Coaching Toolkit for Child Welfare

Chapter 3: Framework and Foundation 49

cultural humility individuals engage in a process of mutual
understanding and awareness of self in relationship to others. When
coaches embrace cultural humility it precludes them from operating
under the assumption that they are “culturally competent,” and they
learn about those with whom they interact.

Humility is not to be confused with

meekness, but the “ability to

acknowledge gaps in one’s knowledge,

and openness to new ideas,

contradictory information, and advice.”

~ Tangney, 2000, p. 73

By working from a perspective of cultural humility each
individual, especially the coach, will (a) declare his or her own
lifelong commitment to learning, (b) recognize when potential
power imbalances are present, and (c) be flexible and humble
enough to “let go of the false sense of security that their training and
experiences have afforded them” (Tervalon & Murray-Garcia, 1998,
p. 119).

Engaging in a process of self-awareness and

self-reflection will ideally awaken the coach to

the power imbalance of coaches and

learners, which may influence their response

to the coaching they provide.