John Whitmore

The field of workplace management has moved, in recent decades, from just being about organizing people for financial profits to also incorporating social and even spiritual values into employees’ career development. Today, good employees demand not just a paycheck but a place where they can grow and develop in some way. How are managers to avoid being caught flat-footed to these changing circumstances? Most managers lead by how they’ve been managed in the past, and most managers still show more don’t lead through feedback. In response, John Whitmore has developed this guide to teaching people how to coach, which starts by learning how to be coached.

Coaching as a practice involves not just a workplace but the whole of one’s life – that is, one’s personality, family relationships, and social approach. It’s a transcendent skill, not locked into any one profession, and encompasses more than just teaching. In this book’s beginning, Whitmore distinguishes between coaching and mentoring, but I honestly don’t see a ton of daylight between the two. They both involve growth in handing situations that engage one’s inner character. This book handles that field with a thoroughness not seen in most other publications.

Good, contemporary leadership is intimately involved with the practice of coaching. So is working with interdisciplinary teams where no one person can be considered a master of all work. Effective communication and self-awareness must drive interactions in these domains. Whitmore provides a guide about how to gain these skills. Interested readers are also given opportunities to engage with his company for further trainings to better implement these concepts into their daily lives.

This book’s main audience consists of employees who seek to enhance their leadership and coaching skills. Although this book is focused on applications in the workplace, I see a lot of crossover into any mentoring relationship. I guide individuals – both adults at church and youth – about self-improvement and can apply many lessons from this book directly into those activities. The art of asking good questions is one that almost everyone can benefit from; this book certainly can serve as a sharpening tool for that confounding skill. I’ve read few guides about mentoring or coaching as comprehensive as this one, and I hope many others benefit from its seasoned wisdom. show less

Buona introduzione al tema, con l'usuale approccio chiaro e semplice dei testi raccolti per questa collana Sperling.

A classic, foundational book on coaching suitable for managers as well as coaches in their initial phases of training.

A short book, only 64 pages, but one in which the author transmits the knowledge gained in his rally and racing career to help ordinary motorists improve their skills.