Transformational coaching, according to Thomas Crane, is the
requisite skill for today's leaders, managers, supervisors, and
entire teams who choose to enhance their personal effectiveness and
team performance. The Heart of Coaching: Using Transformational
Coaching to Create a High- Performance Culture (2nd Edition)
recognizes that in order to be an effective coach, one must take
the whole person into account. It places the importance of
relationship building over the bottom line. This title takes a
humanistic and hollistic approach to coaching, one where the coach
and coachee can use information to build an effective and open
relationship. The first section of this book discusses the theory
and practice behind transformational coaching. It has three phases:
- The Foundation Phase in which the coach and the coachee build
their relationship
- The Learning Loop in which the coach and the coachee discover
the issues that need to be resolved through engaging in dialogue
- The Forwarding-the-Action Phase in which the coach and coachee
work together to build "positive momentum and a commitment for
change."
In each of these phases, the focus is on creating a meaningful and
effective working relationship between the coach and the coachee.
This title also provides in-depth detail about creating
communication and collaboration skills - skills necessary to reach
the goal of creating a high performance organization. This book
also deals with the need to create an open and honest relationship
between coach and coachee. A chapter called, Communication Filters,
discusses why coaches should detach, set aside their needs, and
listen deeply with their hearts. In this section, the reader also
learns how to coach different age groups, how to recognize and work
with different behavioral patterns, and even how coaches can
facilitate healing. The coachee can use this information to
discover how to work with a coach including: tips on giving
permission, reacting to feedback, and how to handle
acknowledgement.
In the last portion of this book, Crane focuses on how to create a
high performance culture within an organization. This is a
feedback-rich culture, an environment that relies on coaching as a
requisite skill. The author also discusses the necessary steps to
create a corporate culture change.
To fully complete the coaching model, it would be helpful to have
more than one tool for measuring the success of these programs.
Crane believes that creating a positive relationship between
colleagues, supervisors, subordinates and others will impact the
bottom line of any company. He also believes that through an open
and trusting dialogue, coaches can effectively discuss and solve
performance issues with coachees. To aid the coach, the book also
includes a color, tear-out Coaching Card which can be used as a
quick reference tool. This book will be extremely helpful for any
coaches who needs to learn how to improve their relationship with
their coachees as well as company's that want to create a high
performance culture.