Book: Coaching, Mentoring and Organizational Consultancy 2nd edition

Coaching, Mentoring and Organizational Consultancy 2nd edition
Supervision, Skills and Development

Synopsis

There has been enormous growth in the fields of coaching, mentoring, and consultancy in the last decade.  Stories, diagrams, and models along with self-assessment exercises equip readers with techniques on how to impact those they are coaching or supervising.

These professions, like psychotherapy and counselling before them, are going through a phase of professionalisation, with the establishment of formal standards, European bodies and standard requirements for supervision. This book provides a response to these growing demands.

Divided into three parts, the book first discusses the practice of coaching, mentoring and consultancy. The second section then goes on to look at development and supervision of these roles whilst the third addresses the wider issues of training, skills and capacities required in these roles.

Reviews

As a coaching supervisor, I found this book, an update from the 2006 version, extremely useful. The references are current and the thinking refreshed and refreshing. I particularly liked the chapters on supervision and the exploration of ethics in the skills and capacities third section. It challenged my practice and cause me to reflect on what else I might do to support the learning and development of the coaches I work with. The preface drew the reader in to share the authors' experience and set the questions racing. The update includes in-company developments, systemic team coaching, more examination of a coaching culture and leadership styles and includes important new material. There is also a helpful section on working with difference and the cross cultural aspects of consultancy and coaching. Well worth the reading for any professional mentor, coach, supervisor or developer of leaders and organisations.
Ms M K Pinder

Any such handbook is of course 'something for everybody about everything', but rather than the usual listing of different approaches the authors integrate practice and theory. It is thus both a wisdom book and an academic book, without the usual exaggeration of differences between coaching, mentoring and consultancy.
The book is a treasury chest for those who want to dig into research and concepts across leadership development, mentoring, coaching, consultancy and supervision. I was pleased that they have included contributors often missing in other handbooks: Argyris, Kolb, Revans, Schein, and many others. It contains useful reflection such as the difference between working at individual, group/team and systemic levels. The book contains useful definitions and expansions of previous definitions, particularly relevant for working with senior management.
Not surprisingly from Peter & Nick, the treatment of supervision is excellent and not a copy from psychotherapy, counselling or common sense - it is perhaps the best part of the book. They usefully deal with issues that I find so often in talking with coaches without leadership experience viz. a coach who identifies too strongly with the coachee to the extent of blaming games; does not detect parallel processes and personal issues; or when both are unaware of knowledge gaps and thus slow to see needs beyond coaching (e.g. mentoring, training, additional resources).
This is a very solid book, well-structured and an excellent inspirational text.
Paul Oolson

I found this book to be a very interesting and informative read. It is a rich mix of interesting explanations of group processes, of real life experiences and guidance on how best to be effective as a team leader/coach. It provides an in-depth understanding of group dynamics, with practical guidance on how to manage them and maximise learning and performance

The book itself is divided into three parts, the first discusses the practice of coaching, mentoring and consultancy, backed up by case studies to assist understanding. The second section looks at development and supervision of these roles whilst the third section addresses the wider issues of training, skills and capacities required in these roles.

It focuses on the key skills, qualities, capabilities and values needed to be a successful coach, mentor or supervisor and how personal development can be effectively facilitated which can lead to sustainable change. As these roles are now going through a phase of professionalisation, with the establishment of formal standards, European bodies and standard requirements for supervision, it is imperative to have a book which looks in depth into the differences and similarities between coaching, mentoring and organizational consultancy.
Balbir Kandola