Just thought I'd jot these down as they are the books I think anyone doing coaching must read:

• Secrets of Consulting: A Guide to Giving and Getting Advice Successfully. Gerald Weinberg
• Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change. William Bridges.
• Spin-Selling. Neil Rackham.

Secrets of Consulting is just brilliant at telling you the right way to interact with clients. Some of it is so unusual, I remember when I started reading it I questioned whether he was serious. He is.

Managing Transitions is must reading to understand how people will deal with change. Mr. Bridges understands people both in the business world and personally. It's also short. If you are dealing with people in a large organization it is even more important to read this book.

Why should a consultant read a sales book? Because consulting is about opening opportunities for people. Sales, when done properly, is about the same thing. SPIN Selling is not your normal sales book. It is about how to discover what people need, how to formulate a solution for them and then how to let them see they need your solution.