They can help us to identify potential barriers and self-limiting beliefs, create thoughtful plans, and move past obstacles. 

A few years ago, I connected with a coach who changed my life. I had worked in education for about 15 years and felt that something needed to change, but I was unsure of what opportunities to pursue next and how to move forward. Left to my own devices, I would have either stayed in a challenging professional situation for too long, or jumped into another role too quickly. Instead, my coach asked me to envision what my ideal future would look like in a year  - a question I had never considered. 

Though I didn’t know it at the time, this marked a turning point for me. I did not experience a dramatic flash of bright light, or specific “aha moment,” but rather the shift came over time. 

Building trust with my coach, as she asked thoughtful questions and made space for me to consider new possibilities, renewed me both professionally and personally. Working with her made me feel validated and allowed me to take ownership of a difficult situation. My coach listened to me, recognized my strengths, and helped me to envision a new future when I felt unable to do so on my own. 

Now, I am forever grateful to my coach, as I celebrate two years of KJ Consulting Group, due largely in part to her thoughtful guidance and support. I still use many of the practices that we developed together to reflect about what I envision for the future year, breaking that down into monthly goals, and planning and executing on professional and personal milestones. 

I have served as a teacher, sports coach, instructional coach, and a manager of full-time staff, and I now support a number of clients through reflective coaching practices. I love helping leaders at all levels to identify a vision for their work ahead, create a plan, develop new strategies, execute, track progress, and reflect along the way. I differentiate my support according to each individual’s working style and needs, serving as a guide, an accountability partner, and a cheerleader, as we navigate obstacles and celebrate wins as a team. 

Connect with me, and let’s start working together towards your 2020 Vision! 

Your Team Member and Advocate, 

Katie