The main ideas of the book:
- Conversations are the glue that holds our schools together – building trust, and promoting learning and growth.
- Leaders can foster the beliefs and habits of better conversations in their schools by becoming aware of their ineffective communication habits and discarding them for new, life-giving, and more effective habits.
Why I chose this book:
Coaching teachers is an important part of the job for almost every school leader, but it’s also an intimidating part! “What should I say? What should I not say? Should I try to act more friendly or more authoritative? What if I come off as cold? What if I don’t get my point across? Should I just tell them what I think they should do, or should I ask questions about what they think they should do? And what questions am I supposed to ask, anyway?”
Here’s where the well-known coaching guru Jim Knight can help. His book breaks down conversations to the basic building blocks of listening, questioning, speaking and how to most effectively treat your conversation partner as an equal.
He describes clear, simple steps that anyone can take to improve their conversations. I sincerely believe this book will empower you to approach those “intimidating conversations” with a new combination of confidence and humility that will transform them into opportunities for connection and growth.
*** BONUS: Click to see my 1-pager, Beliefs and Habits of Better Coaching Conversations ***
