The Five Coaching Conversations

A research-based model for maximizing people’s performance and potential

The Five Coaching Conversations: A Research-Based Model for Maximizing People’s Performance and Potential offers a different way of thinking about coaching and defines a corresponding set of coaching skills that will help coaches in virtually any context to be as effective as possible, and to get the best possible results out of their people.

If you are—

A senior decision maker or influencer within an organization who wants to implement an internal coaching practice, with an emphasis on developing, supporting, and elevating human capital at all levels.
A leader in the organizational context who would like to move beyond the theory and practice that dominate coaching today and use new, research-based diagnostics and tools for coaching those you lead.
An external coach who works with leaders and/or others in the organizational context, and who would benefit from ideas that will enhance and help you expand your own coaching practice.

—you will learn what the Five Coaching Conversations look and sound like, as well as how and when to use each approach in order to achieve the outcome of growing and developing the people you coach.

The Five Coaching Conversation’s approach consists of five basic and relatively distinct types of coaching conversations: Explaining, Exploring, Encouraging, Empowering, and Elevating. It is based on quantitative research into what successful coaches actually do, and also on interviews with and experiences shared by leaders in various fields, including effective coaches who can point to a demonstrable track record of success when it comes to maximizing people’s performance –– whether at the individual, the team, and/or the organizational level.

Take the quick Coaching Aptitude quiz

The Five Coaching Conversation’s approach consists of five basic and relatively distinct types of coaching conversations:

Explaining

Exploring

Encouraging

Empowering

Elevating

It is based on quantitative research into what successful coaches actually do, and also on interviews with and experiences shared by leaders in various fields, including effective coaches who can point to a demonstrable track record of success when it comes to maximizing people’s performance — whether at the individual, the team, and/or the organizational level.

Testimonials

The Five Coaching Conversations" is a valuable contribution to the field of coaching. Guided by original research into the question of what highly effective coaches actually do, the authors challenge much of the prevailing wisdom in the area of coaching and provide a practical model for upping your game as a coach. If you are a leader of people in virtually any context, this book will help you become more effective starting today!
Marshall GoldsmithThinkers 50 #1 Executive Coach for 10 years
This book intelligently challenges the current, dominant coaching paradigm and offers a balanced, agnostic, research-validated approach for providing context-sensitive coaching. “The Five Coaching Conversations" will be recognized as a seminal contribution to the field of coaching and organizational performance.
John StenbeckEnterprise Agility Expert, Three-time Amazon #1 Best Selling Author
The Avion team has developed a winning game plan on how to get the most from players on any team. They have created a structure that is both intuitive and backed by data to give you a roadmap on how to get people to perform at a higher level, to be more engaged with the team and the task at hand, and how to get them to achieve more than they thought possible of themselves. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to be the best coach possible!
Bruce BochyThree Time World Series Champion Manager, San Francisco Giants
The Five Coaching Conversations" is both a useful and challenging book providing a positive approach to coaching people for success. The Coaching model is logical and practical, giving you the tools to assess the most productive approach to coaching a person , and the steps to provide the best coaching possible. Our leaders use this model. As a result, their coaching has improved, increasing the performance of their people. If you want to become a better coach, or get your people to improve their coaching, this is the right book for you.
Janelle FrostChief Executive Officer, AMERISAFE

About the Authors

John Gates-photo

John Gates, PhD

Morgan Massie-author-photo

Morgan Massie, MA

Steve Williams-author-photo

Steve Williams, MA

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