Challenging Coaching, Going Beyond Traditional Coaching to Face the Facts

0.5 RD & 1.5 CC** Pending CCEU Approval

Join Linda Maul and your ICF Edmonton Chapter colleagues in person for an evening of engaging conversations and community building

Challenging Coaching is a real-world, timely and provocative book which provides a wake-up call to move beyond the limitations of traditional coaching. Based on the authors' extensive experience working at board and management levels, they suggest that for far too long coaching approaches have shied away from adopting a more challenging stance - a stance that can provoke greater performance and unlock deeper potential in business leaders and their teams.

The authors detail their unique FACTS coaching model, which provides a practical and pragmatic approach focusing on Feedback, Accountability, Courageous goals, Tension and Systems thinking. The authors explore FACTS coaching in theory and in practice using case studies, example dialogues and practical exercises so that the reader will be able to successfully challenge others using respectful yet direct techniques.

This is an original and thought-provoking book that dares the reader to go beyond traditional coaching and face the FACTS.

What Makes This Approach Different

• More direct, courageous, and evidence-based.
• Less about non-directive neutrality; more about honesty and results.
• Integrates psychology, adult development, and leadership thinking.
• Helps coaches avoid “collusion” — going along with limiting stories to preserve comfort.

Benefits to the Coach

Coaches who adopt this approach typically:

• Become more confident confronting tough issues
• Build stronger impact with senior leaders
• Reduce polite, surface-level coaching
• Grow their own range — moving from safe to bold
• Create measurable behavioural shifts in clients

Bottom Line

Challenging Coaching is a powerful resource for coaches ready to stretch their clients, not simply support them.
The FACTS model gives you a practical way to raise accountability, encourage growth, and tackle uncomfortable realities — all while maintaining trust and partnership.

It’s particularly useful when you’re coaching experienced, ambitious clients and you want to push boundaries in a clean, ethical, and productive way.