The Leadership Bookshelf: Books on Executive Coaching

I often get asked which books I would recommend to sharpen coaching skills, either as a leader or an external professional coach. These books offer a mix of theoretical insights, practical tools, and real-world case studies to help you develop and refine your executive coaching skills:

1. "The Complete Corporate Coaching Toolkit: The Quintessential Guide for 21st Century Business Coaches and Leaders" by Carol Wilson

   • This book provides a comprehensive guide to corporate coaching, including tools, techniques, and case studies to help coaches and leaders enhance their coaching skills.

2. "Coaching for Performance: GROWing Human Potential and Purpose - The Principles and Practice of Coaching and Leadership" by John Whitmore

   • A seminal work in the field, this book introduces the GROW model (Goal, Reality, Options, Will) and emphasizes the importance of coaching in achieving high performance and purpose.

3. "The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever" by Michael Bungay Stanier

   • This book offers practical advice on how to adopt a coaching habit, focusing on seven essential coaching questions that can transform leadership and management.

4. "Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Playbook of Silicon Valley's Bill Campbell" by Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg, and Alan Eagle

   • A tribute to Bill Campbell and a fun read, this book shares insights and lessons from the legendary coach who mentored top executives at Google, Apple, and other leading companies.

5. "Executive Coaching with Backbone and Heart: A Systems Approach to Engaging Leaders with Their Challenges" by Mary Beth A. O'Neill

   • This book presents a systems approach to executive coaching, emphasizing the importance of balancing support and challenge to foster effective leadership.

6. "The Leadership Pipeline: How to Build the Leadership Powered Company" by Ram Charan, Stephen Drotter, and James Noel

   • While not exclusively about coaching, this book provides valuable insights into developing leaders at all levels of an organization, with practical strategies for nurturing talent and guiding career growth.

7. "Co-Active Coaching: The Proven Framework for Transformative Conversations at Work and in Life" by Henry Kimsey-House, Karen Kimsey-House, Phillip Sandahl, and Laura Whitworth

   • This book offers a comprehensive framework for co-active coaching, blending personal and professional development to create meaningful change.

8. "Masterful Coaching" by Robert Hargrove

   • A classic in the field, this book covers the essential principles and practices of coaching, with a focus on achieving extraordinary results through transformative conversations.

9. "Becoming an Exceptional Executive Coach" by Michael Frisch, Robert Lee, Karen L. Metzger, Judy Rosemarin, and Jeremy Robinson.

   • This book provides a comprehensive framework for executive coaching, emphasizing practical techniques and strategies, supported by real-life case studies and insights from experienced coaches.

10. Change Your Questions, Change Your Life: 12 Powerful Tools for Leadership, Coaching, and Life" by Marilee Adams.

    • This book introduces the concept of "Question Thinking," demonstrating how shifting from a "Judger" mindset to a "Learner" mindset through the use of powerful questions can transform leadership, coaching, and personal life, fostering better decision-making, communication, and problem-solving.