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Simplifying Coaching: How to Have More Transformational Conversations by Doing Less
Fundamentally, coaching is about enabling someone to feel heard and to access new insights into their own life. But how can you facilitate someone else’s thinking when you don’t know what they already know? It is almost impossible to remember models and questions whilst giving your companion your full attention at the same time. Coaching simply means that you can listen and notice more, getting quickly to the heart of the conversation.
Whether you are brand new to coaching, are a trained coach who has lost confidence, or have many years’ experience coaching at a senior level, this deeply practical book will teach you how
• Do less so that your companion can do more
• Understand why saying what you see is more useful than listening to any particular story
• Put boundaries around a conversation, making it more effective for your companion and easier for you
• Tailor how you sit and how you speak to allow a collaborative environment
• End any conversation in partnership
Tailored to help the practising coach, this deeply practical book is nonetheless useful for anyone who has conversations with people.
“Claire stimulated a desire to know more about how to use existing skills in new and simplified ways. An altogether great book.”
Clive Avril, Executive Coach and Mentor (ACC)
“This is the kind of book that, after reading, you will want to have nearby for easy reference and reminders. I suspect that the well-worn pages will be a symbol of the book’s lasting contribution to coaching – and to transformational conversations. A clear, concise summation of coaching that will benefit the new and the seasoned coach alike.”
J. Val Hastings, MCC and President of Coaching4TodaysLeaders and Coaching4Clergy
“This book is written for anyone with an interest in coaching who is looking to improve their coaching style in the workplace. It is ideal for people who are working to complete their studies and gain accreditation from any of the coaching bodies… This is now one of my all time favourite coaching books… I found something new in every chapter of the book.”
Claire Caine, EMCC Book Club Review
“Simplifying Coaching is great at bringing you back to basics and reflecting on trying to resist the urge to ‘actively help’, rather than allowing the client to do the thinking. In a small book, it covers a lot of ground, and I would recommend reading the whole book and then dipping into it periodically for practical advice on particular topics. It is a brilliant and simple book that every coach should read.”
Sally Twisleton, EMCC Book Club Review
Claire Pedrick has been coaching for over 30 years. A coach, mentor coach and coaching supervisor, she trains managers, leaders and experienced coaches across multiple sectors to reap the benefits of working more simply. Claire is the Founding Partner of 3D Coaching. Claire received an award from Henley Business School for Outstanding Contribution to Coaching 2022
Whether you are brand new to coaching, are a trained coach who has lost confidence, or have many years’ experience coaching at a senior level, this deeply practical book will teach you how
• Do less so that your companion can do more
• Understand why saying what you see is more useful than listening to any particular story
• Put boundaries around a conversation, making it more effective for your companion and easier for you
• Tailor how you sit and how you speak to allow a collaborative environment
• End any conversation in partnership
Tailored to help the practising coach, this deeply practical book is nonetheless useful for anyone who has conversations with people.
“Claire stimulated a desire to know more about how to use existing skills in new and simplified ways. An altogether great book.”
Clive Avril, Executive Coach and Mentor (ACC)
“This is the kind of book that, after reading, you will want to have nearby for easy reference and reminders. I suspect that the well-worn pages will be a symbol of the book’s lasting contribution to coaching – and to transformational conversations. A clear, concise summation of coaching that will benefit the new and the seasoned coach alike.”
J. Val Hastings, MCC and President of Coaching4TodaysLeaders and Coaching4Clergy
“This book is written for anyone with an interest in coaching who is looking to improve their coaching style in the workplace. It is ideal for people who are working to complete their studies and gain accreditation from any of the coaching bodies… This is now one of my all time favourite coaching books… I found something new in every chapter of the book.”
Claire Caine, EMCC Book Club Review
“Simplifying Coaching is great at bringing you back to basics and reflecting on trying to resist the urge to ‘actively help’, rather than allowing the client to do the thinking. In a small book, it covers a lot of ground, and I would recommend reading the whole book and then dipping into it periodically for practical advice on particular topics. It is a brilliant and simple book that every coach should read.”
Sally Twisleton, EMCC Book Club Review
Claire Pedrick has been coaching for over 30 years. A coach, mentor coach and coaching supervisor, she trains managers, leaders and experienced coaches across multiple sectors to reap the benefits of working more simply. Claire is the Founding Partner of 3D Coaching. Claire received an award from Henley Business School for Outstanding Contribution to Coaching 2022
- GenresNonfiction
250 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 7, 2020
42 people are currently reading
163 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 29, 2021
Highly recommended. Very different from other books as it moves away from models/frameworks to focusing on behaviors. It helps developing self-awareness and demystifies coaching practices. I will go back to it as I continue processing and implementing its content.
February 28, 2022
This is a wonderful book valuable to any coach of any level and years of experience. It sharpens the essence of coaching and gives practical tools to create a real partnership between the Coach and the Thinker. I read excerpts from it over and over again to freshen up and remind myself of the right mindset before I start a Coaching conversation. I love every part of it and highly recommend it to any coach.
May 23, 2022
This is essential reading for any coach, especially new ones! I adore Claire’s philosophy on true client (or thinker) empowerment and how practically this can be achieved through effective containers, checking in and being attentive yet unbothered by what the client brings. This is a brilliant anecdotes to coaches feeling overwhelmed, anxious and/or doubtful towards their coaching efficacy - please please read! 🧡
May 26, 2023
An essential book for coaches new and experienced.
Learning what not to do is probably harder than learning the tools and techniques in the first place.
Read this book if you want to be a better coach.
Learning what not to do is probably harder than learning the tools and techniques in the first place.
Read this book if you want to be a better coach.
February 25, 2022
I am going to start a Professional course in Executive Coaching and wanted to get a simple view of Coaching and this book serves that. It’s a book I would re read and refer back when I coach people in a formal way!
March 4, 2021
The Heart of the Matter
Claire has revealed that coaching conversations that work are about the simple yet challenging idea that we accompany our fellow travellers, thinkers, to seek and find their own path in life. Until we let go of a position of expert helper we cannot do this. Coaching is described as a process of co-creation, ‘rightsizing’ as a way to design the process to fit the uniqueness of what is agreed we are here to do together within the time frame we have. We learn from her many examples the words that bring this approach to life. This book is groundbreaking in its rich simplicity, calling us to surrender our ‘helper’ stance in favour of an approach that honours the thinker (client).
Claire has revealed that coaching conversations that work are about the simple yet challenging idea that we accompany our fellow travellers, thinkers, to seek and find their own path in life. Until we let go of a position of expert helper we cannot do this. Coaching is described as a process of co-creation, ‘rightsizing’ as a way to design the process to fit the uniqueness of what is agreed we are here to do together within the time frame we have. We learn from her many examples the words that bring this approach to life. This book is groundbreaking in its rich simplicity, calling us to surrender our ‘helper’ stance in favour of an approach that honours the thinker (client).
December 16, 2021
Loved your book! I can honestly say that it is thanks to your book that I got more confidence and understanding of my work as a coach. It also helped me get my PCC icf accreditation for sure!!! Thanks for bringing so much clarity about our roles as coaches :) so grateful...I keep recommending your book to my peers!!
September 1, 2023
It took me quite a while to get through this and the target audience is probably professional coaches.
Nonetheless it gave me a lot to think about how I approach coaching in my job and tweaks for the future.
Nonetheless it gave me a lot to think about how I approach coaching in my job and tweaks for the future.
March 4, 2022
It's been humbling to hear feedback from people who are tweaking their coaching style to ensure that they are working in partnership and that the thinker is at the heart of their conversations.
October 6, 2022
Excellent Reference Book
January 14, 2023
One of the best coaching books I've read. Claire takes a refreshingly direct look at what coaching can be - if the coach has the courage to step back and let the client do the thinking.
June 30, 2023
One of the best coaching books I've read!
December 19, 2023
The mindset of what coach is and the role coach serves to the thinker (to use the author’s language!) is probably the most important message to get from this book. This adds dimension and value to my coach training and lives up to the name of the book: it helps to simplify as well as get the coach’s ego out of the way when coaching.
I took quite a few notes from this book, so much so that I made a whole page in Notion for it. I don’t do that much! How to start and end, when to use close ended questions, how to physically sit with the thinker, and a few other minor but important techniques were my main takeaways. Most of the book added to my prior experiences as coach, and only a few things diverged from my training. Those differences are good for me to wrestle with.
My only grievance with the book is that some sentences were actually word for word repeated in the book. Some of the messages probably needed to be said more than once though, to be fair.
I took quite a few notes from this book, so much so that I made a whole page in Notion for it. I don’t do that much! How to start and end, when to use close ended questions, how to physically sit with the thinker, and a few other minor but important techniques were my main takeaways. Most of the book added to my prior experiences as coach, and only a few things diverged from my training. Those differences are good for me to wrestle with.
My only grievance with the book is that some sentences were actually word for word repeated in the book. Some of the messages probably needed to be said more than once though, to be fair.
March 14, 2024
Simplifying Coaching by Claire Pedrick
Claire Pedrick's "Simplifying Coaching" masterfully condenses effective coaching into powerful, straightforward ‘simply structured’ conversations. She emphasizes the importance of returning to fundamental principles, focusing on how simplicity enhances insights and growth in coaching interactions.
Through practical examples and thought-provoking prompts, Pedrick encourages self-reflection on your own coaching style and challenges readers to prioritise who should be more curious. Do you need all the story? Can clients ‘thinkers’ share too much?
Accessible and relevant, this book provides valuable insights for coaches at all levels. It is a reminder of the essential elements that drive impactful coaching conversations and will be used as a reference tool going forward for sure!
Claire Pedrick's "Simplifying Coaching" masterfully condenses effective coaching into powerful, straightforward ‘simply structured’ conversations. She emphasizes the importance of returning to fundamental principles, focusing on how simplicity enhances insights and growth in coaching interactions.
Through practical examples and thought-provoking prompts, Pedrick encourages self-reflection on your own coaching style and challenges readers to prioritise who should be more curious. Do you need all the story? Can clients ‘thinkers’ share too much?
Accessible and relevant, this book provides valuable insights for coaches at all levels. It is a reminder of the essential elements that drive impactful coaching conversations and will be used as a reference tool going forward for sure!
January 21, 2025
A comprehensive and reassuring book - sensible, intuitive and packed with wisdom. Doesn’t over flower the language - like the layout with lots of simple headings and short paragraphs. Felt like the author was having a conversation. Suitable for wide range of readers - coaches with lots or little experience and also managers or those who want better workplace conversations. Only 4 * because for me it was slightly too long. The premise is ‘don’t rely on models or what you can remember in terms of content’ - so to be true to this - I think if the book were more disciplined / shorter it would be more in alignment with that message, but a very insightful and useful book nevertheless
June 1, 2022
What a fabulous book! Clear, concise and very practical. I truly feel that I have been set free from 'overthinking', 'over planning' and 'over striving'. It's a book I have no doubt I will return to, again and again. Well worth the read!
January 5, 2023
it is insightful, simple and different from what is out there on the shelves!
November 25, 2024
Fantastic coaching book.
February 7, 2025
Loved so many insights and takeaways for coaches
April 27, 2025
The best book about coaching that I have ever read. There is so much wisdom in these 137 pages. Read it slowly and savour each page.
August 22, 2025
With hindsight, setting myself a list of 10 leadership and coaching books to revisit ahead of starting a new job might have been a touch ambitious with only 2 weeks in which to read them. Especially with three other books on the go!
Simplifying Coaching was a purchase at the start of 2022 and one I’d failed to get to before my formal coaching responsibilities were dissolved, so I thought it would be a good starting point, especially if it did what it said on the tin.
And it does – though prior knowledge and experience of coaching is definitely a requirement. There is a lot of space given to power dynamics and the coach’s performance anxiety, which is all valid, but I could have done with more than 1 page on ‘coaching as a line manager’.
The books also gets a bit ‘choose your own adventure’ with all the flipping back to earlier chapters to refresh on all the different models and acronyms. I never got to grips with ‘STOKeRS’ or CLE (TE) AR, however many times they came up. And don’t get me started on ‘Senge’s continuum is useful in such a conversation’ or ‘Clutterbuck & Megginson’s 4 I’s will help with this’.
That said, I did take a few notes and will use them to inform my own approach to line management.
Simplifying Coaching was a purchase at the start of 2022 and one I’d failed to get to before my formal coaching responsibilities were dissolved, so I thought it would be a good starting point, especially if it did what it said on the tin.
And it does – though prior knowledge and experience of coaching is definitely a requirement. There is a lot of space given to power dynamics and the coach’s performance anxiety, which is all valid, but I could have done with more than 1 page on ‘coaching as a line manager’.
The books also gets a bit ‘choose your own adventure’ with all the flipping back to earlier chapters to refresh on all the different models and acronyms. I never got to grips with ‘STOKeRS’ or CLE (TE) AR, however many times they came up. And don’t get me started on ‘Senge’s continuum is useful in such a conversation’ or ‘Clutterbuck & Megginson’s 4 I’s will help with this’.
That said, I did take a few notes and will use them to inform my own approach to line management.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews