You found our list of best training books.
Coaching books are works of non-fiction that teach leaders how to guide and inspire individuals and groups. These books cover topics like asking practical questions, providing feedback, and motivating teams. the purpose of these jobs is to help leaders provide better guidance and improve employee performance.
You are reading: Best books on business coaching
These guides are a subset of management books and leadership books and are similar to motivational books and mentoring books.
this list includes:
- leadership coaching books
- business coaching books
- management coaching books
- beginner coaching books
here we go!
list of training books
here is a list of books to improve coaching skills to better support employee growth.
1. the coaching habit: say less, ask for more & change the way you lead forever by michael bungay stanier
The Habit of Coaching is one of the best coaching books for managers. this guide shows leaders how to work coaching into their standard routines so that the act becomes instinct. The book introduces seven key types of coaching questions that produce direct conversations that improve performance. Bungay supports these recommendations with scientific and business research, but the tone of the book is simple, direct, and personable. The Coaching Habit shows how to make coaching second nature and provide ongoing support to employees.
Notable Quote: “When you create a coaching habit, you can more easily break out of the three vicious cycles that plague our workplaces: over-dependency, overwhelm, and disengage.”
read the training habit and check out more books on habit building.
2. the coaching effect: what great leaders do to increase sales, improve performance, and sustain growth by bill eckstrom and sarah wirth
The Coaching Effect is one of the most useful leadership coaching books. The authors spent years studying thousands of workplace interactions and convey the findings of that research in this guide. The book identifies common characteristics and behaviors of great coaches, such as regular 1:1 meetings and comprehensive career planning. The text gives readers advice on how to follow these examples, and the ending presents a four-step process to help frame and guide the development process. the coaching effect creates a composite of the ideal coach by pinpointing the behaviors that have been shown to get the best results.
Notable Quote: “High-growth coaches aren’t afraid to push, demand and challenge their teams to perform. they don’t shy away from making their team members uncomfortable. in fact, they enjoy it because they consciously or subconsciously know that growth can only happen in a state of discomfort.”
read the training effect.
3. Performance Conversations: How to Use Questions to Empower Employees, Improve Productivity, and Increase Confidence (Without Appraisals!) by Christopher Lee
Performance Conversations is a guide to discuss the quality of work and the possibility of improvement. As the title suggests, the book provides readers with a full arsenal of helpful question types to guide these conversations. for example, “what is going well?” “What can I do for you?” and “how are your professional relationships going?” The appendix contains a collection of more complex questions for situations such as talking to a difficult employee, talking to a manager, or preparing for a sale. The guide also includes several checklists to help trainers make sure they hit all the key points needed. Performance Talks are a useful resource for structuring coaching sessions that can help leaders make the most of these talks.
Notable Quote: “The skill of questioning (asking the right questions in the right way at the right time) should also be high on any manager’s list of required skills. This is because questioning is vital for learning, understanding, information gathering, problem solving, and performing quality checks.”
Read the performance conversations and check out this list of follow-up questions.
4. coercive coaching: the proven framework for transformative conversations at work and in life by karen kimsey-house, henry kimsey-house, et al
coactive coaching is one of the most useful coaching books for beginners. The guide breaks down the fundamentals of coaching and provides models for having constructive discussions and building strong relationships. The book provides advice on active listening, reading people, and deepening engagement, and shows readers how to combine the principles of good coaching into practice. coercive coaching acts as a manual that addresses the key points to guide employees and builds a firm foundation on which they can build new leaders.
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Notable quote: “The two products of the work that the coachee and the coach do together (action and learning) combine to create change.”
read coercive coaching.
5. Helping People Change: Training with Compassion for Lifelong Learning and Growth by Richard Boyatzis, Melvin L. smith and ellen van oosten
Helping People Change offers a crash course in empathic leadership. While many coaching books focus on problem-solving techniques, this book emphasizes that a key part of behavior change is understanding and appealing to the other person’s feelings and insights. The guide provides practical advice and tips to help others grow, such as asking questions that uncover passions, fostering sustained change, and recognizing coachable moments. Helping People Change teaches a coaching approach that puts the human first and helps leaders learn how to connect with employees on an emotional level.
notable quote: “in our attempt to counsel a person who needs help, most of us naturally take a problem-focused approach, focusing on the gaps between where they are and where we think they should or could be. we are trying to fix them. this does not work well, if at all, to motivate sustained learning, change, or adaptation.”
read helping people change.
6. Training Salespeople to Become Sales Champions: A Tactical Playbook for Managers and Executives by Keith Rosen
Training salespeople to become sales champions is a guide for sales coaches to improve employee performance. The book defines the differences between sales managers and sales coaches, points out the traits and tactics of effective coaches, shows coaches how to build sales teams, and presents formulas for influencing great results. The sections offer helpful guidelines such as “Six Universal Principles of Master Coaching” and “Six Fatal Coaching Mistakes and How to Avoid Them,” as well as instructions for launching a structured sales coaching program within your organization. Keith Rosen covers the full scope of the practice from attitude to technique and organizes this knowledge into a simple, easy-to-understand manual. Training salespeople to become sales champions is the definitive guide to tailoring your training approach to the sales industry.
Notable Quote: “If you don’t have a defined process that moves your people forward so they can achieve better results, then what are you managing?”
Read how to train salespeople to become sales champions and check out more sales books.
7. The Heart of Laser-Centered Coaching: A Revolutionary Approach to Master Coaching by Marion Franklin
The heart of laser-focused coaching presents a method for more intentional and direct coaching. These techniques help leaders spot and refine important issues and meet coachees’ needs more effectively. The book provides advice on reading people, spotting subtle conversational cues, recognizing patterns, and taking a general approach to problem solving. Marion Franklin shows how to identify what matters most and help coaches define and achieve those goals. The book suggests ways to frame questions and communicate to get to the heart of problems, and also presents ways to overcome challenges. Although the heart of laser-focused coaching is written primarily for professional coaches, managers can also benefit from the advice.
notable quote: “acknowledging: “thank you for sharing that information.” stating: “thank you for sharing that information because it helps me better understand your way of thinking.”
read the heart of laser focused coaching.
8. multipliers: how the best leaders make everyone smarter by liz wiseman
Multipliers is one of the best leadership coaching books. This book explores how great leaders bring out the best in their inner circles and unlock the true potential of employees. The narrative looks at behaviors that help leaders expand the skills and results of their people. Throughout the book, Liz Wiseman compares and contrasts two types of leaders: multipliers, who push employees to exceed expectations and constantly improve, and diminishers, who tarnish the shine of their people. the pages explain how to avoid being a diminisher and adopt the multiplying leadership style. Chapters include case studies that show these principles in action, and the book presents practical steps to show employees you believe in them, get them to believe in themselves, and foster exponential employee growth.
Featured quote: “It’s not how much you know that matters. It’s how much access you have to what other people know that matters. It’s not just how smart your team members are; it’s how much that smart that you can extract and put to use.”
read multipliers.
9. coaching for performance: the principles and practice of coaching and leadership by marcia reynolds
coaching for performance is one of the best business coaching books. The guide presents tactics and best practices for getting coaches to do their best work. pages provide tips on creating a performance culture, guiding team performance, turning the process into a partnership, and measuring the impact of the experience. The book introduces a framework called Grow Up to structure the training process and ends with a toolkit of questions and exercises to help readers master the craft. coaching for performance describes a results-based approach to coaching and breaks down the basics of performance management and support.
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Notable quote: “Adult learning theory tells us that adults learn in a completely different way than children. self-confidence is essential for this. coaching is adult learning in practice and it is both what leaders need and the direction in which leadership style should move.”
read coaching for performance.
10. the talent code: greatness is not born. has grown that’s how. by daniel coyle
the talent code looks at the elements that encourage and accelerate growth. Using a journalistic approach, Daniel Coyle explores a handful of “talent hotbeds” around the world, analyzing environments to select for patterns and characteristics that enable excellence. The book identifies three main factors for extraordinary talent development—deep practice, ignition of passion, and masterful training—and shows leaders how to cultivate these conditions. Coyle backs up her anecdotes and advice with scientific evidence, particularly neurological research. the talent code is a technical manual to improve the skills of employees and create a learning environment.
notable quote: “master coaching is something more evanescent: more art than science. it exists in the space between two people, in the warm and messy game of language, gesture and expression.”
read the talent code and check out more training and development books.
11. the advice trap: be humble, stay curious & change the way you lead forever by michael bungay stanier
The advice trap shows that coaching is as much about listening as it is about directing. The book encourages leaders to overcome the instinct to immediately give advice and instead ask thoughtful questions to gather more information and help the employee come up with their own solution. This guide helps coaches examine whether or not they are over-counseling team members and make sustainable changes to these behaviors. The book presents a set of practical tools to train more effectively, with practical tips and advice. Each chapter alternates with a master class exercise that helps readers practice and refine the skills discussed. the council trap shows leaders that their people are their most valuable training asset and explains how to make the best use of that resource.
notable quote: “generous silence provides space for the other person to be with himself, for you to be with him, for presence to manifest. allows them to take a breath. he whispers, “this is an interesting place to be. let’s hang out here for a bit.”
read the tips trap.
final thoughts
The art of coaching is deceptively difficult to master. Many first-time managers make the mistakes of micromanaging and barking orders or swooping in to play the savior. in fact, even experienced leaders sometimes fall into this trap. however, the role of a leader is to help learn and grow and set the right course, not to do the work for the staff. Good leaders get employees thinking and create environments where team members can grow and thrive.
Coaching books teach leaders how to influence employees and instill the skills needed to succeed in the professional world. these guides can help coaches make an impact on the careers and lives of less experienced colleagues, which is one of the most rewarding parts of the coaching process.
Then check out this list of management skills, this list of tips for first-time managers, and these office mentoring program ideas.
We also have a list of tips for giving employees feedback, a list of employee coaching examples, and a list of employee coaching styles.
frequently asked questions: training books
here are answers to common questions about training books.
what are training books?
Orientation books are guides that teach leaders how to help employees learn and grow. These books cover topics such as motivation, career planning, active listening, and constructive questioning.
what are some good manager training books?
Some good manager training books include The Advice Trap by Michael Bungay Stanier, Multipliers by Liz Wiseman, and The Effect of Training by Bill Eckstrom and Sarah Wirth.
why should i look for training books?
You should read coaching books to learn essential leadership, training, and development skills. these books can be a shortcut to understanding best practices and help you avoid time- and energy-consuming mistakes.
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