Customer Reviews

The Psychology of Executive Coaching: Theory and Application

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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.

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!

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.

Peltier's book is my favorite assigned during a two-year professional executive program. Beginning with a significant chapter on Assessment, it aptly combines theory (actually 8 different theories) with practical application advice and tools to use. Occasionally there are even checklists provided for specific types of assessment and interventions.

With 20 years of business consulting experience behind me, I found this book to be particularly useful in translating academic theory to readable and useful frameworks, pragmatic tips and case studies. This will help me to cross the bridge from business consulting to executive coaching.

Bruce Peltier has done an impressive job of presenting a clearly-written manuel on how to do it. For any psychotherapist who is considering transitioning into executive coaching, this book provides practical guidelines along with a thorough presentation of how differing theoretical concepts can be useful to a coach. The author covers considerable ground including psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral, relational, family systems, and existential approaches. In addition he includes concepts from the fields of hypnosis, social psychology, and sports coaching. The differences between therapy and coaching and the therapist's office versus the corporation are presented well. Each chapter has a summary of main points at the end of the chapter as well as recommended reading. Rather than attending an expensive workshop to learn about executive coaching, read this book and you will have a comprehensive understanding of this emerging new field.

I can't stop reading this book. I'm an employee relations consultant with a prestigious consulting firm and am frequently called upon to coach executives, managers, and employees either formally or informally. Before reading this book, my all-time favorite was "Co-active Coaching," but now I find this book to be as important a resource. I'm thinking of including it as required reading in a masters level course I teach on human capital issues.

Although I majored in psych as an undergrad, my advanced degree
is in organizational development. Still, this book is easy to
understand - I appreciate that it addresses both theory and application so clearly.

I plan on touting this book to everyone I know in the field.

Dr. Peltier has written a book that will raise the standards in executive coaching. His writing is not only accessible and clear, but there is a helpful tip, idea or example on almost every page that can be put into practice immediately. Anyone familiar with the tenets of psychology or approaches to therapy will feel right at home. But Dr. Peltier does more. He explains unambiguously which concepts from therapy translate into a corporate coaching environment and, perhaps more importantly, which don't. There is no "fluff" here, nor is a pop approach taken. This is solid information based on substantial and significant research done by the heavy hitters in psychology. This book is a great addition to the field -- congratulations to Dr. Peltier!

This book, aimed at both executive coaching practitioners and the executives and managers who need them, is an easy-to-read synthesis of important research and a practical guide to developing the effective communications and relationship skills required by today's leaders of high-performance organizations. Smart, focused, and a good read.

I got the book i ordered, promptly, and in great condition! Exactly what i asked for... I would order from them again! Thanks!

This is an excellent resource. He explains the role of psychology for the executive coach. He reviews the different systems and how they would apply to the executive coach and how they could use them in their role as a coach. . but at the end of every chapter he Summarizes and then gives you further references and recommended readings for each chapter.