Description
Book Synopsis** Business Book Awards 2023 Finalist **
Coaching Outdoors offers a journey of professional development, personal development and enriched wellbeing.
Coaching Outdoors supports practitioners to step outside and make the most of what nature can offer the coach, client, organisation and planet.
It contains essential practical advice and activities, together with engaging case studies and research – all laid out in an accessible and logical format.
Discover how to:
- Articulate the benefits of coaching outdoors from a place of experience
- Contract for psychological safety outdoors
- Find resources in nature
- Collaborate with nature as a coaching co-facilitator
- Engage with nature when working remotely with clients
Coaching Outdoors is the first handbook specifically on the value of coaching with nature. It is an invitation to leave the fast-paced, technology-focused world and reconnect with what really matters, in an environment where we were born to thrive.
LESLEY ROBERTS BEd, MSc is an executive coach and adventurer who has been coaching outdoors since 1999. Her academic research focused on how nature can support coach and client. After 16 years with Mars Inc she founded Brave Conversations, working with global teams and individuals to unlock their potential. In 2019 she founded Coaching Outdoors to bring the benefits of partnering with nature to as many people as possible.
Trade ReviewAn interesting approach to coaching...Nicely done.
* Netgalley *
Does exactly what is says on the tin. The ultimate guide to this subject. Essential for any coach.
* Amazon *
This book is essential reading for anyone interested in getting the best out of themselves and others, insightful and inspiring.
Table of ContentsTable of Contents
PRELIMS
- Foreword by Neil Reynolds, Mars Inc
- What you will find in this book
MAIN CONTENT
PART 1 – Setting the Scene
- About the author and introduction
- A brief orientation to coaching in general
- What is coaching outdoors?
& Coaching outdoors in the context of other types of coaching
Why has Coaching Outdoors become Topical?
- Why has being outdoors become so talked about now – a comment on society today
- Today’s business world
- Covid-19
- Peter Hawkins challenge
Benefits from Being Outdoors
- The evolutionary human connection with nature
- Benefits of being outside
- Positive effects of nature
- Research into walking outside and coaching and walking
PART 2 – Getting Started
Choosing the Right Location
The differences between extreme adventures, hill walking and a walk in the park
- City, rural, office grounds
- Where to go, what is appropriate and what isn’t?
- What practicalities need to be considered?
- Green space/blue space research
- ACTIVITY - Self-coaching walk
Contracting
- What’s different to indoors?
- What do I need to include?
- ACTIVITY - Practice with a client
Weather
- Where’s your comfort zone?
- Where’s your clients comfort zone?
- ACTIVITY – Self-exploration walk
Kit
- What to wear
- What to take
- ACTIVITY – Self-exploration walk/Reflection exercise
Psychological Safety
- Considerations
- How locations can support a variety of issues
- ACTIVITY – Plan for a client session & re-tweak contract if necessary
Give it a Go
- ACTIVITY – Prompt to give it a go in a client session & reflect
PART 3 – The Circle of Benefits
Benefits for the Coachee
- Space
- Perspective
- Creativity
- Presence
- Side by side
Benefits for the Coach
- Nature as Co-facilitator/The Evoked Companion
- Speed of connection
- Depth of conversation
- Presence
- Bravery
Benefits for the Organization
- Making the business case
- Overcoming resistance
- Wellbeing/Resilience
- A new way of working for faster results
- Longevity of impact
- It’s all about how you introduce it
Benefits for the Planet
- It all starts with our relationship with nature
- Personal responsibility
- Personal choice
PART 4 – Who am I to Coach Outdoors?
Your purpose
- ACTIVITY – Self-Coaching & Journaling
Your personal outdoor practice
Your outdoor coaching practice
- ACTIVITY – Elevator pitch
PART 5 – Nature as Co-Facilitator
Opportunities for The Coach – Making the most of the outside environment
- More than just taking the worksheet outside
Nature as a mirror
- Stories and examples
- ACTIVITY
Metaphor
- Stories and examples
- ACTIVITY
Constellations
- Stories and examples
- ACTIVITY
Seasons
- Stories and examples
- ACTIVITY
Give it a Go
- Trust your intuition
- ACTIVITY – Prompt to give it a go in a client session & reflect
PART 6 – Teams & Remote Work
Working Outdoors with Teams
- What is the difference to working with an individual?
- What to be aware of
- Opportunities for teams/team coaches
- Stories and examples
Working Remotely with Nature
- Over the phone
- Over computer
- (including examples, ideas and top tips)
PART 7 – Final Thoughts
The Future of Coaching Outdoors
Conclusion
- Coaching Outdoors is accessible and multi-beneficial for most and appropriate for many, brining benefits to both coach, client and organization.
END MATTER
Appendices
- Sample map of an outdoor space for coaching
- Check-list of things to inform client about
- Check-list of things to bring; coach and client
- List of ideas for working with nature indoors
- Risk Assessment form
Acknowledgements
References
