Executive coaching and the worldview of Vipassana meditators: A heuristic inquiry

This heuristic study investigated the experience of executive coaching when the coach has practiced vipassana, a Buddhist meditation practice, (commonly known as mindfulness meditation), for at least 10 years. Psychology and organizational development were explored as two theoretical roots for executive coaching. Coaches also bring a worldview to their coaching. This study explored the Dharma (the teachings of the Buddha) as one possible worldview for executive coaching.;Following a personal heuristic inquiry, 90-minute face-to-face interviews were conducted with seven executive coaches from across the United States who had had a daily vipassana meditation practice for 10 to 23 years. Three coaches were female; four were male. Six were external coaches. One coach had a full-time coaching practice; six provided organizational development consulting, or training in addition to executive coaching. The coaches came from diverse educational backgrounds including psychology, organizational development, business and education. Two had completed formal coach training. All but one had been coaching for at least five years.;In the interview each coach was asked to describe his/her executive coaching practice, vipassana meditation practice and how the worldview of the Dharma was experienced in their executive coaching. The findings clustered into four themes: (1) The Practice: Mindfulness while coaching; (2) The View: Insights from the practice; (3) Living the View: Integrating the practice into work and life; and (4) Being the View.;Theme one describes how coaches use mindfulness to center themselves before meeting the client, monitor their physical sensations during the conversation, and be a non-anxious presence. Theme two explains how meditation insights such as impermanence and interconnectedness create a worldview that shapes how the coach listens and intervenes. Living the View describes how the worldview is integrated into personal and work life. This cohort of coaches felt that coaching aligned with the Dharma. In theme four, coaches describe an increased ability to access their intuition and embody the Dharma worldview.;The study concluded that long term vipassana meditation practice and the worldview of the Dharma supported these coaches in their work with executives. The practice of mindfulness strengthened their capacity to be present with an executive.