Book Review - Co-Active Coaching

Co-Active Coaching by Henry Kimsey-House, Karen Kimsey-House, Phillip Sangahl and Laura Whitworth

I would recommend this book as it follows The Coaching Academy philosophy and provides additional information you can add to your coaching learning experiences. Fantastic tools and information to add to the existing toolkit.

“Co-active is a coaching relationship. The coach and the Client are collaborators. It is an alliance between two equals for the purpose of meeting the Client’s needs.”

Three things that give a co-active relationship: Fulfilment, Balance and Process

FULFILMENT

Fulfilment is about being alive. Clarifying values with a Client enables you as the coach to know what makes them tick. Get the client to identify their top 10 values so goals and actions can be related to the values because the Client will more likely achieve their goals

BALANCE

Balance is fundamental to the quality of life. It is important that the client is in control and isn’t being controlled. The formula for balanced coaching is to move from Stuck to possibility from possibility to action

PROCESS

The coach serves turbulence under the surface - The client will know what is important. The Coach explores it A shift happens – the client rises Energy opens up – Emotion has powerful energy in it The client has new found resources Movement happens – Atmosphere changes and the Client is less stuck It is important to encourage the client to celebrate as this is the area that they learn It is important to encourage emotions the cause isn’t important but accepting it is. Don’t fix it explore it. Hiding emotions is when there is trouble

Summary

To summarise Co-Active Coaching provides several coaching scenarios and question examples which are useful for the toolkit. I think the self-management section is essential for coaching so we keep ourselves contained so the client can be free. I also felt the importance of values in connection with actions and goals is also extremely useful so we as coaches can help the client explore themselves and reach their full potential and achieve a fulfilled and balanced life.

By Tina O’Brien DipS FCIM