You Coach You by Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis Summary

You Coach You is a practical self-coaching guide for overcoming career challenges, offering tools to reignite passion for work, set boundaries, build resilience, and achieve professional goals. Authors Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis combine exercises, real-world examples, and frameworks like the "coaching habit" to empower readers to take control of their careers without relying on external coaches.

This book suits professionals at any career stage feeling stuck, unfulfilled, or navigating transitions. It’s ideal for those seeking self-directed growth, improved work relationships, or strategies to balance ambition with well-being. Mid-career individuals and young professionals alike will find actionable advice for overcoming obstacles.

Yes, for its actionable exercises and relatable frameworks like SMART goals and self-compassion strategies. While some critics note repetitive sections and a lack of scientific depth, readers praise its practicality for career development, calling it a valuable resource for self-motivation.

• The coaching habit: Asking reflective questions to boost self-awareness.
• SMART goals: Specific, measurable objectives to guide progress.
• Resilience-building: Coping mechanisms for setbacks.
• Self-compassion: Embracing imperfection to foster growth.

The book breaks overwhelming goals into manageable steps, provides templates for action plans, and teaches boundary-setting to improve work-life balance. It emphasizes leveraging strengths and seeking feedback to navigate obstacles like stagnation or burnout.

This framework encourages daily self-inquiry through questions like “What’s working well?” and “What small step can I take today?” It fosters reflection, helping readers identify patterns and align actions with long-term goals.

It advocates for SMART goals paired with detailed action plans. Authors stress breaking objectives into incremental tasks, tracking progress, and adjusting strategies based on feedback. This method reduces overwhelm and increases accountability.

Some readers find the advice repetitive and note a lack of empirical evidence supporting its methods. However, most praise its hands-on approach, making it a useful tool despite these limitations.

Both books by Tupper and Ellis focus on modern career navigation, but You Coach You emphasizes self-coaching techniques, while The Squiggly Career explores non-linear career paths. Together, they offer complementary strategies for professional growth.

Yes, it addresses remote-specific issues like boundary-setting, maintaining productive virtual relationships, and staying motivated without structured environments. Techniques for self-accountability and resilience are particularly applicable.

• “Progress over perfection” highlights the value of incremental growth.
• “Your career is a journey, not a destination” underscores adaptability.
• “Ask yourself what you need to let go of to move forward”

As workplaces prioritize self-directed learning and hybrid models, the book’s focus on adaptability, resilience, and self-coaching aligns with trends in personal accountability and continuous professional development.