Reflective Practice for Coaches

"Coaching has grown exponentially over the last decade, and coaches are in need of professional development as much as their clients. Dr. McCormick’s book is a step-by-step approach for professional development for coaches using ‘reflective practice’. It is a very well written, well-organised and an easy to follow guide to help coaches develop their coaching skills as they discover more about themselves from the experience of their practice. This is a ‘must buy’ book for anyone engaged in coaching."

Professor Sir Cary Cooper, CBE, University of Manchester, UK

"Without adaption, we atrophy. Without learning, we never improve. Without reflection, we minimize learning from our experiences. Through this marvelous trip-tik of various approaches and models of coaching and psychotherapy, McCormick raises crucial distinctions in practice that can help clients. As professionals, coaches and therapists are paid for their time. Such performance pressure often suppresses reflective practices. This book helps to remind us what can help."

Richard Boyatzis PhD, Distinguished University Professor, Case Western Reserve University, USA, Co-author of the international best seller, Primal Leadership and the breakthrough book on the latest research on coaching called Helping People Change."

"Reflective practice is essential for coaches' development and good practice, and it is becoming a recognised domain of expertise in its own right. This book explores a good range of definitions, approaches and tools, offering the right balance between theory and practice. It also provides a wide range of tools and exercises, inviting readers to try different techniques and challenge their thinking and practice. As an academic, researcher and coaching psychology practitioner and supervisor, I highly recommend this valuable book for trainee and professional coaches and supervisors."

Dr Andrea Giraldez-Hayes, chartered psychologist and director of the MSc in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology at the University of East London.

"Reflective practice is essential for coaching practitioners. It helps us learn and develop our skills, knowledge and understanding as we join our coachees on their coaching journey. Dr Iain McCormick’s workbook is packed with techniques, case studies and reflective practice exercises. It is an excellent step by step guide to enhance reflective practice of both trainee and experienced coaches."

Stephen Palmer PhD, Professor of Practice at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, and Director of the National Academy of Coaching Psychology Ltd.

"The Reflective Practice for Coaches: A Guidebook for Advanced Professional Development is packed full of opportunities to learn more about the application of approaches to reflective practice, accompanied by practical and insightful exercises. This offers the potential to enhance the work of coaches working across different settings and contexts, from the beginner to the more experienced practitioner. The book is timely, engaging, practical, informative and straightforward in its contribution. This offers a key resource for coaches, coach supervisors and anyone interested in enhancing their understanding and doing more around evidence-based approaches to reflective practice".

Dr Siobhain O’Riordan, Chartered Psychologist, UK.

"Whether you are an experienced coach, or you're new, you will get something from this book.

The first part of the book takes a deep dive into what reflective practice is, and provides lots of useful activities geared around helping you to develop your reflective practice. The second part of the book explores specific approaches, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and how coaches can incorporate these into practice. The case studies that Iain provides brings to life each approach, and gives ideas for how you might use these approaches in your own practice.

This is not a book that's a 'read it and then leave it to gather dust on a shelf' kind of book. This is very much a guide that is designed for you to refer to time and time again."

Dr Hayley Lewis, Chartered psychologist, Coach, Consultant, University lecturer at Birkbeck University of London, UK.

"Reflective practice is one of the cornerstones of personal development... Yet for too long reflective practice has been under-acknowledged and under developed in coach education and in coaching books. Iain McCormick is determined to change this and places reflection at the centre of his new book...

The book explores coaching from multiple perspectives drawing on Iain's expertise as a coach and clinical psychologist, based in New Zealand, with interesting chapters on Schema Therapy, Compassion focused, Buddhist and Cognitive Analytic techniques, but what I enjoyed most where the chapters on integration and eclectic approaches and on coaching effectiveness.

If you are looking to broaden the range of approaches you use, are interested in reflective practice or want to think about how you draw together the different approaches into a more integrated approach, this book will make for an excellent read, and hopefully deepen and broaden your own practice as a coach, leader or supervisor."

Jonathan Passmore, Executive Coach, Senior Vice President, Award winning I/O Psychologist, Consultant, Author, Professor Henley Business School, UK.