TY  - JOUR
TI  - Back to basics III: On inquiry, the groundwork of coaching and consulting
AU  - de Haan, E.
AB  - Purpose: The purpose of this study is to go to the heart of the consulting and coaching intervention and to explore what is its core active ingredient. In earlier articles (De Haan, 2011 & 2012) I introduced two basic ingredients in terms of their historical understanding: transference and reflective-self function. This article hopes to demonstrate how underpinning these important dynamic ingredients of executive coaching there is a still more fundamental faculty, that of basic inquiry. Design/Methodology: This contribution offers a historical account of our interest in pure inquiry, demonstrating how personal inquiry lies at the root of two traditions that are more than two millennia old, one from the East and one from the West, Buddhism and Scepticism. The capacity of pure inquiry is further elucidated by bringing to bear the modern practices of action research and mindful inquiry, and with the help of four examples from executive coaching practice. Results: Executive coaches are reminded of a basic function that they are offering before even opening their mouth, before they start to mentalise or use their reflective-self function, before their understanding of transference and before intervening in any of the many forms of guidance that are well-documented. This basic function is akin to listening and also quite delicate, being at some peril of diminishing in the face of goal-setting, results-orientation or directive interventions. Conclusions: Personal inquiry in and of itself is a helpful way into mindfulness, insight and empathetic understanding. Coaches would do well to notice how they inquire with their clients and within themselves. 
IS  - 1
JO  - International Coaching Psychology Review
PY  - 2014
KW  - Action Research
KW  - mindfulness
KW  - listening skills
KW  - Personal inquiry
KW  - coaching outcome
KW  - consulting
KW  - history of scepticism and buddhism.
UR  - shop.bps.org.uk/publications/publication-by-series/international-coaching-psychology-review/international-coaching-psychology-review-vol-9-no-1-december-2014.html
VL  - 9
LA  - English
ER  -