The Coaching Book Club Podcast

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What if one of the most powerful ways to strengthen your coaching wasn’t another framework — but play?

In this episode of The Coaching Book Club Podcast, Christy and Ken explore Coaching with a Twist: Improv for Coaches by Betsy Salkind and Amy Washawsky — a practical and surprisingly joyful guide to strengthening coaching skills through improvisation.

This conversation dives into:

• Why improvisation is the heart of coaching
• The power of “Yes, and” in client partnership
• How clear agreements free your brain to be present
• Why “there are no mistakes” changes everything
• Skillful interruption (without losing trust)
• How play creates embodied learning — not just cognitive insight

If you’ve ever felt pressure to “get it right” in coaching, this episode will feel like an exhale.

Because presence comes before tools.

And sometimes the best way to deepen your craft… is to practice differently.

📘 Get the book: Coaching With a Twist
📘 Coaching Book Club Guide + CCEs

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In this episode of the Coaching Book Club Podcast, Christy Stuber and Ken McKellar explore Talk to Me Nice by Minda Harts — a powerful book on building trust in professional relationships.

If coaching is built on trust, then this conversation is foundational.

Minda Harts introduces the concept of seven trust languages, giving structure and clarity to something that often feels intuitive or abstract. Together, Christy and Ken unpack how three of those languages — feedback, acknowledgment, and follow-through — show up in coaching relationships and why they matter more than we might realize.

In this episode, we explore:
• How expectation gaps quietly erode trust
• Why acknowledgment isn’t cheerleading — and what it is instead
• How follow-through builds trust not only with clients, but within ourselves
• Questions you can ask to intentionally cultivate trust from day one

If you’ve ever wondered:
“What does trust actually look like in my coaching practice?”
This episode will give you language — and tools — to strengthen it.

📘 Get the book: Talk to Me Nice
📘 Coaching Book Club Guide + CCEs

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In this reflective and engaging episode of The Coaching Book Club Podcast, Christy and Ken dive into Humble Inquiry (Third Edition) by Edgar and Peter Schein. Through thoughtful storytelling and real coaching moments, they unpack the central premise of the book: asking better questions—with presence, trust, and humility—can transform coaching and leadership.

Listen as they explore:

• Why humble inquiry is the coach’s job description.
• How slowing down builds deeper trust and clearer outcomes.
• What the Johari Window reveals about blind spots and coaching presence.
• The danger of defaulting to advice-giving (especially with clients or kids).
• How intimacy and vulnerability show up in professional coaching spaces.

Whether you’re newly certified or a seasoned coach, this episode will invite you to rethink the role of questions in your practice.

📘 Get the book: Humble Inquiry
📘 Coaching Book Club Guide + CCEs

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What actually helps people change — and what quietly gets in the way?

In this episode of The Coaching Book Club Podcast, Christy Stuber and Ken McKellar explore Helping People Change: Coaching with Compassion for Lifelong Learning and Growth by Richard Boyatzis, Melvin Smith, and Ellen Van Oosten.

This conversation is especially relevant for coaches, leaders, managers, and anyone working in a helping role who wants to move beyond compliance, urgency, and performance pressure — and toward change that is sustainable, human, and meaningful.

We explore:

• Why real change begins in trust, safety, and relationship
• The difference between coaching for compassion vs. coaching for compliance
• Intentional Change Theory and the role of the ideal self
• How positive emotional attractors create conditions for learning
• Why a learning orientation supports deeper growth than a performance mindset
• What this means for feedback, supervision, and coach development

Whether you’ve read this book before or are encountering it for the first time, this episode invites you to slow down and reconsider what actually creates movement — in coaching, leadership, and learning.

📘 Get the book: Helping People Change 

📘 Coaching Book Club Guide + CCEs

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In this episode of the Coaching Book Club Podcast, Christy and Ken explore Simplifying Coaching by Claire Pedrick — a short but powerful book that challenges the assumption that more complexity makes coaching better. Instead, Claire invites coaches to do less, listen more, and create space for transformation.

You’ll hear:

• Why coaching isn’t about doing for the client, but creating conditions for thinking
• The importance of contracting and shared clarity in every session
• How tools & models support — but shouldn’t drive — the coaching conversation
• Practical takeaways to strengthen your coaching presence and confidence

Whether you’re an emerging coach or seasoned pro, this conversation offers clarity about when to step in — and when to step back so your clients generate their own insights.

Get the Coaching Book Club Guide to Simplifying Coaching + earn CCEs: https://the-coaching-book-club-podcast.kit.com/23165c82d1

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In this episode of The Coaching Book Club Podcast, Christy Stuber and Ken McKellar explore The Extended Mind by Annie Murphy Paul—a compelling look at how thinking extends beyond the brain and into our bodies, environments, and social interactions.

Whether it’s tuning into physical sensations, noticing client gestures, or walking in nature to spark creativity, this book offers a fresh lens on embodied coaching. Christy and Ken share their favorite insights and real-life coaching reflections on:

• Why gestures can reveal deep, unspoken ideas
• How movement activates insight for both coaches and clients
• The powerful role of thinking with others in supervision and peer groups

If you’re looking to integrate more somatic intelligence, curiosity, and creativity into your coaching, this episode is for you.

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In this episode of the Coaching Book Club Podcast, Christy and Ken dive into True to You by Kathleen Smith, a powerful guide for staying grounded in yourself while navigating anxiety, expectations, and relationships.

Drawing on Bowen Family Systems theory, they explore how coaches can maintain presence, set boundaries, and resist over-functioning in sessions. They reflect on:

• The difference between mind reading and mind knowing
• What it means to embody self-differentiation
• Three anxiety-driven behaviors coaches fall into: accommodating, acting out, and avoiding

Expect real stories, honest reflections, and practical examples that show how this book can help you coach with more courage and clarity. Whether you’re deep in credentialing or navigating the emotional rollercoaster of coaching, this conversation will help you come home to yourself—and stay there.

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In this follow-up to our first episode on Strong Ground by Brené Brown, Christy and Ken dive deeper into what it means to coach from grounded confidence rather than from protection. They reflect on how this shows up in real coaching relationships and explore powerful concepts like the “line of fear,” the shift from armored to daring coaching, and the impact of power dynamics in the coaching space.

You’ll hear Christy share insights from the ICF Converge Conference and Ken’s breakthrough moment with the Empowerment Triangle. Together, they unpack how presence, humility, and curiosity shape meaningful coaching—and how coaches can support themselves in staying grounded.

Key Takeaways:

• The “line of fear” and how it shapes our leadership presence
• Moving from armored to daring coaching
• The power differential in coaching: Are you rescuing or partnering?
• Self-compassion and nervous system awareness as grounding tools

Whether you're early in your coaching journey or deepening your mastery, this episode offers both reflection and practical wisdom to support your growth.

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In this episode of The Coaching Book Club Podcast, Christy and Ken explore Strong Ground by Brené Brown — a powerful invitation to lead and coach from the inside out.

Instead of chasing polished performance, Dr. Brown offers a deeper path: one rooted in clarity, consistency, and grounded confidence. Together, we unpack what it means to build strength that’s steady, not showy — especially in the messy middle of becoming a coach.

We explore:

• What “compensation muscles” look like in coaching — and how to spot when we’re using them
• Why grounded confidence feels quieter (and more trustworthy) than polished performance
• How repetition, reflection, and rest shape mastery over time
• What it means to grow at the speed of integration — not urgency

Whether you're building toward your MCC or just beginning to trust your presence over your credentials, this episode is a gentle reminder: real growth doesn’t rush. It roots.

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In this episode of the Coaching Book Club Podcast, Christy and Ken explore The Canary Code by Ludmila Praslova, PhD — a transformative guide on neurodiversity, dignity, and intersectional belonging at work.

While written for organizational leaders, this book holds profound implications for coaching. Christy and Ken reflect on:

• What pre-boarding means for coaching, and how it creates psychological safety before a client even signs on.
• Ways to design inclusive sessions — from sensory-aware setups to communication preferences.
• Why neuroinclusion isn’t just good customer service — it’s core to cultivating trust and safety.

Whether you’re new to coaching or reimagining your practice, this episode invites you to reconsider what true inclusion looks like — not just in what you say, but in how you show up.

Explore the book on Bookshop.org: The Canary Code

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