Fouad Mimouni, Head Training and Development, IDB. Review on Tales for Coaching - Margaret Parkin

''Tales for Coaching'' is an absolute must-read for trainers, management consultants, group learning facilitators and coaches. Margaret Parkin uses a very lucid style to convey the message. Before each tale, she introduces the concept behind the tale, then follows it with a moral. Even more practical is the set of questions that have a double benefit: as a reader, you immediately start applying the tale to your situation; and as coach or trainer, you find the right questions to ask the group.

In Part One of the book ''Are You Sitting Comfortably?'', Margaret presents a very useful introduction to the art of storytelling and the use of stories in coaching. In a convincing way, she puts forward the argument for the central role stories play in the learning process. As adult learners, we relate to the events in the tales, we associate or dissociate with the characters, we see our situation through the characters in the tales.

Margaret did not fail to guide us what it takes to communicate through tales and stories in a coaching situation. What I particularly liked was the issue of the listeners' perceptions. Put in a context of cross-cultural training, the listeners' perspective takes a different dimension: how can the coach translate the intent of the tale to make sense to the different audiences in the different cultures. Margaret shared with us useful communication skills to overcome this possible obstacle.

I strongly recommend this book to all trainers, management consultants and coaches. I personally found it very useful though I operate in a non-English speaking context.