We went out to our esteemed faculty and asked them each to tell us about their favorite content — books, podcasts, films, courses, etc. — that they consumed last year, from inside or outside of the world of coaching. Below is the list of submissions we’ve collected so far. We’ll update this post with more entries as they come in. We hope you find some inspiration for your own list!
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Ana Pliopas
Most impactful from or related to the field of coaching:
Coaching Supervision Groups edited by Jo Birch (book)
“Jo’s books expands group supervision concepts and approaches.”
Most impactful outside the field of coaching:
This Jungian Life, episode 189 (podcast)
“This episode brings an interview with Dr. Iain McGilchris, a psychiatrist, researcher, and author. His 2009 book, The Master and His Emissary gained worldwide fame for showing how differences between brain hemispheres affect our perceptions – and guide our lives. Many points of interest: how left and right brain work; the importance of meaning; how we need each other to make meaning together.”
“Both of these resources pull us into a deeper exploration of what’s most important, especially at a time of heading into the post-career elements of vocation, now and moving forward.”
Most impactful outside the field of coaching:
Seaside Hotel on PBS (television series)
“This eight season PBS Masterpiece Series explores life in Denmark between 1927 and 1941 explores the dynamics of Life in a fascinating historical time with amazing character development and riveting drama. The setting of a Jutland Summer Hotel gives a rich tapestry of emotions and drama, with levity as well. Be careful --- it can be addictive!”
Deb Gerardi
Most impactful from or related to the field of coaching:
Awakening the Heroes Within by Carol Pearson (book)
“An in-depth dive into the archetypal energies and how to work with them as a part of the developmental journey.”
Most impactful outside the field of coaching:
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabelle Wilkerson (book)
“The Warmth of Other Suns was a stunning tome on the great migration with in-depth research blended with vignettes that humanized and brought to life the impact of slavery and emancipation on African Americans. I learned a lot I did not know.”
“Stephen is one of my favorite writers, philosophers, artists. He was mentored by Gregory Bateson and his worldview aligns with mine. He is eloquent is bringing the philosophy of presence and working beat to beat to life.”
Jason Miller
Most impactful from or related to the field of coaching:
The Inner 360: Unveiling the Symbolic Landscape of Leadership (course)
“Our intuition and creative nature is a deeper source of knowing that is frequently left behind in our modern paradigm that rewards rationality and achievement. This 3-session program introduced how to incorporate arts and humanities into how we coach.”
Most impactful outside the field of coaching:
Rethinking Humanity: Five Foundational Sector Disruptions, the Lifecycle of Civilizations, and the Coming Age of Freedom by Tony Seba and James Arbib (book)
“A full human history view of the evolution of consciousness, and how it has shaped individual, social, and environmental phenomena on planet Earth. With this depth at the foundation, the paper then provides a futurist perspective on a disruptive paradigm shift that we are already experiencing. The contextual view of our reality influences how I prioritize my work, my development, and how I better position myself as an agent of change.”
John Schuster
Most impactful outside the field of coaching:
Dissolving the Ego by David Hawkins (book)
“For sure this will not appeal to all. And it is sort of a greatest hits version, best passages from other books, so it may be less comprehensible to those not into his thinking....that said, it is full of compressed wisdom hits on letting go of the ego through mental/awareness habits of witnessing, stopping the constant editorializing and opinionating we are habituated to. It also has a devotional element, heavy on love as a power and is not shy about God talk, in some chapters, so that will either put off or attract people...it attracts me how he writes about it.”
Kathryn Downing
Most impactful from or related to the field of coaching:
Coaching Supervision Groups edited by Jo Birch (book)
“A remarkable resource on the valuable elements of coaching supervision in small groups. Throughout the chapters there are many examples of how it’s possible to reflect on one’s practice and learn within a small group.”
Most impactful outside the field of coaching:
What Happened to You? by Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Bruce Perry (book)
“As coaches we work with people who have experienced areas kinds of trauma and other incidences in their family of origin as well as subsequently in their lives. These instances shape who and how they are. This book opens up a world of newer insights on how to constructively work with individuals to reshape their stories and identities.”
Lynn Schoener
Most impactful from or related to the field of coaching:
The Befriending Grief program (facilitated content/group discussion/guided meditation - search for a program near you)
“The shift from thinking of grief as a process to be worked, or a condition to be healed, to the idea of grief as a competency.”
Most impactful outside the field of coaching:
"Endurance, Transformation, & the Power of Imagination" from the NY Center for Jungian Studies Winter Online Seminar (event - find similar here)
“Superb speakers, very unique approaches to the topic, good reflection questions and practices.”
Marlyn Young
Most impactful outside the field of coaching:
David Whyte’s Sunday Seminars (course)
“It was and is still a process of undoing for me. Holding the hand of my ‘old self’ and saying goodbye. Opening a merciful space to discover the latest version of myself. Making friends with the unknown - that question I refuse to ask - that conversation I refuse to have.
“David’s words, ‘Drink from a deeper well. Stop having the same conversations you are now having. Whatever is real will stay with you. There are more songs to be sung. More conversations to be had. More love to be shared, It will be different than what you had hoped for or believed it would be. Look and hear as if inhabiting your body for the first time.’”
Robby Swinnen
Most impactful from or related to the field of coaching:
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman (book)
“It’s a good book on why and how to live in the present. As this is the only thing we have. It was a good piece to put it well together for me after my stroke now 2 years ago.”
Most impactful outside the field of coaching:
Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect by Bob Rotella (book)
“I was lucky to get away with a rather positive outcome after my stroke and Danielle and I decided (after 30 years of talking about it) to finally take up golfing as a physical and mental challenge to my damaged brain. It’s a blast, but there are also many parallels to my yoga practice and the coaching work I do. Golf is way more than what some people think it might be.”
Sandy Smith
Most impactful from or related to the field of coaching:
Mastering the Art of Team Coaching by Georgina Woudstra (book)
“I’ve worked for years as a Team Coach and learned from strong authors and practitioners but this book put it together in a way that was actionable and a foundation for my further development. Some favorite elements: competency model, growing self as a team coach, addressing fluidity of teams, dialogic versus diagnostic, website references.”
Most impactful outside the field of coaching:
“New Day’s Lyric” by Amanda Gorman (poem)
“The inspiration of her being, her words, her beauty.”
Seth Levenson
Most impactful from or related to the field of coaching:
Coaching the Team at Work by David Clutterbuck (book)
“Although I’m somewhat burned out by team coaching books, this one was readable and structured in a way to be helpful.”
Reflect to Create by Elaine Patterson (book)
“Lots of exercises that contribute to Self As Coach -- meditations, exercises etc. Can be used with clients as well.”
Most impactful outside the field of coaching:
100 Mindsets of Challenger Leaders by Khurshed Dehnugara and Claire Genkai Breeze (book)
“Small nuggets of insight that can be read as part of a daily practice.”
Instructions for the Cook by Bernard Glassman and Rick Fields (book)
“Instructions for the Cook: Synthesized zen practice.”
Tom Pollack
Most impactful from or related to the field of coaching:
Will Medd’s seminar on creativity (event)
“Working with clay, Will talked about allowing what wants to emerge. That shifted me from wanting to create something I thought of in my mind’s eye, to allowing my hands to do what they wanted with the clay without trying to make anything specifically. What came out of that was something infinitely more interesting than what my left brain could produce.”
Most impactful outside the field of coaching:
Midnight Library by Matt Haig (book)
“The book addresses the what ifs in life, all the paths not taken, and challenges our beliefs that paths not taken would have led to a richer or ‘better’ experience.”
Tom Fumarelli
Most impactful outside the field of coaching:
My Octopus Teacher on Netflix (film)
“It was a wonderful story about how someone could deal with burnout and exhaustion and find purpose and meaning in life through developing a powerful relationship with a sentient creature. It opened my world to possibility.”
Trudi McCanna
Most impactful from or related to the field of coaching:
On Being a Supervisee: Creating Learning Partnerships by Michael Carroll and Maria C. Gilbert (book)
“I initially bought On Being a Supervisee: Creating Learning Partnerships to learn new ways to present my work as part of being supervised. But I gained so much more! It helped me zoom out and reflect more deeply on who I am as a coach and where I can grow in service of my clients and their organizations. A must read for anyone developing their own ‘internal supervisor.’”
Most impactful outside the field of coaching:
Uncanny Valley: A Memoir by Anna Wiener (book)
“Uncanny Valley: A Memoir is an inside view into one woman’s journey in the world of high tech start ups. It’s a story of complexity and contradiction...and their impact on the lives of the people navigating it. I left with more questions then answers, forcing me to reflect on and challenge my own thinking for many months after reading the book.”
