Big Problems

Big Problems by Peter Freeth

Sometimes, you may find yourself working with a client on a topic that seems very complex, with many interwoven components. It can be difficult to keep track of all the information the client is giving you, making your job harder if you want to reflect back key information to help the client clarify their thinking.

I believe that this is one of the most important roles a coach provides, as a support mechanism for a client to think through a very complex problem. When the client does that by themselves - or when anyone does that, even me - the problem can never be solved because you can't think about the whole situation at the same time. It's like standing really close to a huge painting and trying to work out what the picture is when you can only see a small part of it at any time.

In a situation like this, the problem is literally too big to fit in your head, so what you need is a way to get it out of your head so that you can interact with it directly.

There are lots of ways of doing this, and here are a few that I enjoy using with clients.

Cards

As the client talks through the situation, write down key words and phrases on cards. When they have finished, give them the cards back and allow them to arrange the cards on a table or the floor in whatever way seems right to them. Do not intervene until they have stopped arranging the cards. The key to this technique is in the interpretation of patterns, spaces, order, disorder and shapes in the cards. That does not mean you tell the client what it means - this isn't Freudian therapy! - it means that you notice anything that stands out to you and ask the client what it means. As the arrangement changes, the client may want to add new cards or throw ones away that are no longer needed. The problem will literally reshape itself before your eyes, and the final pattern is always very significant for the client.

Maps

Similar to the cards technique, get a large sheet of paper like a flipchart pad and map out the situation as it unfolds. You might even get the client to draw out the situation as they talk through it, with your help. When they have finished, they can take a step back and literally get a new perspective on the situation.

Floor

This technique is very much like a NLP timeline. If the problem is process or sequence oriented, like a business process or sales cycle, then you can write out the steps of the process on pieces of paper. Lay the steps out on the floor and ask the client to literally walk through the problem, explaining their thoughts and feelings at each step. You will notice changes in the posture and pace as they walk through the steps, telling you with their bodies any unconscious issues that you can reflect back to help them gain a more complete understanding of the situation.

You can think of the role of the coach in these techniques as being an extra brain pack, providing more memory space within which the client can think through the situation. Once you have provided the means for the client to explore the problem fully, they will solve it themselves.

Peter can be contacted through Revelation