Presence-Based Coaching: Cultivating Self-Generative Leaders Through Mind, Body, and Heart

by Doug Silsbee

Presence-Based Coaching offers coaches a hands-on resource for developing the capacities and skills needed to be reliably present in all situations, and shows how to let go of habitual ―and often ineffective―ways of responding. As author and leadership expert Doug Silsbee explains, once a coach has mastered the inner moves of directing their own attention, they can work to develop the same capability in their clients. The ability of a coach to facilitate lasting, sustainable development in leaders rests on the presence a coach offers to the coach-client relationship.

Genres: Leadership, Nonfiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Janne Asmala · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would give this book six stars if I could. Rarely have I come across a book that mixes profound ideas so beautifully with practical application. The chapters on self-generation, and practices of mind, body, and spirit contain enough to fill a book each. And all that serves "merely" as a basis for the coaching techniques and practices presented in the second half of the book.

In brief, the book goes beyond being a book for coaches and offers a pathway for anyone to explore their own development through incremental but profound steps.

[Matthew Heusser · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled with this book. There was something obtuse about the writing style. The author wrote "utilize" instead of "use", used a lot of 3rd person, passive voice, long sentences, abstract language without examples ... it was difficult to figure out what the author was trying to say.

I plan on giving it another chance later in the fall, but honestly, this is difficult to say ... the book came highly recommended by someone I do not respect for their coaching expertise.

[Tucker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Packed with strategies for coaches to move beyond "technique" and to bring their presence into interactions with clients while teaching clients to do the same in their lives.

[Daniel Ohana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Core ideas were very important. I find this book valuable for coaches who like to work with clients emotions.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a master class for coaches and a book I will return to time and again.

[Doug Stotland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seminal. Long but so insightful and practical

[Jeff Lampson]

I just received this book after having the opportunity to participate in a workshop with Doug at the Hudson Instiute's Advanced Coaching Seminar this year. Doug is all about resilience, presence and generativity. His workshops are chalk full of practices, experiments and practical depth so I greatly look forward to reading this. More soon....

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of useful information on the format of change in coaching, and specifically on how coaching presence facilitates the process. Book is filled with lots of practices and exercises and insightful excerpts of coaching dialogues.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This will be a very useful resource in my coaching work.