Hi there, it's Michael, the author. You might know my previous book, The Coaching Habit. It was an unexpected bestseller: more than 700,000 copies sold so far, 1,000+ 5-star reviews on Amazon (my favourite: "I have plodded through many books that wish they could be this book"), a Wall Street Journal bestseller, and used by people and organizations around the world.
So I've been sweating on the follow-up. The pressure! The anticipation! But here it is, and I think you're going to like it. If The Coaching Habit says, “here are the seven essential questions to be more coach-like,” The Advice Trap is about getting to grips with how to actually change your behaviour so you stay curious a little bit longer.
It sounds like it should be easy, but it's not. You have to tame your Advice Monster, that part of you that jumps in to offer up ideas, opinions, suggestions and advice. And it's taming your Advice Monster that's at the heart of this book. But there are also some specific coaching strategies, particularly on how to focus on what matters most. There are tools to make your conversations, coaching and otherwise, irresistible. There are even resources beyond the book itself, including a one-year, free leadership program from a 52-person faculty of cool, diverse, and provocative thinkers.
In 2019, I was named the #1 Thought Leader in Coaching, and was short-listed for the coaching award by Thinkers50, the “Oscars of Management.” My work's been featured in journals such as HBR, Fast Company, Forbes, and Inc., and my company, Box of Crayons, has trained more than 100,000 people just like you in the tools and mindset required for this essential leadership behaviour: being more coach-like. You'll get all of that wisdom and experience when you read The Advice Trap. I'm pretty sure you'll find it a great investment of your money and time. (And, by the way, thank you in advance for buying it. I'm thrilled to know the book is going out into the world.)

Michael Bungay Stanier is a leading coaching expert, renowned keynote speaker and the founder and senior partner of Box of Crayons, a company that helps managers and leaders coach in 10 min or less. When he's not leading workshops that help time-crunched managers coach in 10 minutes or less, Michael shares his thought leadership (and his playful sense of humor) with others through his many writings and publications. His published books include Do More Great Work, which has sold nearly 100,000 copies, and End Malaria, a collection of essays from leading thinkers around the globe raising funds for Malaria No More (and hitting #2 on Amazon.com). He has also been featured or published in Fast Company, The Financial Times, The Globe and Mail, and has appeared on CTV's Breakfast Television. Before Box of Crayons, Michael spent time inventing products and services as part of an innovation agency, and worked as a management consultant specializing in large-scale change, writing the global vision for GlaxoSmithKline, among other things. A Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, Michael was named the first Canadian Coach of the Year in 2006.

Michael Bungay Stanier's profile page

"Oh, the sweet temptation to jump right in and provide the answer! In The Advice Trap, Michael Bungay Stanier not only teaches us why jumping in is wrong, but with humour and wisdom shows us a better (and easier!) approach guaranteed to bring out the best in the people we coach and lead."

bestselling author of <i>Limitless</i>

"Most leaders want to be good coaches, but coaching doesn’t come naturally. The Advice Trap gets to the core of coaching: be humble and stay curious. It is quick and easy to read, backed by science, and offers practical tools to enable leaders to tame their Advice Monster and learn how to coach."

CEO and President, Cochlear

"Michael Bungay Stanier has done for curiosity what Brené Brown did for vulnerability. The Advice Trap is superbly written, a very quick and enjoyable read, but most importantly it will develop you into a far more influential leader."

PhD; Brigadier General, US Army (ret); Director, Doerr Institute at Rice University

"Michael Bungay Stanier literally wrote the book on how excessive advice is a sneaky monster, undermining leaders and their teams alike. The Advice Trap is a delightful conversation with a trusted partner, and it will help you tame your Advice Monster."

bestselling author of <i>Disrupt Yourself </i>and <i>Build an A Team</i>

"To get more from your people, you need to grow their capability and engagement, and step up yourself. A great way to do that is to give less advice and do more coaching."

Group CEO, Sky

"Michael Bungay Stanier's been named the #1 thought leader in the world on coaching. This book is one of the reasons why he’s a champion for the shift—for people, teams, and organizations—from advice-driven to curiosity-led."

the only two-time Thinkers 50 #1 Leadership Thinker in the world

"#1 BESTSELLER"

Business and Personal Finance, <i>Toronto Star</i>

"This book speaks truth: when the best leaders do less themselves, they get more from others. But learning to do less can be painfully hard. Fortunately, Michael Bungay Stanier applies his signature wit and clarity to the challenge, which means making hard change just got a whole lot easier."

author of <i>Multipliers</i> and <i>Rookie Smarts</i>