Challenging Coaching: Going Beyond Traditional Coaching to Face the FACTS

by John Blakey, Ian Day

Based on the authors' extensive experience working with international Board level teams, Challenging Coaching suggests that for too long coaches have shied away from adopting a more challenging stance in their work - a stance that can provoke greater performance and unlock deeper potential in business leaders and their teams. In particular, the authors offer a new coaching approach, FACTS, to help coaches develop this challenging stance. The FACTS approach with its emphasis on FeeDavies-Blackack, Accountability, Courageous Goals, Tension and Systems Thinking is explored in theory and in practice using case studies, example dialogues and practical exercises. Long held coaching principles such as being non-directive, building rapport and holding to the client's agenda are put under the spotlight with the authors questioning their relevance to a 21st century business environment where the needs of the wider business must take precedence over the “me me me” of any specific executive. This is a timely wake up call for anyone who is responsible for the performance of others - be they coach, business leader or leadership development expert. An original and thought-provoking message that dares the reader to face the FACTS, and accept the coaching challenge.

Genres: Business, Leadership, Management, Nonfiction

228 pages, Paperback

First published March 14, 2012

About the author

As the UK's leading executive coach to purpose-driven CEOs and the founder of The Trusted Executive, I help ambitious leaders who are a #forceforgood and who deliver triple bottom-line success - profit, people and planet. In challenging my clients to achieve transformational, high-performance goals, I bring a unique track record as a pioneering executive coach, global thought leader and former FTSE 100 international managing director.

As an executive coach, I have worked with over 130 CEOs from 22 different countries, including the leaders of FTSE 100 plc’s, high profile public servants and some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs. I have also coached the leaders of gold-medal winning Team GB Olympic squads, title-winning premiership football clubs and the England cricket coach.

As a thought leader, I am a keynote speaker on the three coaching models featured in my books:-

► 'Force for Good' (to be published by Kogan Page in August 2024). ‘
► ‘The Trusted Executive’ (shortlisted as CMI Book of the Year)
► 'Challenging Coaching' (UK best-seller co-authored with Ian Day)

In my earlier leadership career, I was consulting director of one of the UK’s fastest growing private companies, Team121 and later, international managing director at Logica plc.

Reviews

[Zoë · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is some solid stuff in this tome - there is definitely a place for the FACTS model when coaching high potential executives and I hope the model encourages me to be bolder in how I challenge coaches. However, two issues. One, I struggled to follow the many metaphors and illustrations around Systems - quasi-spiritual speculation. But the second and bigger issue for me, was the absence of women from the book. A few women's names were used in the case studies, but the illustrations all cited me. Male coaches in sports. Male protagonists in fiction and film. Despite being a discipline full of women, 26 men were cited from the world of coaching and only 5 women. I just felt this book wasn't for me. It's for Man Coaches and Bankers and City Executives, and not for women in business or the third sector - for example, much was made of a bonus culture, which is a dated concept in my view (or maybe just common to America) - I know very few people working to this. The illustrations of people were the old icon of 'man in suit' to represent a worker. By then, I was just pissed off with it. I had assumed the book was written in the 1980s when women were less prevalent in the workplace, but no, it was 2012. So, if you can detach from culture of the book itself, take from it whatever you can!

[Pepa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm buying their approach!

[Stancalău · Rating 4 out of 5]

Challenging Coaching opens a new perspective over what coaching can be. Maybe a perspective not all are comfortable with as it prescribes pushing both parties to the limit. The so-called "zone of uncomfortable debate". Another controvertial aspect is allowing the coach to follow a pre-imposed agenda (that of the sponsor mostly). Some may say that coaching should be a pure coachee-centered activity and that external agendas are pushing towards manipulation. My take is that shouldn't be the case in most situations and a coachee would be able to see the purpose beyond his immediate benefit and enjoyment.
This book is mostly intended to build on top of more basic coaching techniques. Readers already very familiar with models such as GROW and SMART goals, or who already have some live coaching experience would benefit most. Myself, I will probably have to revisit this book later on as I have none of the above.

[Louis Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Challenging Coaching is a very welcome addition to the already crowded coaching library. It dares to question whether traditional coaching approaches are really what is required for today's clients. Without throwing the 'baby out with the bathwater', John and Ian provide a pragmatic and contemporary view of how coaching can be made more effective.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit disappointed with this one. Not helped by two things:
(1) I read a review on here from someone who noticed there were virtually (or maybe actually) no female coaches / writers referenced here at all - and there are plenty to choose from!
(2) I was listening on audible and I found the narrators monotone tiresome - his dialect sounded like a 1950’s American which doesn’t fit today’s era at all and added strength to the malaise I had due to the above

Overall I’d say it had some good nuggets but it could have been written in a far shorter book. Lots of repetition and padding around the framework which diminishes the clarity and simplicity which would increase its impact. It’s a good core message which gets lost. Some very dated long winded examples too.

I’d say buy in paper form and whizz through it for an understanding of the framework so you can add it to your toolkit.

[Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource for supervisors and managers. I will say that this may not be the best method for professional coaches, but it is an excellent way for employers to challenge their employees and help align their goals with those of the organization. This book reminded me a lot of Kim Scott's book, "Radical Candor," as both books call for leaders to both care personally for their people (support) while also confronting them directly (challenge). This book addresses how to use both support and challenge to coach people via a method they call FACTS: feedback, accountability, courageous goals, tension, and systems thinking. As the book discusses, it is best to use more support when establishing trust in the relationship before you apply tension via the challenge.

[Johan Martinsson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book challenges traditional coaching to a few steps further in some circumstances.

They suggest we use their Support/Challenge quadrant in order to push people to greater challenges by sustaining support and balancing those forces as far as they are ready to go.

There are a lot of things in traditional coaching that are very respectfully challenged. I certainly have the impression that this material allows to let people to reach new heights.

[Phil Topping · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had to read this book for work but really enjoyed it. Talking about why tension and challenge is positive, if used correctly, in a coaching environment.