Thank you for picking up this book! And I mean it!
Please feel free to own it! [See our special offer!]
The primary aim or purpose of this book is to provide a methodology for creating a CoachSystemä in an organization.
I wrote this book to put into print a methodology of coaching, devised in my 25 odd years of working in and being worked in teams, groups and organizations. I have had many successful failures and have learned more from failing than succeeding. I am also glad to know that it is now considered "normal" to fail and in some cases, even championed. To have the right to fail is leveraging; to learn from it, is an organizational dream.
The book you are about to read is a composite of my learning from those failures woven into the various successes I have been fortunate enough to enjoy, the greatest of which are two wonderful daughters who constantly find ways to challenge and delight me. (Hi, Ali & Katy!)
This book is not THE BOOK on COACHING. I would ask you not to misunderstand my intentions in that regard. In it, I offer many of my own pet theories, some of which are not indicative of thoroughly researched materials but they work! Nowadays, things are changing so rapidly that what works is changing as rapidly.
With the proliferation of the world wide web, we now see things changing before our own eyes without having to wait a month, a year or a decade for a new iteration. Iterations occur literally overnight and in recognition of that, I chose an electronic online publisher to record the metamorphosis of my own thinking on how I practice and write about the methodology of coaching. You are, therefore, the beneficiary of these times.
Once you purchase either the print or online version, the changes made will be available to you in real time. You will be able to adapt your learning as the evolution of coaching is recorded. This WILL be an adaptive—emergent—constantly changing process!
I have tried to answer your questions ahead of time by bringing together the process of relating to you "how" as much as "what" to think about during your own journey towards generati--a term coined to reflect the type of person and circumstances surrounding those people who effortlessly facilitate generative conditions around them. In my view, people who coach stand the best chance of being those people.
Business is challenging these days. There is no question about it. In your roles as managers and leaders, you will need to find and use every possible leverage point to make things add up. Your people, structure and technology, they all have to be integrated into a cohesive system in order to compete with global challenges. This book is about those needs.
In MANAGING IN A TIME OF GREAT CHANGE, Peter Drucker reveals that managers are being obsoleted for executives. I think what he means by that is that the role of the manager stems from our long past of scientific management. That paradigm was and is still important to the organization to get the work done.
We have, however, entered a new age where the organization is proliferated by knowledge workers, and the systems that surround and amplify knowledge work will require, as Drucker states, an executive mentality rather than a management one. The person in charge will need to be an amalgam of leader, manager, coach, facilitator, teacher, mentor, consultant, counselor, alchemist and perhaps—even guru. Those of you who are executives know what I mean. To those of you who do not yet consider yourselves "executives" I would challenge to adapt your thinking.
This book lays out for you a coaching methodology you can teach to your line managers or use in your customer service department—even with your kids! It helps you build a CoachSystemä integrating coaching into every level in your organization.
The book is about creating outcomes for the individual and the organization that lead to well-being, purpose, competence and awareness. It is based on proven methods of improving performance, creating generative rather than destructive change and facilitating individual and organizational transformation towards effectiveness.
No, it will not be easy but throughout your journey recognize that you alone can make a difference in those around you by using the coaching knowledge, skill and abilities outlined in this manual.
I wish you the best of luck and hope you will forward your thoughts, comments and suggestions to me at coach2@leadwise.com, visit the book’s website at www.coach2-the-bottom-line.com or give our office a call at 800-823-1251.
SPECIAL OFFER
Please be sure to send in the feedback and registration form at the end of the book (after reading the book, of course) to receive access to the book’s online version and knowledgebase, including the entire dialog from reviewers, readers and pundits that will appear with the book—online—over time.
I look forward to any opportunity to meet with you to discuss coaching and success in your organization.
If you still have not decided to own this book of coaching, here is one last enticement.
Anyone purchasing the book will gain access to a special membership on the web and access to our coach-wise knowledgebase—only available to members. This value alone is worth more than the price of the book. We would be happy to help you find answers to your coaching and leadership dilemmas through membership.
Again, thanks for picking up this book and GOOD LUCK!
Mike R. Jay, 1999
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