A Venn diagram is described as follows. Will Kenton appears on Investopedia “A diagram that uses circles to show relationships between objects or finite groups of objects. Overlapping circles have something in common, while nonoverlapping circles do not.”
It may seem strange to focus on the Venn diagram concept in an article about coaching. But believe it or not, this is a great example of a fundamental aspect of the coaching process. When we work with clients, we encourage curiosity about what they are experiencing and “stay in the moment” so they can fully explore their situations, challenges, and opportunities. We encourage our clients to look at the actual situation. pattern They become aware when they explore their thoughts and feelings.
These patterns vary. Some words may be repeated frequently. Or maybe you smile whenever you talk about a particular idea or person. It’s also when you discover that other people’s different perspectives may have something in common that you never thought possible. Being able to notice and understand patterns is fundamental to learning and development.
In a recent session, a client was describing a significant event that happened in their company. In some cases, different perspectives on solving problems were diametrically opposed to each other. Teams that were previously cohesive and collaborative were struggling to share perspectives without erupting into arguments. My client was concerned, primarily because he thought highly of all members of the team.
I asked my clients if there was a pattern in their explanations.
“What does each member of the team see as the problem?”
“Every team member has a different perspective,” the client responded. “Some believe the issue is financial. Others believe it has to do with human resources. Still others see outside influences at work. ”
I paused and took another tackle. I had my clients close their eyes and imagine each member of their team as a circle. Next, I proposed the following perspective.
“In your mind, step back and imagine where those circles overlap. Tell me what you see.”
There was a long break and we waited. Then the client opened his eyes and said:
“Well, the first overlap is this: Every member of the team feels responsible for the success of the company.
“What else?” I asked.
The second duplicate is: “Each individual wants to deal with the current crisis.
Third, everyone is stressed. ”
The client paused again, looking thoughtful. The concept of overlap — the “Venn diagram” was registered. They continued:
“Yes, there are similarities, but when you step back you see overlap. We just had to look at it a little differently.”
From there, the client was able to discover that the team had commonalities and well-developed areas in their “systems.” From there, the team could make choices to add scope or try different approaches based on the patterns they observed.
Gestalt coaching looks for such patterns and asks the client or system to see them. By doing so, teams become interested in what they can add to their capabilities and how each person, including leaders, can support them toward that capability.
