The Coaching Book Club Podcast

Coaching with a Twist: Using Improv to Strengthen Presence and Partnership

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2459160/open_sms] What if one of the most powerful ways to strengthen your coaching wasn’t another framework — but play? In this episode of The Coaching Book Club Podcast, Christy and Ken explore Coaching with a Twist: Improv for Coaches by Betsy Salkind and Amy Washawsky — a practical and surprisingly joyful guide to strengthening coaching skills through improvisation. This conversation dives into: • Why improvisation is the heart of coaching • The power of “Yes, and” in client partnership • How clear agreements free your brain to be present • Why “there are no mistakes” changes everything • Skillful interruption (without losing trust) • How play creates embodied learning — not just cognitive insight If you’ve ever felt pressure to “get it right” in coaching, this episode will feel like an exhale. Because presence comes before tools. And sometimes the best way to deepen your craft… is to practice differently. 📘 Get the book: Coaching With a Twist [https://bookshop.org/a/916/9798998602702] 📘 Coaching Book Club Guide + CCEs [https://the-coaching-book-club-podcast.kit.com/23165c82d1] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2459160/support]

Talk to Me Nice: Building Trust Through Feedback, Acknowledgment & Follow-Through

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2459160/open_sms] In this episode of the Coaching Book Club Podcast, Christy Stuber and Ken McKellar explore Talk to Me Nice by Minda Harts — a powerful book on building trust in professional relationships. If coaching is built on trust, then this conversation is foundational. Minda Harts introduces the concept of seven trust languages, giving structure and clarity to something that often feels intuitive or abstract. Together, Christy and Ken unpack how three of those languages — feedback, acknowledgment, and follow-through — show up in coaching relationships and why they matter more than we might realize. In this episode, we explore: • How expectation gaps quietly erode trust • Why acknowledgment isn’t cheerleading — and what it is instead • How follow-through builds trust not only with clients, but within ourselves • Questions you can ask to intentionally cultivate trust from day one If you’ve ever wondered: “What does trust actually look like in my coaching practice?” This episode will give you language — and tools — to strengthen it. 📘 Get the book: Talk to Me Nice [https://bookshop.org/a/916/9781250339980] 📘 Coaching Book Club Guide + CCEs [https://the-coaching-book-club-podcast.kit.com/23165c82d1] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2459160/support]

Humble Inquiry: Coaching with Curiosity, Not Control

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2459160/open_sms] In this reflective and engaging episode of The Coaching Book Club Podcast, Christy and Ken dive into Humble Inquiry (Third Edition) by Edgar and Peter Schein. Through thoughtful storytelling and real coaching moments, they unpack the central premise of the book: asking better questions—with presence, trust, and humility—can transform coaching and leadership. Listen as they explore: * Why humble inquiry is the coach’s job description. * How slowing down builds deeper trust and clearer outcomes. * What the Johari Window reveals about blind spots and coaching presence. * The danger of defaulting to advice-giving (especially with clients or kids). * How intimacy and vulnerability show up in professional coaching spaces. Whether you’re newly certified or a seasoned coach, this episode will invite you to rethink the role of questions in your practice. 📘 Get the book: Humble Inquiry [https://bookshop.org/a/916/9798890570956] 📘 Coaching Book Club Guide + CCEs [https://the-coaching-book-club-podcast.kit.com/23165c82d1] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2459160/support]

Helping People Change: Coaching with Compassion, Trust, and a Learning Mindset

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2459160/open_sms] What actually helps people change — and what quietly gets in the way? In this episode of The Coaching Book Club Podcast, Christy Stuber and Ken McKellar explore Helping People Change: Coaching with Compassion for Lifelong Learning and Growth by Richard Boyatzis, Melvin Smith, and Ellen Van Oosten. This conversation is especially relevant for coaches, leaders, managers, and anyone working in a helping role who wants to move beyond compliance, urgency, and performance pressure — and toward change that is sustainable, human, and meaningful. We explore: * Why real change begins in trust, safety, and relationship * The difference between coaching for compassion vs. coaching for compliance * Intentional Change Theory and the role of the ideal self * How positive emotional attractors create conditions for learning * Why a learning orientation supports deeper growth than a performance mindset * What this means for feedback, supervision, and coach development Whether you’ve read this book before or are encountering it for the first time, this episode invites you to slow down and reconsider what actually creates movement — in coaching, leadership, and learning. 📘 Get the book: Helping People Change  [https://bookshop.org/a/916/9781633696563] 📘 Coaching Book Club Guide + CCEs [https://the-coaching-book-club-podcast.kit.com/23165c82d1] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2459160/support]

Simplifying Coaching: Doing Less, Empowering Thinkers

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2459160/open_sms] In this episode of the Coaching Book Club Podcast, Christy and Ken explore Simplifying Coaching by Claire Pedrick — a short but powerful book that challenges the assumption that more complexity makes coaching better. Instead, Claire invites coaches to do less, listen more, and create space for transformation. You’ll hear: * Why coaching isn’t about doing for the client, but creating conditions for thinking * The importance of contracting and shared clarity in every session * How tools & models support — but shouldn’t drive — the coaching conversation * Practical takeaways to strengthen your coaching presence and confidence Whether you’re an emerging coach or seasoned pro, this conversation offers clarity about when to step in — and when to step back so your clients generate their own insights. Get the Coaching Book Club Guide to Simplifying Coaching + earn CCEs: https://the-coaching-book-club-podcast.kit.com/23165c82d1 Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2459160/support]