We no longer have the direct separation between professional and personal life that previous generations experienced. The modern working population has seen a blurring between boundaries; work and home have become fused by the increase in flexible and remote working. A day at work no longer automatically means a commute and 9-5.
As these changes become more prevalent and workplaces less standardised, it’s important to keep structures current and adaptable, and coaching, as a central pillar in most organisations, is no exception. Too often, coaches only address and look to develop the part of people that is shown in workplace settings. In reality however, it is more complex and requires a more nuanced perspective.
In Harness, leadership coach Tess Cope details how a systemic approach is the answer to coaching in the contemporary working world. A systemic approach gets to the root of what people want from coaching, going beyond surface level techniques that focus on symptoms and signs, or treat it like a transactional activity. Instead, Tess breaks down how to create meaningful and sustainable results that encompass the whole person.
Tess Cope is a leadership coach with over 25 years of experience working in cultural transformation and leadership development. She has worked in a diverse range of commercial positions and senior HR roles, including some with board level responsibility. Harness is the culmination of her knowledge and expertise, creating a reference for all those looking to refresh their approach to coaching in-line with the changing working world.
Bringing a new, revolutionary approach, Harness is the ideal read for anyone with a coaching role, whether that is professionally qualified coaches, those both external and internal to an organisation, or a leader who finds coaching falling within their remit. It includes real, relevant examples and an extensive toolkit of step-by-step coaching strategies and exercises to equip readers’ on their coaching journeys.
Throughout the book Tess stresses that whatever happens outside work influences who we are at work, and vice versa, there is no division. Therefore each coaching structure or model explained is grounded in this idea. She encourages coaches to take into consideration the numerous systems individuals have lived through, both those originating from family and the organisations they have been part of. Doing so will help people understand themselves more deeply and help them learn to shed the systems holding them back.
With chapters ranging from how to disrupt limiting patterns, to finding the root cause of problems, helping people acknowledge their current reality and explaining how individuals can engage with the future, Harness includes practical takeaways for every coach or leader.
Providing both a holistic view and the detail required to apply to various different circumstances, Harness is the go-to book for a coaching system designed to bring about complete systemic change for the entire person.
