What is a way to finding solutions to leadership problems? It dawned on me today how best to describe coaching using a metaphor. While reading a coaching book by Daniel Meier and Peter Szabo (likely only available in German), I came across a powerful analogy. The authors liken coaching to a client in a dark room, shining a flashlight onto their problems. The coach’s role is to help illuminate the hidden aspects that the client is currently unable to see.

This analogy makes perfect sense. One crucial aspect of coaching is not fixating on the actual problem itself. There is often a tendency to delve deep, searching for the root cause and thoroughly analyzing it.

However, the truth is that knowing every detail about the problem is not necessary to conduct a helpful coaching session. In fact, excessive discussion of the problem can sometimes lead to a phenomenon known as the “problem trance,” where possibilities and solutions become obscured.

Instead, shifting the focus swiftly from the problem to the solution allows the client to realize that there are indeed possibilities and potential solutions. This initiates a thought process wherein the client can discover the solutions that will truly benefit them (although it may not happen in the first session).

The solutions that work best for the client will always be the ones they develop themselves. Even the most well-intentioned solution provided by a coach will never have the same impact.

All of this demonstrates that a coach serves as a thinking partner, offering reflection, challenging assumptions, and providing ample time for focused thinking.

This is exactly how I see my role also. Get in touch, I can’t wait to talk to you. 

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