Tünde Erdös

2021, McGraw Hill – Open University Press

Our understanding of presence is primarily built on professional wisdom in coaching. For instance, coaching presence is often believed to be purely about the coach – how they show up in the room, and what they say and do to support clients to reach their goals. But what if it was about the relational dynamics between the coach and client at an unspoken level? In this book, Tünde Erdös demystifies the power of the non-verbal coaching relationship.

Put simply, the body does not lie. Using research from 184 videoed coach-client pairs and exploring their spontaneous interactions at a non-verbal level, we deepen our understanding of how clients navigate uncertainties in their universe, including the coaching room. Working with spontaneous responsiveness and reciprocity in the relationship, coaches can truly partner with clients to facilitate their goal attainment beyond traditional coaching. 

Yet, this book also reveals that a coach’s movement can sometimes hinder learning and prevent progress towards a goal. Tünde Erdös guides the reader through Integrative Presence, where you will learn to:

• Build awareness of your state of presence
• Identify potential coaching blind spots
• Recognise when your needs block presence
• Practice integrative presence in coaching             
• Foster effective coaching partnerships 

As an excellent example of how coaching practice has informed research and with a foreword from Erik De Haan, this is illuminating reading for anyone looking to enhance their coaching effectiveness through closer partnering with clients.