Customer Reviews

The Business Coach: A Game Plan for the New Work Environment

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I read this book cover to cover and could not find the beef. It seemed very superficial, full of homilies, and it never gets around to making a contribution. Here's an example: "The language of coaching is about building bridges with others and not barriers." (page 112). And another (page 4): "Coaching in business is defined as an interactive process between managers or between a manager and an employee that enhances behavior, thought processes, and performance."

James Doyle's 'The Business Coach, A Game Plan for the New Work Environment' is a thorough hard-edged book for managers and those who call themselves coach. He makes numerous strong distinctions on the personal development required to be an effective coach, on the skills and competencies a coach must master and on the domains of effective coaching. The application exercises at the end of each chapter are invaluable towards integrating the material.

Doyle provides every well read person a wealth of sources of the popular platitudes used in self-help books, naming the original philosopher or scholar. He takes what is often the bane of coaches: clients parroting seven effective habits or top tens of maximium achievement and points to the core wisdom where they originated. The author demonstrates his scholarship with an excellent Supplemental Reading and a complementary Index.

Because I've been trained to coach and am a graduate of Coach University, I can recognize a work that belongs dog-eared on every manager and coaches bookshelf. Doyle's 'The Business Coach' methodologies is now integrated into my coaching business practices. I invite all coaches who embrace being life-long learners to absorb and filter this book through their body of knowledge.

"Often today's managers find themselves not in the old role of functional leadership - The expert, the source of power - but more often a Team Leader, an influencer, a facilitator - a coach!" In this one sentence, Jim Doyle summarizes the foundation and theme of his well written and insightful book, "The Business Coach". I totally agree with Doyle's analogy that sports and business coaching have many parallels: -Both sports and business coaches strive to motivate and inspire -Both demand commitment, action, and results -Both build trusting relationships with their players -Both need focus and vision -Both play to win. The new style of leadership in business today is not dictatorial. An effective business leader influences and encourages, directs and supervises, sets an example for others to follow. Today's leader knows how to get along with multiple personalities. Jim Doyle calls upon a great quote from Tommy Lasorda, former manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers: "Managing is like holding a dove. Squeeze too tight and you will kill it. Open your hand too much and you will let it go. That's the way it is with players." Coaching in today's business climate requires flexibility, creativity, and fresh approaches to new problems. Effective coaches evolve and grow - they don't stay the same. Jim Doyle very effectively explains how to become a better business coach. You will enjoy his clear communication and application exercises at the end of each chapter to help you "Walk the Talk". Jim Doyle's book, The Business Coach, is practical, empowering and represents a philosophy of business coaching which is so necessary in today's complex and competitive business climate. Become a more effective business coach and you will become a more effective business leader!

James S. Doyle is the President of Customers, Inc. In this book he discusses a fundamental shift between empoyees and managers. Traditonal verticle organizations are giving way to empowered horizontal cooperatives. The new leader gains power by not soley based on his position, but by the acceptance and trust of his co-workers.

This book helps those in power positions to disabuse themselves of some of their old limiting styles and beliefs by presenting a compelling case for a new and more productive leadership style.

The theme of this book is centered on the core values one must have to pull off the challenge of filling this role successfully.

Five Stars

As a marketing and change management consultant, I would recommend this book to all managers (both new and experienced). In today's business evironment, change is continuous. Jim Doyle knows that even the best defined strategic initiatives will fail if you don't have true employee support and engagement. You can't dictate that support. But using Doyle's coaching techniques, you can inspire their support and enrollment through trust, respect, and accountability.

In addition, he provides useful insight into managing employee performance to help each employee reach his/her potential by focusing on their strengths, rather than weaknesses.

The wise manager will follow Jim's advice and create a team that is committed to success.

As a sales employee of General Mills I found many helpful and interesting ideas that could help me with my career development.

I strongly recommend anyone in management or a leadership role to read this book to help understand what it takes to coach sales employees to make them the best they can be for both their company and themselves. Sales managers can find good ideas in the following areas:

1) Team building
2) Personal coaching
3) Helping employees be successful
4) Highlighting employee strengths

'The Business Coach, A Game Plan for the New Work Environment', by James S. Doyle is an excellent foundation for new, as well as, the seasoned manager. Jim uses numerous illustrations to allow the reader to relate to their own everyday experiences resulting in a better understanding of what coaching is and is not.

This book really hones in on the fact that motivation is not something that can be applied from outside, but rather it is taking the time to understand the individual and finding the key (internal)to making them want to accomplish something.

A must management tool for all levels.

This is a great resource for coaches everywhere! We recommend this material in our training programs for both first time and experienced coaches. It provides a hands-on approach for implementing the new coaching behaviors. The worksheets throughout the text are particularly valuable for keeping track of your game plan. There is an excellent bibliography.