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Coaching Skills

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Positive Psychology Coaching

Abstract

This chapter introduces the skills that coaches use to bring about successful change outcomes in clients. The coaching skills have been derived from the techniques that psychologists and therapists use to build rapid rapport and trusting relationships with patients. Process-oriented coaching skills include active and reflective listening, powerful questioning, and summarising. The difference between process-oriented and content-oriented coaching skills is explained in this chapter. Process-oriented coaching skills facilitate the coach’s understanding of the client’s situation and coaching needs. The coach uses open and closed questioning to elicit details pertinent to the client’s concern and encourages them to think more openly about alternate ways of behaving. But it is by asking powerful questions which challenge underlying assumptions and beliefs, and reveal biases and judgements, that the client gains increased self-awareness and surfaces deeply hidden insights. The coach summarises the client’s situation and needs before using content-oriented coaching skills to assist them goal set and action plan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Susanne Knowles

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  1. Susanne Knowles
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Knowles, S. (2021). Coaching Skills. In: Positive Psychology Coaching. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-88995-1_6

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