Table Of ContentAdvance Praise for The Extraordinary Coach
“Zenger and Stinnett use a strong, empirically-based approach to cut right to
the heart of the (coaching) issue to provide something both situationally-relevant
and contextually profound. The authors thread the needle between theory and
anecdotal practice and provide perspective and tools that can benefi t everyone
from CEOs bent on changing culture to frontline managers plying their skills on
the factory fl oor.”
—Courtney Rogers, Executive Director, Human Resources and Talent, Amgen
“This book stands alone as one of the most practical, enlightening books about
coaching ever written. In the book, Jack and Kathleen model their own coach-
ing methods by helping the reader ‘discover superior solutions’ and ‘make and
implement better [coaching] decisions.’ At a time when many organizations are
searching for how to engage their employees, this timely book provides straight-
forward advice you can implement immediately.”
—Elaine Biech, President, ebb associates inc, Author of The Business of
Consulting
“A down-to-earth examination of the key principles and practices involved in
coaching. (The authors’) helpful treatment of this critical leadership skill begins
with a context of research, moves to the realities of the workplace, and then settles
into a series of practical guidelines and examples.”
—Ronald E. Galbraith, Chairman/Chief Consulting Offi cer, onFocus|Healthcare
“A treasure of practical wisdom needed by all leaders. This book contains valuable
information on the coaching process and success factors for behavioral change;
combined with the high credibility of (the authors’) research, the wisdom in this
book is an important investment for today’s organizations.”
—Dr. Kathryn Kaminsky, Professor of Sustainable Leadership, Presidio Graduate
School, San Francisco, California
“Put simply, the coaching framework this book builds ‘works.’ Well researched
and grounded in solid data, it is far more than just an excellent coaching script
and handbook, although it is that too. More importantly it leads the reader from
the why–to the what–to the how–to the when of coaching. From what it takes
to be the coach, to a wealth of powerful questions, to the extraordinary impact
of coaching—it is all here. Leadership, mindset, and behavioral changes do not
come easily for most, but for those leaders and organizations that are serious
about achieving the amazing benefi ts of coaching, this book offers the complete
package and is a ‘must have.’ ”
—Jeffrey C. Smith, Certifi ed Business Coach, Former Chief Human Resources
Offi cer, Cincinnati Bell Inc.
“This book outlines a very powerful and practical sequence of coaching for leaders
and professional coaches to use in their day-to-day work. The fi eld of coaching has
very little research and generally accepted standards. This book establishes a base-
line in which anyone can evaluate their own coaching performance and develop
improvement plans. I highly recommend this book as a core component of coach-
ing classroom, plus on-the-job training and self-development programs.”
—David Brookmire, Ph.D., President, Corporate Performance Strategies.
“A few years ago, Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman turned their detailed leader-
ship behavior research into a terrifi c book, titled The Extraordinary Leader. It
forever changed my views on the critical behaviors leaders need to fulfi ll their
true potential and make a meaningful difference in their organizations. In The
Extraordinary Coach, Jack Zenger and Kathleen Stinnett serve up a powerful,
yet digestible, framework to help leaders become the coaches they aspire to be:
relationship-based, collaboration-oriented, change-focused, and FUEL-ed for
success! Leaders in all types of organizations, and at all levels, will benefi t from
this insightful work.”
—P. Artell Smith, Vice President, Human Resources, Hewitt Associates
“The Extraordinary Coach is not your ordinary coaching guide for managers.
With compelling evidence, Zenger and Stinnett deftly challenge our assump-
tions about how much–and how well–leaders actually coach their employees. The
Extraordinary Coach offers effective and immediately usable coaching tools for
managers who want their employees to truly excel.”
—Catherine Robinson-Walker, MBA, MCC, President, The Leadership Studio®
“Coaching is an essential management activity for improving organizational per-
formance and for people development. This book is a must-have for every manager.
The authors provide practical answers to important coaching questions: why, how,
and when. The online vignettes are a great learning tool.”
—Tony Tasca, Ph.D., Retired Chief Human Resources Offi cer, Zain Group
“The Extraordinary Coach brims with very practical and timely advice distilled
from decades of highly successful leadership development experience. I absolutely
love this book. It really stands out with a unique combination of solid research,
relevant and illustrative examples, and how-to applications. Jack and Kathleen’s
warm and conversational writing style makes reading The Extraordinary Coach feel
like a personal coaching session with one of the wisest sages in the business. An
absolute must-read for anyone leading others.”
—Jim Clemmer, Practical leadership author, keynote speaker, and workshop/
retreat leader
“This book is very helpful for leaders who want to be more coachlike in their
leadership style. It gives an inside perspective often lacking in other leadership
books.”
—G. Lee Salmon, Executive Coaching Program Manager, Federal Consulting
Group, U.S. Department of Interior
“The Extraordinary Coach is exactly what we have been looking for. The concepts
are profound and practical. Every chapter answered my next question. This book
provides the FUEL for our approach to creating a coaching culture at Associated
Food Stores.”
—Steve Jones, Manager, AFS University, Associated Food Stores
The
Extraordinary
COACH
How the Best Leaders
Help Others Grow
John H. Zenger
Kathleen Stinnett
New York Chicago San Francisco Lisbon
London Madrid Mexico City Milan New Delhi
San Juan Seoul Singapore Sydney Toronto
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I dedicate this book to the countless leaders who enthusiastically
coach their colleagues. They do an enormous amount of good.
I also dedicate this book to my wife, Holly. Her sense of humor
makes her coaching both pleasant and appreciated.
Jack Zenger
I dedicate this book to my parents, who have always believed in me
and have given me a strong foundation upon which to grow, and
to my partner, Dave, who endlessly supports me in pursuing the
work and the life that I love. In addition, many individuals have
contributed to my journey, provided opportunities for me to do
the work I am called to, and shaped who I am today. This book is
also for you.
Kathleen Stinnett
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Contents
FOREWORD IX
CHAPTER 1
WHY BOTHER? HOW COACHING PAYS OFF 1
CHAPTER 2
EMPTY CUP, NEW TEA: LOOKING AT
COACHING IN A NEW WAY 9
CHAPTER 3
PAY NOW OR PAY LATER: THE IMPACT
OF COACHING 33
CHAPTER 4
WHAT BUSINESS COACHING IS AND ISN’T 43
CHAPTER 5
DOES YOUR COACHING REST ON A
CRUMBLING FOUNDATION? 59
CHAPTER 6
FUEL: A FRAMEWORK, NOT A CAGE 69
CHAPTER 7
FRAME THE CONVERSATION: SETTING THE TARGET 81
CHAPTER 8
UNDERSTAND THE CURRENT STATE:
“SO HOW IS THAT WORKING FOR YOU?” 101
CHAPTER 9
EXPLORE THE DESIRED STATE:
AIMING FOR THE RIGHT TARGET 123
vii
Description:“A few years ago, Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman turned their detailed yet digestible, framework to help leaders become the coaches they aspire to
