A quote from the author in the introduction does a great job of summarizing the focus: “Humble Inquiry is the fine art of drawing someone out, of asking questions to which you do not already know the answer, of building a relationship based on curiosity and interest in the other person.”
For coaches there is direct application because coaching is about listening and asking questions and the manner in which this is done makes the difference between adequate and powerful questioning.
Summary – the chapters of the book include:
Introduction: Creating Positive Relationships and Effective Organizations
- Humble Inquiry
- Humble Inquiry in Practice – Case Examples
- Differentiating Humble Inquiry from Other Kinds of Inquiry
- The Culture of Do and Tell
- Status, Rank, and Role Boundaries as Inhibitors
- Forces Inside Us as Inhibitors
- Developing the Attitude of Humble Inquiry
The Good: Excellent insights on humble inquiry including definitions of both humble and of inquiry along with types, plus examples. Thoughts for the reader after each section invite deeper reflection and learning.
The Bad: The writing does ramble a bit.
Conclusion: Providing awareness that is significant for every human being, this is a great read for immediate application as executives, leaders, and yes, coaches.
