Table Of ContentClean Coaching
Most coaches today see their role as mainly non-directive, helping to uncover
their coachee’s own wisdom. However, coaches may unwittingly and
unconsciously constrain what their coachees talk and think about, getting in the
way of unique, self-generated solutions. Clean Coaching provides a different,
simple yet highly effective approach to one-to-one facilitation. It is a style,
strategy and set of techniques that helps coachees gain insight and make changes
through discovering more about their own ‘insider’ perspective: of themselves
and the world around them. Through the use of specifically-phrased, structured
coaching questions, the coach’s own biased perspectives are stripped from their
language, ensuring the coachee’s unique personal experience is honoured.
In Clean Coaching, Angela Dunbar explains how this approach works in
practical terms, with descriptions of how to structure a Clean Coaching session
and the steps to take within such a session. The book gives detailed descriptions
of the kinds of questions to ask and provides a wealth of analogues, examples and
case studies to bring the descriptions alive, offering a clear blueprint for action. In
addition, the book explains where Clean Coaching has come from, describing the
development of Clean Language and other ‘Clean’ approaches by the
psychologist and psychotherapist David Grove. It also tracks how ‘Clean’
approaches have been adopted and adapted by other practitioners. Dunbar draws
on current research in the fields of developmental, neurological, cognitive and
social psychology to demonstrate why Clean Coaching works so successfully.
Exploring Clean Coaching in detail, and informed by both research and
practice, this book is a valuable resource for coaches at all levels, including
executive coaches and those in training, as well as managers and executives
acting in a coaching capacity.
Angela Dunbar is a highly experienced coach and coach supervisor, accredited
with and a former council member of the Association for Coaching. As Managing
Director of her own training and development consultancy since 1994, Angela
coaches people on their professional and personal lives, and her passion is using
and teaching ‘Clean’ techniques through The Clean Coaching Centre,
www.cleancoaching.com. She is the author of Essential Life Coaching Skills
(Routledge, 2009), and has twice been nominated for the Association for
Coaching’s Honorary Award for “Impacting the Coaching Profession”.
‘Whether you are new to Clean Coaching or already have some deep exposure,
there is a wealth of information and guidance in this book – from the basics of
just two questions you can use in a profound way to get started, through the full
range of Clean questions and techniques, to the capacities and world views that
will help you to use it successfully. Angela’s writing, her examples and stories,
spur you on to explore and use these powerful techniques.’
—Caroline Talbott, coach and author of
Essential Career Transition Coaching Skills
‘I loved this book for its clarity and simplicity. It gives a thorough representation
of the work that David, Angela and I did together during the years leading up to
his death, as well as the way in which she has gone on to develop and progress
our work. It provides a detailed description of what coaching is, what Clean
coaching is, the differences between them, and how they complement each other,
and will guide coaches towards a more neutral style of coaching. I regard it as
essential reading for those studying or delivering Clean techniques, and a
valuable resource for anyone studying and/or practicing coaching more generally
too.’
—Carol Wilson FILM FAC FPSA, www.coachingcultureatwork.com
‘A hugely valuable addition to the field of Clean Coaching, this book will surely
become a seminal text. It contains a rich explanation of the benefits of a Clean
approach to coaching plus practical know-how for coaches to apply to enhance
their effectiveness through Clean strategies, mindsets and techniques. Angela
shares her in-depth knowledge and understanding of Clean in relation to the art
of coaching and the application of psychological and systemic models, all in a
hugely warm and accessible style.’
—Lynne Cooper, Executive Coach, Coaching Supervisor, co-author of
The Five-Minute Coach and managing partner of Change Perspectives
‘Angela’s latest book is an excellent addition to the current literature on coaching
and how Clean Coaching is distinguished from other approaches. In one volume,
the reader can explore the theoretical underpinnings of coaching, our
unconscious bias towards being directive and how Clean Coaching offers an
alternative. Discover ways to build your Clean Coaching capabilities and
strategies for structuring Clean sessions, peppered throughout with case studies,
transcripts and insights drawn from Angela’s rich experience in the field. An
indispensible resource for both novice and experienced coaches alike.’
—Anne Munro-Kua Ph.D, CEO AMK Transformations,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
‘This book is a comprehensive overview of Clean coaching by someone who
learnt from David Grove himself. Angela Dunbar puts Clean coaching into
context by showing all coaches how we should “Clean up” our coaching
approach, even if not using Clean methods primarily. She explains how and why
Clean works, and provides “how to” sections for basic Clean questions and the
more evolved Emergent Knowledge variations. Coaches will find this book useful
and challenging, as well as informative.’
—Gill Smith, UK Chair, Association for Coaching,
Partner in The Brain@Work
Clean Coaching
The insider guide to making change happen
Angela Dunbar
First published 2017
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business ©
2017 Angela Dunbar
The right of Angela Dunbar to be identified as author of this work has been
asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs
and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any
information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the
publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered
trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent
to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book
is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-
Publication Data Names: Dunbar, Angela, 1964– author.
Title: Clean coaching : the insider guide to making change happen /
Angela Dunbar.
Description: Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY : Routledge, 2017. |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016011365 | ISBN 9781138816367 (hardback) |
ISBN 9781138816374 (pbk.)
Subjects: LCSH: Personal coaching. | Counseling.
Classification: LCC BF637.P36 D858 2017 | DDC 158.3—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016011365
ISBN: 978-1-13881636-7 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-13881637-4 (pbk) ISBN: 978-1-315-
73866-6 (ebk) Typeset in Times New Roman
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
Contents
List of figures and table
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Section I
The foundations for Clean Coaching
1 The art of asking ‘stupid’ questions
2 The scope and spectrum of coaching
3 The directive bias
4 What kind of coaching is ‘Clean’ Coaching?
Section II
Qualities of a Clean Coach
5 What you see is how you coach
6 Developing Clean Coaching capacities
7 The language of Clean Coaching
8 Clean questions to focus attention
Section III
Description:Most coaches today see their role as mainly non-directive, helping to uncover their coachee’s own wisdom. However, coaches may unwittingly and unconsciously constrain what their coachees talk and think about, getting in the way of unique, self-generated solutions. Clean Coaching provides a differe
