REGARDLESS OF YOUR LEVEL of coaching experience, you are likely to be asked to support the development of people with whom you share a professional or personal relationship.
In this thoroughly revised and updated edition of his best-selling bookThe Mindful Coach, expert coach Doug Silsbee presents his practical Septet Model as an ideal tool for conducting coaching conversations with executives, leaders, and other professionals. The model differentiates seven roles (or Voices) that anyone in a coaching role can use when engaging in these learning conversations: Master, Partner, Investigator, Reflector, Teacher, Guide, and Contractor. In this important book, Silsbee illuminates the dynamic relationship among these seven roles and shows how to integrate them into an intelligent strategy that can be applied to any coaching conversation.
Designed as a down-to-earth resource,The Mindful Coach is filled with practical exercises and sample dialogues for learning and applying the model. Throughout the book, Silsbees strong emphasis on self-knowledge and mindfulness integrates with the Septet Model in a transformational approach to coaching that has consistently produced significant and sustainable results for leaders in Fortune 100 companies, nonprofit organizations, business schools, education, and government.
Exercises, Practices, Exhibits, and Figures ix
Foreword xiii
Preface to the New and Revised Edition xv
Introduction: What Is Coaching? 1
A Working Definition of Coaching 4
Distinguishing Coaching from Other Aspects of Professional Relationships 6
Contexts for Coaching: Four Dynamics 9
Introduction Summary 14
1 The Being of Coaching: Mindful Service 17
Placing Oneself in Service 18
Mindfulness and Self-Awareness 19
Mindfulness and the Three Levels of Experience 23
Attachments and Aversions 25
Conditioning and Habits That Block Mindfulness 30
Coaching Habits 33
Chapter Summary 41
2 Cultivating Mindfulness 43
Self-Observation 44
Practices for Cultivating Mindfulness 48
Coach as Learner 54
Accountability in Service 55
Chapter Summary 56
3 The Seven Voices of the Coach 57
Learning the Voices 58
The Individual Roles or Voices 60
The Voices and Their Aspects 64
Placing the Voices in Context 64
Chapter Summary 72
4 The Master 73
Maintaining Self-Awareness 76
Listening with Focus and Presence 78
Modeling Learning and Growth 79
Embracing the Client with Compassion and Respect 82
Choosing Which of the Operational Voices to Use at a Given Time 84
The Mindful Master 86
Chapter Summary 89
5 The Partner 91
Establishing and Honoring an Explicit Structure for the Coaching Relationship 93
Advocating Shared Commitment to Competency-Based Coaching Outcomes 98
Offering Choice Points and Making Joint Decisions About the Coaching Process 103
The Mindful Partner 107
Chapter Summary 110
6 The Investigator 113
Asking Questions That Shift the Clients Understanding of the Situation 116
Helping the Client to Articulate Desired Outcomes 120
Asking the Client to Generate Courses of Action 122
The Mindful Investigator 126
Chapter Summary 130
7 The Reflector 131
Providing Direct and Honest Feedback 133
Directing the Clients Attention Toward His or Her Capabilities and Potential 137
Encouraging Self-Observation and Reflection 141
The Mindful Reflector 143
Chapter Summary 147
8 The Teacher 149
Providing New Distinctions, Information, and Knowledge 151
Challenging and Stimulating the Clients Thinking Process 154
Explaining the Coaching Process, Theory, and Models Being Used 159
The Mindful Teacher 162
Chapter Summary 165
9 The Guide 167
Encouraging the Client to Take Some Action of the Clients Choosing 170
Offering Options for Action 172
Recommending Specific Courses of Action 175
The Mindful Guide 178
Chapter Summary 181
10 The Contractor 183
Establishing Clear Agreements About Actions 186
Exploring and Resolving Client Doubts and Hesitations 190
Following Up with the Client About Agreed-On Actions 193
The Mindful Contractor 196
Chapter Summary 199
11 Self-Development Strategies for the Coach 201
Self-Assessment Tools 202
Self-Observation as a Coach 205
Navigating the Model 210
Learning from Your Reflection 216
Reviewing Audio Recordings 217
Obtaining and Listening to Client Feedback 218
Planning Your Own Development 221
Chapter Summary 223
Epilogue: Coaching as a Journey Toward Mastery 225
About Fluidity and Intuition 227
Practice as Path 229
Selected Reading 235
Notes 239
Acknowledgments 245
The Author 249
Index 251
