Breakthrough Coaching: Creating Lightbulb Moments in Your Coaching Conversations

by Marcia Reynolds

A new, highly actionable field guide on breaking through the narratives holding us back from creating the change we want to see in ourselves, from a founding member of the coaching movement.

People often resist change, even if it’s in their best interest. They live their lives holding onto familiar constructs and fixed personal narratives instead of pursuing their dreams. This is where Breakthrough Coaching comes in.

In this book, seasoned coach Marcia Reynolds introduces a coaching method based on psychological safety to help you help others to open up and break down the walls of confusion and fear created by their inherited beliefs and unsupported assumptions. By infusing your everyday conversations with tools and strategies such as:

Embodying a coaching mindset
Learning when to coach the person and not the problem
And turning insights into actionable commitments

You can help open people’s minds to become objective observers of their own stories in ways not possible with self-reflection alone.

Long-term behavioral change can be tricky and scary. But by adopting the Breakthrough Coaching methods, anyone can become a coach and help others bring meaningful change into their lives.

Genres: Nonfiction, Business, Leadership

240 pages, Paperback

Published January 30, 2024

About the author

Marcia Reynolds, PsyD has a passion for discovering and sharing how the brain works, especially the brains of high-achieving women. She speaks globally on the needs and challenges of today's smart, strong women and provides customized programs on creating workplaces that inspire high-performers. Her books been quoted in many publications including Harvard Communications Newsletter, U.S. Business Review, and The New York Times and has appeared on ABC World News and National Public Radio."

Reviews

[Jorge Alzate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how this is written. The prose flows from coaching concepts to a short personal story and then follows up with research to substantiate the topic thoroughly. There is an abundance of empowering questions to choose from, depending on the coaching situation. The section on the coachability index was enlightening and a great addition to the coaching manuals I studied from my coaching academy. Worth a second read as a refresher from taking a break from coaching. I would have liked to see more direction and clarity on the material's purpose, or on how she used it or intended to use it, such as with a coaching school or group coaching.

[Timothy Kato · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an outstanding read!! Every coach should be required to read this book. Marcia gives an excellent explanation of what it means to coach and the types of actions and approaches we can bring to coaching to maximize the impact we have on our clients. The notion of unwavering belief in the capability of our clients, challenging versus pushing, the clear descriptor of how to effectively close out a session - these lessons learned will stick with me for a long time, among others. A great book! 5 stars.

[Fabio Salvadori · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a game-changer for coaches! I've devoured it, highlighting practically every page. It's a treasure trove of insights, practical advice, and thought-provoking questions. And it is challenging as it invites you to break through your own narratives to be truly present in the coaching process.
At least, it challenges me with sentences like, "It doesn’t matter if you ask the perfect question. You won’t coach well if you feel you need to meet an expectation or gain their admiration. Self-judgment contaminates your coaching presence."
A must-read for coaches, mentors, leaders and anybody who has a genuine desire to help others grow.

[Sharon Foley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a clear, succinct, and insightful book on coaching. It affirmed much of what I learned in coaching training, and offered additional insights and tools. A great read for anyone engaged in coaching!

[Swisssirja · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are golden nuggets on every single page.
If I had a magic wand, I'd be coached by Marcia Reynolds :-)

[Larkin Tackett · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I continue to develop my coaching skills, books like these will be important resources. A few of the most salient anecdotes and frames:
- "Letting go of knowing takes courage."
- "... don't coach to make them feel better. You coach to help them see better."
- Using the Johari Window to coach on the 1) Open or Known Window; 2) Blind Spots Window; 3) Hidden Facts Window; and 4) Unknown Window
- "Examining the meaning of habitual phrases and emotional reactions can shine a light on the operating code your brain is using. This inside view helps you understand how your thinking is driving your behavior while activating your ability to see options for future behavior. You gain free will over the automatic operating system."