Recommended Books To Develop Your Life Coaching Skills

Over many years of coaching I have come across books that not only really helped in my coaching but in my understanding human behaviour.

They are full of useful information for you as a coach and many of them also include exercises and coaching processes to help move your clients forward. Browse my bookshelf and choose any that you feel would be useful for you. Use the links to preview them on Amazon.  

And I'll be adding to the list as I come across more great books to assist your coaching. 

The HeART of Laser Focussed Coaching by Marion Franklin

I have been an admirer of Marion Franklin (MCC) for many years. She has been training and mentoring coaches for more than 20 years towards ICF credentialing.

Her recently published book brings together so many insightful gems. No matter where you are in your coaching journey, you will get value from her wisdom and her examples of great laser coaching, that is coaching that quickly gets to the heart of the issue.

Repurpose Your Career by Mark Miller
This is a great book if you have a client who is approaching retirement (maybe reluctantly), or wants a career change for whatever reason. 

Mark goes through all the ways of helping someone discover what they want from their next career both in the actual work they do and the working environment they need to flourish in. 

Become a Key Person of Influence by Daniel Priestley
If you can, as a life coach, become an "influencer" that is someone people respect and see as an expert in your niche, then half the battle of finding clients is won.

I loved this happy, little illustrated book, full of information, examples and Daniels's own experiences. He also includes  some useful exercise to help you become that Key Person of Influence in your coaching niche. 

Coach U Personal and Corporate Training Manuals  
Coach U, is the original coaching school founded by Thomas Leonard over 20 years ago. These manuals of coaching information and processes to use with clients are an in depth and comprehensive resource for any trained life coach, whatever their niche, to have on the shelf.  

The Portable Coach Thomas Leonards original coaching handbook is also worth checking out with processes and checklists to help with almost every coaching situation. 

Everyone Can Win by Helen Cornelius and Shoshana Faire

I often used the wisdom in this book and recommended it to executive and small business clients. Shoshana and Helen identify those skills you need to develop to elegantly handle conflict and improve your negotiation skills.

They demonstrate techniques for transforming conflict into a positive outcome for all those involved. The fundamentals of resolving conflict can be adapted to any situation your client may present, even family and relationship issues. 

Starting and Running a Coaching Business by Aryanne Oade

For anyone starting out as a coach, this book covers just about every aspect to setting up your coaching business from the ways the business can be set up and managing finances to how to create your offer, promoting yourself as a coach and engaging clients and much more.

None of it is that new but the book is a great resource with everything in one place to keep referring to. It is pre-social media but you'll find it is  still a valuable addition to your bookshelf. It is US focussed but the information is pretty generic.

Self Parenting by John K Pollard 111 

I found this book really useful for information to use when a client identifies they have issues and beliefs that were created in childhood.  

It's often about helping the client feel safe to let go and stop operating from the influence of the negative belief. The gentle self-parenting techniques help the client see where those negative experiences are no longer relevant or evidence based in the adult world. 

3 Little "Fixes" Books by Lorraine Cornes

The Little Book of Anxiety Fixes
The Little Book of Relationship Fixes
The Little Book of Tools For The Blues

I have found these three little books by Psychologist Lorraine Corne, a great resource to give or recommend to clients who are experiencing challenges in these areas. I've also found them useful for myself.

Whilst dealing with depression and anxiety in depth is for therapists rather than coaches, these little books really hit the spot at a coaching level. 

They are beautifully written and illustrated and the “fixes” in them are practical and uplifting. If you have trouble finding them on your local Amazon you can also buy them here.

About Time: 120 tips for those with no time (Time Tips Series) by Robyn Pearce 

So many clients complain they are are too busy, or don't have time to do what they want to do (including any fieldwork you may give them😀).

The tips in Robyn's books are really great to be able to pass on to clients, where appropriate, as suggestions for how they can be more in control of their lives in the context of how they spend their time.

Feel the Fear (and do it anyway) by Susan Jeffers 

I read this popular book before I became a life coach and, in my opinion,  it is one of the most powerful self-help books ever.

The title says it all and it includes practical exercises and processes to use yourself and pass on to your clients for moving forward, even if you are fearful of the challenge. 

Influence, The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini  PhD 

This fascinating and easy to read book is about what influences us and persuades us to do what we do. Things like "social proof" and "reciprocation".

It was such an eye opener for me and really helped me define why I act and react in certain ways to situations. Lots of stories and examples make it an easy and enjoyable read.