A Coach's Guide to Emotional Intelligence. Strategies for Developing Successful Leaders

Citation

van Woerkom, M. (2009), "A Coach's Guide to Emotional Intelligence. Strategies for Developing Successful Leaders", Journal of European Industrial Training, Vol. 33 No. 8/9, pp. 844-845. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090590910993698

Book synopsis

This book is written by two experts in the field of emotional intelligence training and combines the topics of coaching and emotional intelligence. Coaches are the target audience for this book. The first part of the book presents the business case for emotional social effectiveness (ESE) as a foundation for effective coaching. The point of departure is that elements of ESE are based on competencies that can be learned and enhanced. Coaching for ESE focuses on learning how to express and receive emotional energy in ways that strengthen someone's connection with others and builds more effective relationships.

Part two focuses on five critical areas for building emotional and social effectiveness; valuing self, valuing others, responsive awareness, courage and authentic success. Valuing self discusses emotional competencies around self‐confidence and self‐respect that play a critical role in success in the workplace. These competencies are learned through our (early) experiences of the world. However, coaches may structure new learning experiences to assist their clients in rediscovering and rebuilding their self‐trustworthiness, for example by helping them improve the skill of reality testing. Valuing others refers to acknowledging the fact that everyone wants the opportunity to contribute to the process of life in a meaningful way that receives the acknowledgement and approval of the others. People are more successful if they know how to perform the behaviours that communicate caring. Responsive awareness brings together the skills of being fully aware of what your body and emotions are telling you about what you feel, understanding these feelings and taking action based on that awareness. Coaches can help in the development of responsive awareness by carefully listening and noticing non‐verbal information and by being curious, compassionate and courageous mirrors for their clients. Having the courage to speak, act and trust is a fundamental ingredient in the different kinds of change processes that people may undertake. An example of a technique that coaches might use to stimulate their clients courage is to help them access their most vivid memories of when acting courageously was rewarding for them. Authentic success refers to what we care about and incorporates our values. Coaches can guide their clients in finding out what success means to them, in taking a look at the values that are most important to them and in bringing the two together.

Part three is written by guest authors Julio Olalla and Terrie Lupberger and talks about key learning elements for good coaches in general and, more specifically, for increasing the coach's emotional competency. Part four contains two chapters that present several case examples of building ESE awareness and capabilities through coaching.

Evaluation

This book is a practical guide for coaches who want to help their clients develop emotional intelligence skills, but who are not yet acquainted with theories related to emotional intelligence. It provides coaches with concrete cases, examples of coaching dialogues and often simple but effective techniques although some of them are perhaps quite basic. Some parts of the book (especially part I) are a bit wordy and repetitious. At times, the information density of the book is rather low, especially for readers who are already familiar with the concept of emotional intelligence. However, the book does provide several inspiring ideas about emotions as a new field of learning and how the client's use of language, bodily shape and stance and emotional awareness are important areas for coaches to explore. It offers some stimulating strategies for emotional learning, like immersing yourself in the emotional world you most want to learn (“You want to learn enthusiasm? Immerse yourself in communities, conversations and relationships where enthusiasm is present”). It also offers fascinating points‐of‐view on somatic learning, and how working with a client through the powerful doorway of body may help them realize a change in their physiology that allows for and encourages the generation of new emotions.

In the author's own words

A coach needs courage to generate the conversational space with the client that takes the client out of his or her comfort zone. Coaches need courage so as not to fall into “pleasing” the client with what they think the clients wants to hear (p. 96).

A About the reviewer

Marianne van Woerkom lectures in Human Resource Development at Tilburg University. Her research interests are in the area of workplace learning, organisational learning, team learning, critical reflection and coaching.