Books as Coaching Tools: A Creative Approach to Change

Coaching helps people see themselves and their careers in new ways. It does this not by providing fixed answers but by offering fresh perspectives. Often these are supported through the use of models and tools for exploration. For the creatives, educators and developing leaders I work with this process is rarely just about acquiring skills or improving strategies. It’s about identity, confidence and the ability to step into new spaces without losing what makes them unique.

One of the ways I support this journey is by sharing books. It’s a habit I developed during my time in higher education but the main difference now is that clients are far more likely to return the books I share with them than my students used to be. I’ve lost a lot of books but luckily I still have a few.

Carefully chosen from the shelves in my office, the books I share with clients certainly introduce new ideas but they also offer practical exercises drawn from the creative arts: from the theatre making and improvisation, performance and creative writing. They provide clients with imaginative ways to examine and respond to career transitions, to leadership challenges and personal or professional growth. I might encourage a new leader to choose and respond to exercises exploring presence and storytelling so that they can begin to change the the ways they are seen and heard. If a teacher is reflecting on their career trajectory I might encourage them to read about Freytag's Pyramid or other useful frameworks for writing a story. A performer struggling to articulate clearly and concisely the contrast between their current circumstances and the future they have been searching for might turn to haiku. These approaches, which go beyond logic and analysis, allow clients to access insights that might otherwise remain out of reach to them.

Books don’t create change on their own though. Some clients find that new ideas energise them and enable them to see themselves and their current situation in ways they hadn’t considered before. Others feel uncertain, at least at first, and are unsure of how to apply playful and creative exercises to their professional lives. That’s why reading isn’t separate from coaching—it’s part of the process. The ideas, techniques, and reflections sparked by these books are explored in conversation, in action and in real-world situations. If a particular approach doesn’t resonate? We find another. The point isn’t to follow a set path, but to discover new ways of thinking and responding that feel right for them.

In the end, books don’t just offer insight—they offer alternative ways to move forward. Whether it’s stepping into leadership, navigating a career shift, or redefining professional identity, sometimes the right exercise, the right idea and the right challenge at the right moment can be the spark that makes all the difference.

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