Making Sense of Coaching - Practical Guide to Transformational

Our review of Making Sense of Coaching finds it most valuable for coaches, coach educators and reflective practitioners seeking a deeper understanding of the coaching process. Angelique du Toit moves beyond technique to examine how coaches and clients create meaning, presenting coaching as a form of transformational learning that prompts discovery and self-reflection. The book is best purchased by readers who want conceptual depth and a framework for practice rather than a quick skills checklist.

Key Features

• Process focus: Explores the sequence and dynamics of coaching conversations so readers can recognise how learning unfolds.
• Sense-making emphasis: Encourages coaches to attend to the creation of meaning, improving the quality of client insight and long-term change.
• Theoretical integration: Brings together multiple coaching and learning theories in a coherent way to inform reflective practice.
• Practitioner perspective: Written by an academic practitioner, it connects research with the realities of executive and organisational coaching.
• Developmental aim: Frames coaching as transformational learning, supporting deeper personal and professional development for clients.

Who It's For

This book is aimed at practicing coaches, coach supervisors and postgraduate students in coaching or organisational development who want to deepen their understanding of how coaching creates meaning. It suits readers who appreciate thoughtful, theory-informed writing rather than quick, prescriptive techniques.

Those seeking a step-by-step skills manual, scripted models or a short how-to reference may find the book less immediately practical; it is stronger as a conceptual and reflective resource than a workbook of exercises.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Offers a rich conceptual reframing of coaching as transformational learning, useful for reflective practice.
• Draws theory and practice together in a way that supports advanced coach development and supervision.
• Author brings academic credibility and real-world executive coaching experience, bridging research and practice.

Cons

• Not a quick reference or technique-driven manual, so readers wanting immediate, practicable tools may need supplementary materials.

Specifications

Title	Making Sense of Coaching
Author	Angelique du Toit
Focus	Coaching process and sense-making
Approach	Transformational learning and reflective practice
Audience	Coaches, coach educators, executives
Author role	Academic practitioner and executive coach

Our Verdict

Making Sense of Coaching is a thoughtful, theory-rich text that rewards readers who want to understand how coaching produces meaning and sustained change. It represents good value for coaches and educators seeking conceptual depth and a bridge between research and practice, though those wanting quick techniques should pair it with a skills handbook.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this book practical for working coaches?
Yes - it is practical in the sense that it informs how coaches frame and reflect on their work, though it is more conceptual than a technique manual.

Who wrote the book and why does that matter?
Angelique du Toit is an academic practitioner and executive coach, which means the book combines scholarly perspective with real coaching experience.

Will this help in executive coaching contexts?
Yes - the book addresses coaching processes relevant to senior executives and organisational settings, helping practitioners foster deeper learning.