Leni Wildflower & Diane Brennan 
The Handbook of Knowledge-Based Coaching 
From Theory to Practice

Praise for The Handbook of Knowledge-Based Coaching

‘Definitive, with extensive references and a commitment to
connecting theory to practice in every chapter, this important
contribution is a delicious and wide-ranging exploration of the
lineages that have shaped the modern practice of coaching.’

–Doug Silsbee, author, Presence-Based Coaching and
The Mindful Coach

‘The translation of theories from multiple disciplines to the
practice of coaching makes this book a must-read!’

–Terrence E. Maltbia, senior lecturer, Adult Learning and
Leadership; and faculty director, Columbia Coaching Certification
Program, Teachers College, Columbia University

‘If you have an appetite for the scientific roots of what works
best in coaching, and you are hungry for an easy-to-digest
translation of the science to practice, this book is a feast and
will be on your plate for many years to come.’

–Margaret Moore (Coach Meg), founder and CEO, Wellcoaches
Corporation; and codirector, Institute of Coaching, Mc Lean
Hospital, Harvard Medical School

‘Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced coach, this
rollicking ride through dozens of the most important theories and
perspectives in coaching will be a vital companion. With quick and
helpful summaries of key ideas and their use–and selective
bibliographies should you wish to go deeper into a particular
area–this book will help you support your clients in a
targeted and sophisticated way.’

–Jennifer Garvey Berger, author, Changing on the Job:
Growing the Leaders Our Organizations Need; and coeditor,
Executive Coaching: Practices and Perspectives

‘This is a book I have been missing. What a pleasure to read and
what a stretching of my mind.’

–Kim GØrtz, senior consultant, Copenhagen Coaching
Center

‘Anyone who is serious about improving the quality of coaching
will find The Handbook an invaluable resource that reflects
the breadth and richness of the growing evidence-based approach to
coaching practice.’

–David Clutterbuck, visiting professor in the coaching and
mentoring faculties, Oxford Brookes and Sheffield Hallam
Universities

Table of Content

Preface: From Theory to Practice (Leni Wildfl ower and Diane
Brennan).

Acknowledgments.

PART ONE: Human Behavior and Coaching.

ONE: Humanistic and Transpersonal Psychology (Alison Whybrow
and Leni Wildflower).

TWO: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Related Theories (Leni
Wildflower).

THREE: Positive Psychology (Kate Hefferon).

FOUR: Transactional Analysis (Jenny Rogers).

FIVE: Adult Development (Leni Wildflower).

SIX: Theories of Intelligence (Jonathan Passmore, Chloé
Tong, and Leni Wildflower).

SEVEN: Neuroscience (Linda J. Page).

PART TWO: Human Interaction and Coaching.

EIGHT: Theories of Adult Learning (John Leary-Joyce and Leni
Wildflower).

NINE: Social Constructionism (Sherry Harsch-Porter).

TEN: Theories of Change (Leni Wildfl ower and Diane
Brennan).

ELEVEN: Communication Theory (Irene F. Stein and Reinhard
Stelter).

TWELVE: Confl ict Management (Cinnie Noble, Edward G. Modell,
and Diane Brennan).

THIRTEEN: Systems Theory and Family Systems Therapy (Leni
Wildflower and Diane Brennan).

FOURTEEN: Transition and Career Management (Jenny
Rogers).

PART THREE: Organizations, Leadership, and Coaching.

FIFTEEN: Leadership (Diane Brennan).

SIXTEEN: Organizations and Organizational Culture (Mary Wayne
Bush, Tony Latimer, and Leni Wildflower).

SEVENTEEN: Team and Group Behavior (Laura Hauser).

EIGHTEEN: Situational and Contextual Issues in the Workplace
(Mary Wayne Bush).

PART FOUR: Traditions from Self-Help, Personal Growth, and
Spirituality.

NINETEEN: Spiritual and Religious Traditions (Jennifer
Sellers).

TWENTY: The Self-Help and Human Potential Movements (Leni
Wildflower).

TWENTY-ONE: Mindfulness (Janet Baldwin Anderson, Francine
Campone, and Jennifer Sellers).

PART FIVE: Coaching Specific Populations.

TWENTY-TWO: Education (Kathy Norwood and Mary Ann
Burke).

TWENTY-THREE: Issues of Aging (Connie S. Corley).

TWENTY-FOUR: Culture and Cultural Intelligence (Katrina
Burrus).

TWENTY-FIVE: Issues of Gender (Karen Tweedie and Leni
Wildflower).

TWENTY-SIX: Environmental Sustainability (Katrina S.
Rogers).

PART SIX: Creative Applications.

TWENTY-SEVEN: Coaching and the Body (Terrie
Lupberger).

TWENTY-EIGHT: A Narrative Approach to Coaching (David B.
Drake).

TWENTY-NINE: Solution-Focused Coaching and the GROW Model
(Carol Wilson).

THIRTY: Appreciative Inquiry (Jacqueline Binkert and Ann L.
Clancy).

PART SEVEN: Components of Effective Coaching.

THIRTY-ONE: Coach Maturity: An Emerging Concept (David
Clutterbuck and David Megginson).

THIRTY-TWO: Use of Assessments in Coaching (Mary M. Nash,
Dian Christian, and Janet Baldwin Anderson).

THIRTY-THREE: Current Research on Coaching (Francine
Campone).

Afterword: Challenges Ahead (Jenny Rogers).

References.

The Editors.

The Contributors.

Name Index.

Subject Index.

About the author

Leni Wildflower is a coach, consultant, and teacher.
Currently, she designs coaching programs at Fielding Graduate
University, which she also does independently for organizations,
corporations, and nonprofits. She is the author of courses in
change management, conflict resolution, quality of work,
leadership, and executive coaching. Wildflower envisioned and
designed Fielding’s Evidence Based Coaching certificate program.

Diane Brennan is an executive coach, consultant, and
author. She works with leaders and teams in organizations to expand
learning and navigate change. Brennan took on leadership roles in
the International Coach Federation (ICF) in order to promote global
conversations and professionalization across the community and
served as the ICF global president in 2008. She is also the
coeditor of The Philosophy and Practice of Coaching, from
Jossey-Bass.