Welcome to our new publication, Davies-Black Business Blast.
We are launching this quarterly newsletter as a way to share valuable business resources that help you develop yourself, your team, and your organization. Our hope for this newsletter is to offer quick blasts of information full of innovative perspectives for human understanding and proven tools for informed action.
Our inaugural edition is dedicated to the subject of executive coaching. To ensure that we feature topics of importance to you, if you have thoughts and story ideas you'd like to share, please contact us at db_newsletter@cpp.com.
—The Davies-Black Publishing Team
Q&A with Joan Kofodimos
Joan Kofodimos, PhD and founding partner of Teleos Consulting, conducted pioneering research that became the basis for the executive coaching process at the Center for Creative Leadership. A noted expert on executive work–life balance, she is author of Your Executive Coaching Solution.
Why is Your Executive Coaching Solution different from the rest of the coaching books out there?
The key differences are in the audience and the purpose. There are many books written for coaches (or aspiring
coaches), intended to provide them with knowledge and tools for their work. But as far as I know, this is the only book written for an audience of executives who are participating (or considering participating) in coaching, for the purpose of helping them make informed choices throughout the process.
What questions should people ask themselves in order to decide if they need a coach?
If coaching is to have a positive impact, your participation must be voluntary and you must involve yourself in the process in several ways. Thus, some questions to consider include:
- Am I often frustrated because the effect I have on others is not what I intended?
- Am I involved in recurring conflicts?
- Was I disappointed in the feedback I received in a recent performance review?
- Did I fail to get a promotion I wanted?
- Did I recently make a transition to a new role and am having difficulty adjusting?
- Am I not getting the performance I expect from my reports?
- Am I interested in getting some authentic – but potentially tough – feedback about how others perceive my leadership?
- Am I prepared to make the effort to change my behavior?
What are the kinds of things a person should look for in a good coach?
When assessing a potential or existing coach, you need to evaluate the person's ability to guide you. A good coach should be able to:
- Understand and support your goals and vision, but also challenge you on your counterproductive behaviors and attitudes
- Help you build relationships with colleagues in which you can get authentic feedback
- Help you clarify your goals, values, and interests
- Provide a clear structure for the development process
- Broaden your perspective on situations and challenges
- Teach you new concepts and skills
- Maintain confidentiality of you and others
- Help you influence others' perceptions of you
What should a coach not do?
There are several roles that are not appropriate for coaches because they do not build your capability for independent action. These roles include:
- Being a cheerleader, telling you everything you do is great
- Doing personal therapy with you
- Acting as a representative of your boss
- Advising you on business decisions or step in and act on your behalf
- Taking sides, whether it is your side or your colleagues' side
What steps should individuals take if they are currently working with a coach and it isn't going the way they want it to?
People become dissatisfied with their coaches for several reasons. Sometimes there are legitimate issues with the coach, but often this dissatisfaction is a reaction to the challenge and discomfort of activities required to create real behavior change. Talking with your coach about your concerns will allow the two of you jointly to understand what is causing your concerns. Suggested steps to take are:
- Identify what has happened to cause your concern
- Determine what you want changed and how
- Talk with your coach to try to negotiate a solution that will address your concern
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"In our view, one of the most important qualities of a coach, and something clients can count on in a co-active coaching relationship, is truthfulness. A coach is someone who will absolutely tell the truth—the truth about where clients are strong, for example, and where they hold back and give up, deny, or rationalize."
–The authors of Co-Active Coaching, 2nd Edition |
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U R a Brand! Wins Book Awards!
Every year, we submit our new books for various book awards. In June 2007, we were very proud and excited to receive two book awards for U R a Brand! by Catherine Kaputa:
- Ben Franklin Award, Best Career Book (given by the PMA, Independent Book Publishers Association)
- IPPY (Independent Publisher Book
Awards), Bronze Medal Winner in Business/Career Category
Both award presentations were held during BookExpo America in New York City in June. As good fortune would have it, author Catherine Kaputa lives in New York and was able to attend the ceremonies with some of our Davies-Black staff. It was a proud moment—as this picture of Catherine with the Ben Franklin Award proves!
Learn more about the book >>
New Fall Davies-Black Catalog
At Davies-Black Publishing we carefully select our books to reflect the latest thinking and practice on the human understanding and development side of management and organizational practice. The secret of our books' success is their ability to meet your needs and help you be successful. View our new fall catalog and learn about our exciting range of quality books by expert authors. Download the catalog >>
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"In essence, senior executives are player/coaches. As senior executives look to build an organization that has a long-term sustainable business model, they also need to look to build the talent pool of leaders who have the skills to continue running the organization."
–Pete Hammett, author of Unbalanced Influence |
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CEO Dad-itude Quiz
Do you (or someone close to you) find it hard to shake off your executive persona at home? You may have a 'tude—a CEO "Dad-itude." If you check three or more of the statements below, it's time to seek help—before your family says, "You're fired!"
- I deserve points for e-mailing my wife on her birthday.
- Of course I don't work 24/7. (I have to get some sleep.)
- I teach my kids to stay away from strangers with candy—and adjustable rate mortgages.
- I am facing my faults. (Memo to self: Revisit this in fiscal '08.)
- I'd say my wife yields a 90% ROI—not that I use such metrics.
- Seems to me work-life balance is for "girlie men."
- I know perfection is impossible—but my family could try harder.
- My kids are more than human resources—they're protégés.
- Taking stock of my priorities sounds like a good retirement project.
- I put my annual report into a podcast for the whole family to enjoy.
- My pre-nup has a non-compete clause.
- I may be busy, but I still find time to ignore the people I love most.
Learn more about how you (or again someone close to you) can laugh your way to work-life balance from Tom Stern's new book, CEO Dad >>
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"Coaching is about helping people change, and if they don't want to change, don't like the message, or don't believe they need to change, then trying to force them to endure coaching is a bit like trying to push cooked spaghetti across a table—and keep each piece in a straight line. You are unlikely to succeed, and the process and the result are likely to be messy."
–Terry Bacon & Karen Spear, authors of Adaptive Coaching |
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Davies-Black Author Events
- August 23, Washington, D.C.
Joan Kofodimos, author of Your Executive Coaching Solution
Keynote speaker, Treasury Executive Institute, Department of Treasury
- September 7, Chicago, IL
Tom Stern, author of CEO Dad
Speaker, Inc. 500 Conference
- October 1, Tucson, AZ
Nancy Ahlrichs, author of Manager of Choice and Competing for Talent
Speaker, PCI 2007 Information Technology Conference
View a complete listing of upcoming author events >>
Conferences
Let us know if you're going to be at any of these shows — we'd love to meet you there.
E-mail us at db_newsletter@cpp.com.
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"Career coaching is a growth field because of the number of career and job changes typical workers make today during their lifetime, the revolution in how corporations are doing business worldwide, and the increasing public awareness of the need for, and value of, coaching."
–Marcia Bench, author of Career Coaching |
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