How to Coach Yourself and Others Techniques For Coaching | Page 219

This is the Gestalt notion of ‘dialogue’ , which has its roots in Buber’s
(e.g. 1970) existential philosophy that differentiates between ‘I–thou’
interaction (two people engaging in an open, mutually respectful way
without attempting to impose their will on the other) and ‘I–it’
interactions in which one or both attempt to shape the other towards
some desired outcome. Genuine, moving contact cannot be made to
happen. It flows from the coach’s willingness to be him or herself
without any attachment to what might happen in the encounter. This
means that as a Gestalt coach, I am particularly attentive to the quality
of the relationship between myself and my client.
1 Siminovitch, D., and Van Eron, A. (2006)
Practical Implications for the Coach
1. What to disclose
• The coach’s internal reactions offer valuable data. These reactio