How to Help People Change. Coaching Empathy for Boundless Growth and Development

Do you want to help people, but nothing seems to work out?

Helping is a noble cause. If you are a leader, manager, doctor, teacher, or coach, this is your primary job. But even the most noble intentions do not justify hope for one simple reason: we usually strive to "fix" people, solve their problems, and make them the way we think they should be. Unfortunately, this in no way stimulates growth, development, and positive change.

There is another way. Emotional intelligence expert Richard Boyatzis and his colleagues from the Weatherhead School of Management, Melvin Smith and Ellen Van Oosten, offer an accessible and effective method. They believe that for development and long-term change in an individual's life, it is not enough to solve their problems; one needs to understand their personal vision, aspirations, and long-held dreams. This is precisely what effective coaches do; they know that people draw strength from their vision and aspirations and that this strength helps them change even in difficult times. Focusing on solving specific problems activates a physiological reaction that forces a person to defend themselves and hinders the perception of new ideas.

The authors provide interesting real-life examples and results from years of research to demonstrate how the new positive coaching method—empathy coaching—stimulates creative thinking and helps people grow and develop over an extended period.

The book also offers self-analysis questions and practical exercises. Your understanding of how to help people will change forever.