HUB RESEARCH PAPER - Hogeschool-Universiteit Brussel

Process consultation revisited 9
1998). The quality of relational practices “opens or closes possibilities, constructs exclusion or
inclusion, enables reflexivity, or limits learning” (Bouwen & Hosking, 2000, p. 273). Similarly,
during a joint conference of OD-practitioners and family therapists who were inquiring into the
critical characteristics of a successful intervention Sheila McNamee used the expression: “there
is no method, just watch the relationship”. After comparing different approaches, she concluded
that the quality of the relationship between client and facilitator made the difference; not the
method, context or theoretical principles. Learning and changing become possible if one keeps a
sharp eye on the (here-and-now) quality of interaction and relationship (e.g., McNamee, 1998;
McNamee & Gergen, 1998; Bouwen, 1998; Bouwen & Hosking, 2000).
To characterize the quality of the relational practice, one can describe to what extent the
following concrete and observable qualities are present: (a) reciprocity in relationship (Bouwen
& Taillieu, 2004), (b) joint ‘authorship’ (Shotter, 1993, 2004) and ‘co-ownership’ (Schein,
1999a, 1999b) of the task or project; (c) ‘talking with’, that is sensitive, engaged, involved,
responsive interaction that ‘moves’ speakers and possibly evokes actionable knowledge (instead
of monologic ‘talking about’) (Shotter, 2004, p. 205); (d) mutually open and illustrated
communication, the possibility of mutual testing and contradicting allowing for double loop
learning (Argyris & Schön, 1978); (e) mutually energizing conversation through joint
appreciation, active engagement and the continuing possibility of being authentically present
with others (Block, 2000; Dutton, 2003; Quinn & Dutton, 2005); (f) mutually appreciative
inquiring (instead of focusing on problematizing) (Cooperrider, Whitney, & Stavros, 2003);
(g) joint reflection on the here-and-now group interaction and relationships that are developing
(McNamee, 1998; McNamee & Gergen, 1998; Bouwen, 1998; Bouwen & Hosking, 2000),