A Coaching Power Tool created by Steve Correa
(Executive Coach, INDIA)
This is a tool I have created to allow a client to articulate his feelings on a particular issue. At any time during the coaching session, when ‘feelings’ are being explored, and deeper exploration is helpful, this tool may be offered.
The coach sets up the exercise as under;
Are you happy for us to do an exercise to explore this issue further? It will take about 10 – 15 minutes? Once permission is given, say:
Let us begin: I will do this exercise in 4 stages. Let me explain Stage 1.
Stage 1:Thinking about the issue oneself
Explore with Client how he thinks and feels about the issue, and at the end ask him if he is prepared to share this with the ‘other side’. If he agrees, say, ‘Let’s practice that ‘here and now’. Let me set up stage 2’.
In stage 2: talking the issue with the ‘other side’
Now ask the client to speak to an empty chair (placed opposite). Ask the client to imagine that it is occupied by the ‘other’ side. Ask the client to share how he thinks and feels about the issue. The client to continue to dialogue with the chair and influence the chair with his point of view unless stopped by coach.
Now to stage 3: the ‘other side’ shares his / her perspectives – thinking & feeling
In this stage, ask the client to move to the empty chair and sit in it. He now becomes the ‘other side’, and he in turn now gives feedback to the client, expressing his views and feelings as the ‘other side’. This continues for a minute or two.
Once this is done, Coach says, we now move to the stage 4:
In stage 4: the neutral observer shares his views
the client moves to another chair. The coach says, ‘You have been the fly on the wall, the observer to these conversations. What do you see, think and feel about the two players in this issue?
Winding down stage:
Finally, you ask the client to get back to the original chair. The exercise is completed. You tell the client that the exercise is over, and now the de-briefing starts.
De-briefing stage:
The coach now will engage client with questions, etc and go in for deep exploration, basis questions suggested in the graph below.
The de-briefing ends with takeaways and any proposed actions the clients may want to consider.
Rotating Roles
In order to resolve an issue all sides must be seen. The tool supports the client to examine all sides to an issue
Outcomes:
- Help client to ‘view’, think & feel even deeper on the issue
- Surface the underlying concerns, feelings, perspectives around the issue
- Help client momentarily to distance himself from one ‘fixed’ viewpoint.
- Helps client build empathy with ‘other’ points of view
