Coaching for Performance is the grandfather of coaching books and coaching approaches. Thousands of high performing organizations have tapped into its wisdom; it's the introductory text of choice for many coaching programs. It is however, invaluable to the more established coach as well.

The book begins with a few foundational beliefs of coaches. Unlike old models of management that work from the “carrot and stick” approach, a coach believes in the potential of the client. Whitmore believes that people are able to change only that of which they are aware. Responsibility must stay with the client if they are to perform. The goal of coaching is to increase self-awareness and self-responsibility. This is achieved through an arc of questions, the GROW model of coaching. This acronym is: Goal, Reality, Options and Will. In private conversations John has shared that the G really is the Vision, (VROW wouldn’t catch on, he jokes). Vision is followed by seeing reality clearly, developing options and then decision time. All primarily through questions and client self-checks.

What is new in this 5th edition? First, it includes insights from increased experience. It also introduces The Performance Curve that maps the culture of an organization and how it tracks to performance; this approach is now seen and described as core to coaching. While the 5th edition retains all of the previous great insights, it's even more practical with new case studies and a section on feedback. Finally, John's chapter on the benefits of coaching and his approach to coaching "return on investment" are both updated.