Rather than focus on the actions of the coach, this handbook places relationships―to one's self and to others―at the heart of the coaching activity. Beginning with an explanation of relational coaching, including its principles and practices, this account goes on to describe the evolution of the relational turn in executive coaching. Based on the descriptions of robust pieces of research into what works in coaching, which were carried out in three different countries―the United States, Canada, and the UK―this book brings sophisticated psychological thinking to the business context of executive coaching, thus deepening the experiences of being an executive coach in the modern marketplace.

Erik de Haan is an organization-development consultant, executive coach, and supervisor. He is the director of the Ashridge Center for Coaching, a professor of organization development and coaching at the VU University Amsterdam, and the author of several books, including Fearless Consulting, Relational Coaching, and Supervision in Action. Charlotte Sills is an executive coach and the codirector of the coaching for organization consultants program at Ashridge Business School in Hertfordshire. She is also a visiting professor at Middlesex University and a senior tutor and supervisor in the Transactional Analysis Department at Metanoia Institute. She is the coauthor of several books, including An Introduction to Transactional Analysis and Skills in Gestalt Counseling and Psychotherapy.