Intrinsic Coaching

Intrinsic Coaching is a conversation that elicits the best thinking and decision making so people can create results that are important to them”. It is about taking action based on reflection, self-assessment, and self-determined decisions and plans. While there is a formal 1-1 coaching there is also what is called “coaching infused professional practices”, or a “coaching approach”. This means integrating Intrinsic Coaching with wellness programs, presentations, disease management, weight management, or any other aspect of wellness or health care. Such an approach engages people to think better (‘more deeply’) about the goals they want to accomplish and recognizes that effective long-term change occurs when someone is making a goal-related decision, thinks better about it, and then makes a better decision. It’s the step beyond simply receiving information and knowing what you ‘should’ do – or knowing what would work if you would only do it. It is also – as experience has told us all too frequently – the step that is rarely taken. Providing knowledge is the easy part, and although research has told us for decades that knowledge itself is a poor agent for changing behaviors, this continues to be the predominant approach to achieving such changes.

In coaching, there is something called the coach’s stand.

Coaches start working with clients with the notion that the client “has all that she needs and all that she has she needs.”

Intrinsic coaching utilizes this stance from a values perspective and for igniting change within the client from their “intrinsic” thinking experience.

Let’s dive a little deeper into this specific area of coaching and from where it evolved.

The Philosophy of Values and Axiological Psychology

Dr. Robert S Hartman was an American philosopher whose work in Axiology is the foundation of intrinsic coaching. Axiology is the study of the nature of values and valuation. His work is world-renowned and is utilized in many areas. Dr. Hartman was even nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973 for his work.

In his work, Dr. Hartman suggested three separate ways of thinking about values.

1. Systemic thinking is the way of thinking that values how things “should” be. For instance, “I should lose weight.”
2. Extrinsic thinking is the way of thinking that values compartmentalizing issues and utilizing labels. For instance, “My doctor says diet is a great way to lose weight, and it will be good for my health.”
3. Intrinsic thinking is the way of thinking that values uniqueness and individuality. For instance, “Losing weight will allow me to have the energy to play with my children and improve my health so that they have me around in the future.”

Dr. Hartman’s work was later explored by psychologists. A fascinating book entitled The New Science of Axiological Psychology by Leon Pomeroy (2005) explores the merging of Hartman’s philosophy and empirical study in psychology.

Measuring intangibles has been a philosophical conundrum since the time of Aristotle. A great movement has been made on the subject of value measurement and utilization in intrinsic coaching has been incredibly helpful for clients.

Intrinsic coaching has aided advances in health coaching, wellness coaching, leadership development, and many other areas of personal growth. Wedding philosophical theory with psychological research has advanced human potential. Finding intrinsic cues for behavior change is a powerful process for development.

Intrinsic Coaching is based on an established and powerful science of thinking:

Intrinsic Coaching is also based on the work of Dr. Robert S. Hartman who first formulated what he termed “Axiology” – the Science of Values. Dr. Hartman, a Nobel Prize nominee for this work, launched the science of thinking on which the discipline of Intrinsic Coaching^® is based. Dr. Hartman’s unique research has been conducted for more than two decades at The Robert S. Hartman Institute for Formal and Applied Axiology in Knoxville, TN. It continues after his death to be expanded and disseminated by his surviving colleagues and collaborators. Dr. Hartman’s work was based on the axiom that

“Our values are the keys to our personalities, to self-knowledge, and to understanding others”

Dimensions of Thinking

Dr. Hartman proposed three dimensions of thinking about values (Systemic, Extrinsic, and Intrinsic), which may be very briefly summarized as follows

• Systemic Thinking. This dimension of thinking values how things ‘should’ be or ‘ought’ to be (e.g. I should get fit; I should weigh less; I ought to stop smoking)
• Extrinsic Thinking. This dimension of thinking values compartmentalizing issues and behavioral ‘labels’ (e.g. this is a good way to lose weight, to stop smoking, to get fit, etc)
• Intrinsic Thinking. This dimension of thinking values uniqueness and individuality (e.g. what is important to me is unique to me, and cannot be known or predicted by any other person).

While all of these dimensions are part of, and essential to our daily lives, Dr. Hartman’s work has demonstrated that Intrinsic thinking is most important and relevant to personal and individual behavior change. It is self-evident that meaningful, long-term behavior change is only likely to occur if the ‘new’ behavior and the rationale for its adoption are, in and of itself, meaningful (intrinsically important, or of value) to that particular individual. The Intrinsic Coaching approach elicits such thinking from individuals and the process itself acts as a catalyst for the individual being coached to discover for themselves what is most important to them (hence ‘new thinking).

Intrinsic Coaching and Self-Determination Theory

Every human is different. When coaching comes from an approach that is asset focused, each individual can find personal motivation toward goal achievement.

When a doctor encourages someone to lose weight, that person may not feel motivated because this is extrinsic motivation. Though the client may benefit from the “should” suggestions, finding an internal drive to drop those “lbs” is more likely to produce effective motivation.

When a client thinks intrinsically about the unique benefits of weight loss, they are more likely to produce personal ideas for committing to that goal. For instance, a Mom wanting to lose weight to produce more energy to play with her children is intrinsic motivation. Let’s face it; most people won’t do “what’s good for them” unless it is internally motivated.

We know from self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2008) that autonomous motivation increases the likelihood of goal achievement. When people are motivated by integrating goals into the sense of self, the a higher probability of continued action toward desired outcomes. The “because I said so” approach doesn’t work.

Coaches have a specific set of skills to serve their clients in spotlighting this very type of motivation. Transformational questioning allows the coached to actively explore parts of themselves that may not have been revealed under ordinary circumstances. Two prefrontal cortexes are better than one.

Through active listening and intense curiosity, coaches can support their clients in finding underlying obstacles and their subsequent solutions.

Like positive psychology coaching, an intrinsic coach will ask questions that broaden a client’s thinking by focusing on the positive or “what’s working” approach. By opening up, a person has the possibility of exploring their options and determining their motivation toward setting and achieving self-determined goals.

Intrinsic Coaching Questions

Coaching is not the same as mentoring. Mentoring is a long-term, relationship-based approach to supporting someone in their development. A coach is a short-term, solution-focused approach to a specific task or achievement of a self-determined goal.

An intrinsic coach does not have all of the answers for their client. Instead, a coach explores, in collaboration with their client, the inherent values that a client holds. Finding the foundational values of a client illuminates their ability to self-determine their goals and their path to achieving them.

In coaching, open-ended questions are more revealing than leading questions. A coach’s job is to hold space for a client to explore their own internal experience. The process is powerful and can be extremely therapeutic, though is certainly not therapy.

Through active listening, a coach can help a client shine a light on areas of growth that might not have been revealed through introspection alone. Coaches ask questions starting with “what” and “how,” which helps a client reflect and explore. An intrinsic coach also utilizes a positive approach to these questions to reveal what is already working and how to build from that asset base.

Here are a few examples of questions an intrinsic coach might utilize in a session with the weight loss scenario from above.

“What about losing weight is important to you?” or even better, “What is important to you?”

“How would changing your weight change your life?” or even better, “How would you change your life?”

“What have you done so far to improve things?”

“What is your ideal future?”

“What does weight mean to you?”

“How can you word your goal specifically?”

Depending on how the client answers, follow-up questions will continue to help that client broaden. Each client is different, as is each coaching session. A coach knows that their client is the expert in their life experience.

From this stand, a coach simply holds up a mirror for their client to allow them to see themselves fully and what they’d like to move forward in their way and in their own time.

Assessing Values

With open-ended questions, a coach can help a client deeply understand their core values and how to proceed with them at the center of goal achievement. Tools in coaching help clients find those values through deep reflection. Use this Values Assessment as a process to find those values.

Values can also be revealed by answering the following questions, either with a coach or individually.

1. Picture yourself in a peak moment. Describe the details of that moment. What was present?
2. Reflect on what values (what was important to you) were present in that peak moment.
3. Choose the values from that peak moment that rise as important to you in daily life.
4. Clearly define what the chosen values mean to you personally.
5. Name your top 5 values with labels that resonate with you.
6. Check in with these core values when making decisions. See if your choices align with those values in your personal and professional life.

Values and Purpose

Values are not morals or ethics. They are what is important to us. Values will vary from person to person. Knowing what is important to you and intentionally focusing on those values makes decision-making a much easier process.

Our values inform our thoughts and our words. Our words create our worlds and our behaviors. Knowing our core values and living in them allows us to show up in this world authentically. Brene Brown calls this “true belonging,” and that space in which our life’s purpose can be mined.

Great leaders who lead from a place of value show up with more energy and are more grounded. Values are like a home’s foundation. Without a well-formed and grounded foundation, things become a bit unsteady. Knowing our values and remaining rooted in them with all of our decisions allows for a life more fulfilled.

Knowing and living our values also allows us to better connect with other people. Humans are hard-wired for connection. Rooting ourselves in our values enable us to show up as our authentic selves, allowing more profound and more meaningful connection with others.

Finding our sense of purpose begins with fully engaging with our values. They are present in every aspect of our lives, not just at work. How we spend our time and in what way it serves other people is a fantastic way to begin exploring purpose.

When our values are well explored, our daily lives begin to reveal what is important to us. Accepting no alternative to those values is where purpose bubbles up. The choice becomes quite powerful in every decision we make when values are aligned, and purpose is revealed.

Living with our values helps us when we’re communicating with others. Assertive communicating requires that values are spoken before requests are made. Excellent leaders are those who not only work concerning their values but pay attention to the values of others (see best values questionnaires).

Knowing what is important to a person is a powerful way to tap into intrinsic motivation and attach that to purpose in the profession and life’s adventures.

Difference Between Intrinsic Coaching and Motivational Interviewing

Both intrinsic coaching and motivational interviewing are designed to lead a client into the change process. And both also have a greater focus on intrinsic motivation versus extrinsic motivation. That is, they concentrate on the self versus external forces. This provides a more autonomous motivation. Yet, there are a few distinct differences.

Intrinsic coaching helps clients recognize the internal drives behind their goals. It helps them look beyond the extrinsic or external rewards to see what their true self wants. But this is where it stops.

Because motivational interviewing involves revealing ambivalence, it urges clients to consider how their current behaviors may be satisfying a particular need. This can create a realization of why change has been so difficult. It also provides the opportunity to create a healthier or more desirable response.

Additionally, the main purpose of using intrinsic coaching is to help clients identify their “why.” It is to connect them with the true reason they want to make changes. This provides intrinsic motivation. The purpose behind motivational interviewing is to assess a client’s readiness for change, as well as to help them through the change process.

Put another way, intrinsic coaching helps clients better understand what is important to them. It gets them to reflect on their values and their purpose. Motivational interviewing uncovers where ambivalence exists. It also reveals whether they are ready and able to commit to the change process.

Examples of Applied Intrinsic Coaching Methods

Now that we better understand where intrinsic coaching comes from, let’s explore some applied methods of nurturing existing assets and using that force to drive us towards success.

These are some exercises that you can expect to do throughout your intrinsic coaching process or certain sessions in any coaching program.

Intrinsic Coaching Technique	Goal	Details
Self-compassion Letter to Yourself	We are often used to putting ourselves down, thinking that we are disappointing someone, and self-compassion can be hard to practice.  This exercise allows coachees to see themselves without criticism.	Coachees write a self-directed letter, avoiding criticism to focus instead on their assets and strengths This helps them understand more about what drives them, and facilitates self-acceptance that they won’t perform perfectly all the time.
Taking a Daily Vacation	Research has shown that a good indicator of someone’s general level of happiness is not the intensity of happy experiences, but their frequency.  In other words, you don’t have to do extraordinary things to be happy, but to do things you like as often as you can. This exercise gives them a daily “vacation” from obligations, stress, and things that don’t allow them to connect to themselves and their close ones.	Make time daily for pleasurable activity, changing it every day. Today it might be a walk with a friend, tomorrow you may like spending half an hour watching a TV show by yourself. Be present and practice mindfulness while you are on vacation.
Three Minute Breathing Space	With its positive psychology roots, intrinsic coaching does not ignore or minimize the impact negative events have on us. What is important is how we cope with them, and what resources we put to use during this process.  A useful exercise is to take our time to process bad news or bad experiences and not act according to the first emotion we get. The three-minute breathing space is meant to prevent the immediate process of ruminating that can follow an upsetting event: overthinking negative aspects of life and that event, plus dwelling on negative emotions.	The three-minute breathing space involves detaching yourself from negative emotions and reconnecting with the present Coachees rationalize a few key elements (where they are, how they are doing, and such) to become more aware of what’s happening and how to better cope with it.
Healing Through Writing	Writing has been known to be a therapeutic experience for a long time.  Many patients and coachees are encouraged to keep journals and to make a habit out of expressive writing when they are experiencing intense emotions.	Individuals write about traumatic experiences to put them in perspective and rationalize them. Structured writing will help put an order to thoughts while allowing individuals to revisit certain details and process negative feelings adaptively.

Intrinsic Coaching Certification Programs

Numerous programs can help you get certified in intrinsic coaching methodologies.

The depth at which this subject is covered will depend on the program in question, so if you’re looking at intrinsic coaching certification, make sure you do your homework well.

You can also find this methodology applied in different exercises and materials, such as in toolbox subscription models, which have the added benefit of ensuring you have access to the latest science behind any given coaching methodology.

An understanding of the subject is well recommended to ensure a higher success rate with your students when using this method.

What To Consider

Whether you’re life, personal, health, or business coach, the intrinsic methodology can have a huge range of potential applications for your practice.

Here are a few practical tips to keep in mind when you’re looking for an intrinsic coaching certification program.

• Take the time to check whether any certification obtained is recognized for the purposes you would like to pursue.
• Depending on where your practice will take place this can mean different things so always check before making any commitments to avoid disappointment.
• Also, consider the schedule of the required studies and any related study expenses – some schools will offer a payment plan, which can help you spread the costs.
• Finally, depending on the program, bear in mind that in-person or online attendance might be required.

Why Become an Intrinsic Coach?

There are a few reasons why intrinsic coaching can be a valuable addition to your psychology toolkit.

This table might help you decide whether it’s a technique that you could use to help others grow even more effectively.

Benefit	Detail
Help More Clients	Individual coachees are unique, with different techniques being more or less engaging and effective Intrinsic coaching can help you reach a new customer base, whilst also giving you the skills and tools to be able to help current clients with new approaches.
Empowers Coachees	Intrinsic coaching empowers people by seeing them for who they truly are and equipping them to make their own decisions. By aligning individual values and behavior, intrinsic coaching aims for self-efficacy and long-term success.
Professional Development	Continued development helps you be as effective as possible as a coach by expanding your skills and knowledge to implement new practices.

Ultimately, each person will carry their own set of different problems and biases. With an understanding of how intrinsic coaching principles can be applied to real-life scenarios, you will have a wider and deeper set of tools at your disposal, giving you a bigger advantage as a coach.

A Take-Home Message

Coaching is a powerful way to help people better understand themselves. Intrinsic coaching is a specific way to approach the process from an asset base. So many people are unaware of the mind chatter that holds them back from achieving a more fulfilled and purposeful life.

Through values exploration and strength-based questioning, powerful transformations can occur. The merging of axiology and psychology is a great area of scientific exploration. Advances in health care, leadership, and wellness practices are being pioneered through this important work. It is an exciting area to watch as more and more research is developed