The Coach's Survival Guide Book Summary - The Coach's Survival Guide Book explained in key points
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The Coach's Survival Guide summary

Kim Morgan

An essential companion to anyone setting out as a professional coach

4.2 (105 ratings)
21 mins

Brief summary

The Coach's Survival Guide by Kim Morgan is a comprehensive guide for coaches of any level, providing tips and strategies for effective coaching, building relationships with athletes, and dealing with common coaching challenges.

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    The Coach's Survival Guide
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    Successful coaches have a high level of credibility.

    Leaving your old career and becoming a coach is an exciting transition. Take Simon, who previously worked in local government as a senior manager. Attracted by the high hourly rates he’d heard executive coaches command, he set his sights on coaching senior managers in corporate companies. But after completing his accreditation course, Simon hit a roadblock. Although he’d wanted to leave his old world behind, he found that the only coaching offers he received came from local government agencies. Why couldn’t he accelerate into the corporate fast lane as he’d planned? 

    The problem was that he lacked credibility. 

    Credibility can be an issue if you want to coach in an industry or sector you have not previously worked in yourself. After all, clients usually want coaches with professional knowledge of their particular area. However, with time and commitment, there are ways to boost your credibility in the line of work you’re interested in – even without prior experience. 

    How can you go about this? 

    Well, as part of your training to become a coach, you’ll probably be asked to conduct pro bono coaching sessions with clients. Unpaid work like this is a great way to start positioning yourself as a coach in your target area, and an opportunity to gain experience with the type of clients you aim to work with. Simon, for example, could offer voluntary coaching work to corporate managers in return for testimonials for his marketing materials. Alternatively, he could ask these non-paying clients for referrals to other potential customers in the corporate world. 

    You can also build your credibility by positioning yourself as an expert by way of personal rather than professional knowledge. Although Doreen planned to work as a Higher Education coach, she quickly realized that her experiences of later-life divorce, and subsequent online dating and remarriage, had inadvertently made her an expert on love too. Within her network of friends, her name was associated with relationships. People were already turning to her for advice. These days, Doreen is a practicing relationship coach and a great example of how personal experience can give a coach just as much credibility as professional know-how. 

    So, if you’re looking to build a credible coaching niche, take a look at your own biography for inspiration. What personal challenges stand out as things you can talk about with authority, or have helped you grow as a person? You just might be a credible coach in waiting.

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    What is The Coach's Survival Guide about?

    The Coach’s Survival Guide (2019) explores how you can become an even better coach. Whether you’re a life coach, an executive coach or working in a niche area, you’ll find these blinks packed with both insight and solutions for the challenges you face.

    The Coach's Survival Guide Review

    The Coach's Survival Guide (2022) is a valuable resource for coaches seeking effective strategies to navigate their profession successfully. Here's why this book is worth reading:

    • Offers practical tips and techniques to overcome common challenges, helping coaches enhance their skills and improve their overall coaching outcomes.
    • Provides insightful case studies and real-life examples, making the content relatable and applicable to various coaching scenarios.
    • Shares strategies for self-care and mindfulness, highlighting the importance of coach well-being while providing tools to manage stress and maintain balance in the coaching journey.

    Best quote from The Coach's Survival Guide

    If you dont drive your business, you will be driven out of business.

    —Kim Morgan
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    Who should read The Coach's Survival Guide?

    • Newly qualified coaches needing support 
    • Anyone considering a career move into coaching
    • Human Resources professionals looking for fresh insights

    About the Author

    Kim Morgan is one of the most respected business coaches in the UK. As well as being an ICF Master Certified Coach, Morgan is also Managing Director of Barefoot Coaching Ltd, a major supplier of coaching in the UK. She also contributes regularly to Psychologies magazine, where she writes about issues including women in business and parenting skills.

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    The Coach's Survival Guide FAQs 

    What is the main message of The Coach's Survival Guide?

    The main message of The Coach's Survival Guide is to help coaches navigate the challenges they face and thrive in their role.

    How long does it take to read The Coach's Survival Guide?

    The reading time for The Coach's Survival Guide varies, but it typically takes several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.

    Is The Coach's Survival Guide a good book? Is it worth reading?

    The Coach's Survival Guide is worth reading for coaches seeking valuable insights and practical strategies. It provides actionable advice to improve coaching skills.

    Who is the author of The Coach's Survival Guide?

    The author of The Coach's Survival Guide is Kim Morgan.

    What to read after The Coach's Survival Guide?

    If you're wondering what to read next after The Coach's Survival Guide, here are some recommendations we suggest:
    • Challenging Coaching by John Blakey and Ian Day
    • Co-Active Coaching by Henry Kimsey-House
    • The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier
    • The Advice Trap by Michael Bungay Stanier
    • Unlocking Potential by Michael K. Simpson
    • Likeable Badass by Alison Fragale
    • Coach Builder by Donald Miller
    • Uncommon by Mark Divine
    • Supercoach by Michael Neill
    • Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi