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The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever Paperback – Nov. 16 2019
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Purchase options and add-ons
- Print length234 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherPage Two Books, Inc.
- Publication dateNov. 16 2019
- Dimensions13.34 x 2.01 x 18.92 cm
- ISBN-100978440749
- ISBN-13978-0978440749
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From the Publisher


Product description
Review
''Michael Bungay Stanier distills the essentials of coaching to seven core questions. And if you master his simple yet profound technique, you'll get a twofer. You'll provide more effective support to your employees and co-workers. And you may find that you become the ultimate coach for yourself.''
- Daniel H. Pink, author of To Sell Is Human and Drive
''It takes courage to ask a question rather than offer up advice, provide an answer or unleash a solution. In this practical and inspiring book, Michael shares seven transformative questions that can make a difference in how we lead and support.''
- Brené Brown, author of Rising Strong and Daring Greatly
''This book is full of practical, useful and interesting questions, ideas and tools that will guide any leader trying to be better.''
- Dave Ulrich, co-author of The Why of Work and The Leadership Code
''Michael's intelligence, wit, articulateness and dedication to the craft of coaching shine forth in this brilliant how-to manual for anyone called to assist others. Even after four decades of my own experience in this arena, The Coaching Habit has provided me with great takeaways.''
- David Allen, author of Getting Things Done
''A sharp, habit-forming leadership manual.''
''Bungay Stanier writes with verve, effectively incorporating humor, surprise, and parables.''
''The book tailors its organization and length to time-pressed readers, who can finish it easily in a couple of hours or in 15-minute increments.''
-Kirkus Review
''The Coaching Habit is a succinct and practical handbook for getting the best from others and yourself.''
- Nir Eyal, author of Hooked
''Concise and compelling''
- Bob Sutton, author of Scaling Up Excellence
''Amid a sea of coaching books that drone on with the same old, overused conceptual frameworks, there is a gem of hope. The Coaching Habit is a treasure trove of practical wisdom that takes a timeless pursuit--to turn every manager into a coach--and breaks it down into a simple set of everyday habits. If you are ready to take your leadership to the next level, you need this book.''
- Jessica Amortegui, Senior Director Learning & Development, Logitech
''There are many coaching books out there that end up on the bookshelf half read. Michael Bungay Stanier's The Coaching Habit engages you from start to finish. A simple read that is bold and direct, relatable and real, this book will change the way you communicate with colleagues at work and family at home. If you want to read one book on coaching that will resonate with you quickly and that is not overwhelming, choose this one.''
- Johanne McNally Myers, VP Human Resources, Tim Hortons
''Among a plethora of books, studies and op-ed pieces about the importance of coaching and how to execute this most critical of development interventions well, it's easy to understand why students and practitioners of the craft feel confused or overwhelmed by the array of approaches, frameworks and systems extolled as ''the right way.'' Michael Bungay Stanier has expertly cut through this confusion with his new book in a manner that is simple to understand, realistic in its intention and ultimately effective to apply. I believe this book will establish itself as a powerful and useful toolset for the professional coach, the student learner and the people manager alike.''
- Stuart Crabb, Director Learning & Development, Facebook
''This is not just a book; this is the voice in your head, the person that sits on your shoulder--guiding you to greatness. Being a great coach is more than skill; it's a mindset, a way of being. Michael has a remarkable way of delivering that message through artful storytelling, practical examples and proven techniques. A must-have book for the coach who truly wants to make a difference.''
--Sinéad Condon, Head of Global Performance Enablement, CA Technologies
''Where others can overcomplicate the purpose and practice of coaching, Michael Bungay Stanier provides a practical and unintimidating approach to this essential habit of great leaders. He succinctly articulates the research behind the art of respectful inquiry and its role in fostering an authentic partnership among colleagues who are committed to doing meaningful work together. The Coaching Habit is a thoroughly enjoyable read that immediately inspired me to adopt new habits.''
- Dana Woods, CEO, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
''The magic of leadership occurs in daily conversations. With The Coaching Habit, Michael Bungay Stanier gives managers an extremely simple yet powerful tool (just seven questions!) to help them coach their teams to greatness, each and every day.''
- Andrew Collier, Head of Leadership Development, Nestlé
''Fantastic . . . and Where was this book when I needed it?'' are the first thoughts popping into my head after reading this book. I ve read countless books on leadership and coaching over my career but few brought it all together like Michael Bungay Stanier's. I love the concepts of keeping it simple and practice, practice, practice, which are key to building your coaching habit. Michael makes what some leaders see as complex a simple process, whether you are an experienced or new people leader. Definitely a must-read book.''
- Monique Bateman, SVP, TD Bank Group
''The Coaching Habit is the essence of practical coaching for busy managers. No filler, no abstract theory, no tedious stories. Just everyday, practical tools so that you can coach in ten minutes or less.''
- Melissa Daimler, Head of Learning & Organizational Development, Twitter
''Bungay Stanier has it right. We are creatures of habit, and from our habits we create ourselves, our lives and the world around us. The Coaching Habit is a manual for applying the power of habit to the power of coaching to accomplish more with and through others. Do not read this book. Practice it. Apply it. Keep it on your desk and build your coaching habit.''
-Michele Milan, CEO Executive Programs, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
About the Author
Michael Bungay Stanier is a leading coaching expert, renowned keynote speaker and the founder and senior partner of Box of Crayons, a company that helps managers and leaders coach in 10 min or less.
When he's not leading workshops that help time-crunched managers coach in 10 minutes or less, Michael shares his thought leadership (and his playful sense of humor) with others through his many writings and publications. His published books include Do More Great Work, which has sold nearly 100,000 copies, and End Malaria, a collection of essays from leading thinkers around the globe raising funds for Malaria No More (and hitting #2 on Amazon.com),. He has also been featured or published in Fast Company, The Financial Times, The Globe and Mail, and has appeared on CTV's Breakfast Television.
Before Box of Crayons, Michael spent time inventing products and services as part of an innovation agency, and worked as a management consultant specializing in large-scale change, writing the global vision for GlaxoSmithKline, among other things.
A Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, Michael was named the first Canadian Coach of the Year in 2006.
Product details
- Publisher : Page Two Books, Inc. (Nov. 16 2019)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 234 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0978440749
- ISBN-13 : 978-0978440749
- Item weight : 261 g
- Dimensions : 13.34 x 2.01 x 18.92 cm
- Best Sellers Rank: #215 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

“My name is Michael. I can hop. Do you want to see me hop?” That’s how I introduced myself to strangers at the supermarket when I was three. Not much has changed. Here’s the formal bio (best bits at the end).
Michael Bungay Stanier is at the forefront of shaping how organizations see coaching as an essential leadership competency. His book The Coaching Habit is the best-selling coaching book of this century, with over a million copies sold. In 2019, he was named the #1 thought leader in coaching, and he has spoken on coaching from Brené Brown's podcast to the TEDx stage.
Michael founded Box of Crayons, a learning and development company that helps organizations transform from advice-driven to curiosity-led. He currently leads MBS.works, a place where people find the clarity, confidence and community to be a force for change.
En route to today—and these are essential parts of his origin story—Michael knocked himself unconscious as a labourer by hitting himself in the head with a shovel; mastered stagecraft at law school by appearing in a skit called Synchronized Nude Male Modelling; and wrote (and was paid for) a Harlequin Romance-esque story involving a misdelivered letter … and called The Male Delivery. He was a Rhodes Scholar.
Customer reviews

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Top reviews
Top reviews from Canada
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It helped me become aware about my coaching habit and tweak it to make it more valuable.
I would suggest more examples of real world situations be given.
It is a short book and I felt like the author/editors was trying to fill pages to make this a “real” book length. It could have frankly been covered in 50 pages or less (not 200).
Now with all these critiques, I should keep in context that the book was relatively inexpensive (17$) so I would still say it is worth it.
I do find it strange that this book has so many 5 star reviews and is a bestseller since it did not give me any “wow” factor.
End of the day - get yourself an E-copy and save some trees.
Top reviews from other countries

But I've just watched a YouTube video of the author asking very politely for reviews :( for compelling reasons which I was too busy internally sulking to remember now.
So, during this extremely brief period where my conscience has gotten the better of me, here goes...
As a terminally lazy person obsessed with producing outstanding results, you could say this book and i are a match made in heaven... talk about essentialism in action! The potent simplicity of its coaching framework is sublime. If this book were a human, I'd totally 'put a ring on it'.
But I suspect this book also lands squarely in the sweet spot of anyone who regularly deals with humans. Not just those expected to swim in coaching waters as part of their profession.
So *resentful sigh*, if you absolutely insist on becoming great at 'How to People", buy it. READ IT. Preferably immediately. Every reviewer who stuck it on a wait list or shelf and 'got around' to reading it, reports regretting not giving it immediate preferential treatment. You will too.
If after only a few chapters, you're not seriously committed to making the books contents THE keystone communication habits of your managing/teaching/coaching/training/farming/chauffeuring/doctoring/hairdressing practice... I'll be genuinely surprised....
And really really relieved. Because my results get to stay looking amazing (with little effort) in comparison :)

Michael breaks down 7 critical coaching questions that will revolutionise the way you engage with your peers and those you currently manage (but will soon be coaching!) It doesn’t just span your working life, but I’ve found it has helped in my personal life too; e.g., when a friend confides in me and is looking for help or a sounding board.
The book is really quick to read. It’s concise enough that I didn’t find myself thinking, “yeah, yeah, I’ve got the reason why now get to how I improve in area x” yet it gave me enough that I felt I could go out and practice with it. One would have to be blind not to see the power in what is being said and in an era where there is enough momentum to confine ‘Command and control’ style leadership to the 80’s where it belongs, this book couldn’t be more timely.
Equip yourself for the workplace of now and the future by reading this book. I’d also recommend you then read ‘Tribal Leadership: Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization’ by David Logan et al.

THIS IS POSSIBLY THE BEST BOOK I'VE EVER READ.
Since I started my career in sales in my mid-20s, I've been fascinated with the power of a good coach. Although in my early call centre days I didn't realise it, I had a manager who was also coaching me. Properly coaching me by letting me find things out for myself. I didn't realise this was what he was doing until many years later and only after finishing this book (and writing these very words, if I'm being honest) did I realise that what could be perceived as laziness by some we worked with (Simon Miller, Ben Thurstan, Brett McKenna, Kirsty Wilson were all also coached by Colin) was actually highly effective coaching.
Asking more questions is a great start to coaching but here Michael distills things down in to seven questions that will enable you to coach efficiently, effectively and (importantly) in a way that is low impact on you. Used regularly, in order, these seven questions will allow you to become a much more effective coach whilst putting a lot less pressure on yourself. The questions are labelled The Kick-start, The Awe, The Focus, The Foundation, The Lazy, The Strategic and The Learning questions. Each of the questions is backed by both illustrations of how to implement them but also by solid research on the science behind them.
I've already started using some of these questions in my coaching sessions and they truly are brilliant. My biggest take away (one that's hard to implement at first) is to Tame The Advice Monster. I coach my team to listen more and talk less, yet as a coach I was very keen to solve problems FOR (or with) my team - rather than performing my proper job of allowing them to solve it themselves.
Michael - kudos to you. I'm a new convert and evangelist.

Now, in 2019, I am venturing into coaching with clients and other accountants and this book is exactly what I needed to face my challenge, to build a structure around coaching sessions and to give my clients clarity on how coaching works and what can be achieved if they commit to the structure of the programme.
An excellent, easy and practical read and suitable for anyone who wants to get into coaching themselves or others, or for managers looking to adopt a coaching habit with their team.
Highly recommend!
Michael breaks down 7 critical coaching questions that will revolutionise the way you engage with your peers and those you currently manage (but will soon be coaching!) It doesn’t just span your working life, but I’ve found it has helped in my personal life too; e.g., when a friend confides in me and is looking for help or a sounding board.
The book is really quick to read. It’s concise enough that I didn’t find myself thinking, “yeah, yeah, I’ve got the reason why now get to how I improve in area x” yet it gave me enough that I felt I could go out and practice with it. One would have to be blind not to see the power in what is being said and in an era where there is enough momentum to confine ‘Command and control’ style leadership to the 80’s where it belongs, this book couldn’t be more timely.

Only criticism is formatting. How the coaching tips are mingled in with the 7 step process made it hard to follow. I feel like this was done to pad out the book, but it means there's an element of context switching. Also not sure why there was some "hidden" factor about the 7 questions. I'd rather just know them up front rather than have them "slowly revealed'. Simple formatting that was meant clearly to spice up the book, but meant that it leaked some of the focus and simplicity it could have had.
Regardless of the formatting, I got a lot from the content of the book.