The Psychology of Executive Coaching: Theory and Application [Paperback]

Bruce Peltier (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1583910727 | ISBN-13: 978-1583910726 | Publication Date: December 28, 2001 | Edition: 1

Coaching has become an important way for psychotherapists and other mental health professionals to adapt their skills to a changing environment. This book provides a comprehensive translation of psychotherapy theory and skills for the would-be executive coach. It was written to help clinical mental health practitioners understand the culture and expectations of the corporate and business world, as well as how to use their hard-earned skills effectively in executive coaching.

The book begins with a clear explanation of how coaching differs from counseling and how to explain this to prospective new clients. Eight chapters translate popular therapies into coaching strategies, along with a guide for assessing executives. One chapter describes the challenges women face as managers and executives and proposes effective coaching methods. Lessons from successful athletic coaches are integrated into consulting skills. Essential business school lessons in leadership, marketing, and the corporate viewpoint and vocabulary are included for the therapist seeking greater understanding of the executive's point of view. A final chapter describes how to make the transition from the world of therapy to the workplace world of the corporate coach.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'For coaches interested in learning how we got to where we are, or developing their coaching skills, this a fascinating read. As well as dealing with the psychological fields of the person-centred approach, cognitive psychology, family therapy and systems thinking, hypnotic communication , social psychology and the existential stance the difference between coaching and counselling, lessons from the athletic coaches, ethics in coaching and making the transition from the world of therapy to the workplace world of the corporate coach. This is a serious, but not difficult read. Not for the general reader, but well worthwhile to anyone who takes executive coaching seriously. It could well become a standard text on courses for executive coaches.' - Richard Winfield, Corporate Change from Brefi Group

'...I believe that it is one of the most important coaching-related books currently available. Indeed, it strikes me as being so well-focused on its chosen market that no one should be allowed to practise as an executive coach, or as any kind of business coach, unless they can demonstrate a thorough working knowledge of almost everything in this book... Peltier explains some of the main schools of psychotherapy and shows how they can be adapted for use in the coaching context, along with tips on how to avoid potential pitfalls...the core section of the book is so good and so useful I have no hesitation in making it a Highly Recommended selection.' - Honest Abe's NLP Books Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 250 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (December 28, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1583910727
• ISBN-13: 978-1583910726
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,074,093 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Bruce Peltier, PhD, MBA is a Professor of Psychology and Ethics at the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco, where he teaches dental students how to communicate effectively and coaches them through the stress of dental school. He also teaches in the Counseling Psychology program at the University of San Francisco.

Bruce is a 1970 graduate of West Point with additional training at Stanford, USC, Wayne State in Detroit, the Kennedy Center for Ethics at Georgetown, and the University of the Pacific.

He coaches executives, dentists, sales people, and university administrators in person and long-distance. Bruce is also available for team-building events and public speaking on topics related to psychology, coaching, and personal effectiveness in the workplace.

Contact him at [e-mail] or 415.215-5868.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Useful, Needs expanded definition of EC, March 18, 2004

By 

Lewis R. Stern, Ph.D. (Wellesley, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Psychology of Executive Coaching: Theory and Application (Paperback)

This is an extremely well written and thorough resource for psychological professionals, management consultants and executive coaches. For psychologists, it helps you decide if EC is right for you. For others, it helps to understand what about psychology is needed to successfully provide EC. There are two basic assumptions outlined in the book which are believed by many to be limiting: One, that executive coaching is primarily a psychological service; and Two, that executive coaching is solely for the purpose of developing leaders. Executive coaching is more complex than just a psychological service. It entails the application of the principles and methods of psychology, business management, leadership, and organization development, among others, to help the executive or would-be executive improve his/her effectivness. Second, executive coaching must be provided with the greater goals of the organization at an equal level of priority to the developmental goals of the individual leader.
For a further explanation of this wider view and the principles and practices that follow, I recommend downloading the free Handbook of Executive Coaching at the website: www.executivcoaching.com
You will also find all free other information and tools for the coach, the executive, and the HR professional.
Beyond the limitations of the definition and assumptions at the outset of this book, it is a must-read for the targeted audience.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dream Book for Executive Coaches!, February 13, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Psychology of Executive Coaching: Theory and Application (Paperback)

It's here at last! This is the book we've been waiting for. It fills a niche! This book presents a comprehensive review of those theories of counseling and psychotherapy which can make a contribution to our field. Dr. Peltier's eye never veers from the main point of knowing about the theories, namely, what can we learn from them that is applicable to our special way of functioning. This is not an esoteric look at theories; it is a practical book, cover to cover. What theoretical and informational background from the helping professions ought E. C.'s to have at their fingertips and on call? How does theoretical knowledge convert into ways of doing? This book shows us, step by step. Uniquely, Dr. Peltier even provides two special chapters that increase the scope of his pragmatism: one a distillation of the wisdom offered by famous athletic coaches whose books he has researched, and how their successful practices can be used in executive coaching, and another on the special considerations to follow when coaching women. Never windy, always clear and understandable, the writing flows. Dr. Peltier is to be commended for gracing us with a book that will surely become a staple in our field, a must for E.C. training programs and personal libraries. Well done, Compadre!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb guidebook for any therapist, December 30, 2002

By 

Edd Conboy (Oakland, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Psychology of Executive Coaching: Theory and Application (Paperback)

When I was in graduate school one of my professors quoted Kurt Lewin by saying, "There is nothing as practical as a good theory." This is an apt comment in reference to Dr Peltier's new book, The Psychology of Executive Coaching: Theory and Application. Except I might expand on that to say there is nothing as practical as a number of good theories.

When psychological theories are spelled out as clearly and cogently as they are in this book, their applications to the world of executive coaching become almost self-evident. But Dr Peltier takes this process further by presenting compelling case studies and scenarios for applying these theories to the business world.

While this book is an excellent guidebook for any therapist interested in expanding his or her practice into working in the corporate world, it is a valuable resource for therapists who counsel business executives in private practice as well.