Transformation

“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” ~ Albert Einstein

Last week, I had the opportunity to accompany a friend to attend a preview of a new documentary, “Escape Fire”.  The film has already won a number of awards and is purported to be for the American Healthcare Crisis issue what “An Inconvenient Truth” was for Climate Change.   Since healthcare transformation is a passion of mine, I was very eager to see it!  The film was a provocative attempt at creating new thinking about a critical problem, and I recommend it for anyone interested in this topic.

The title of the film is based on the fact that fire-fighters, when they find themselves caught in the midst of a forest fire, often have to do something counter intuitive.  They must surround themselves with a circle of fire – an escape fire – to prevent the larger blaze from reaching them.  This metaphor was used to suggest a practice that is necessary anytime one hopes to create breakthrough thinking or a paradigm shift.  Einstein summed it up in the quote above.  Simply stated – if we want transformation, we have to think outside the box.

Thinking outside the box may sound simple, but it’s not easy.  We all can get “stuck” in familiar ways of thinking until another way of thinking becomes available to us.  As long as we are “stuck”, we may have blind spots.  We “don’t know what we don’t know”.  This is a central idea to the practice of coaching.  Coaches use a variety of techniques that serve to help get clients “unstuck” in their lives (as I shared in my earlier post, The Power of a Mirror.)

Another way to open ourselves to breakthroughs in our thinking is to surround ourselves with people who have different perspectives.  In the case of “Escape Fire”, I found it interesting that all of the clinicians that were interviewed for the film were physicians (even though there are clearly many other professions who have a stake in healthcare transformation).  As the adage goes:  “If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”  It is unfortunate that the filmmakers lost an opportunity to promote a broader conversation.

This kind of oversight isn’t uncommon, though. In many situations, people tend to prefer to be with like-minded individuals.  While this may be comforting, it isn’t necessarily a good way to expand our thinking!  Many businesses have already realized the difference that having a diverse workforce can make in promoting diverse thinking and creative solutions.

I’ve also seen the benefits of diversity in my coaching practice.  Last week, Eileen O’Grady and I held the first session of a new endeavor – a virtual group health coaching program for people who want to transform their relationship with food.   While it’s too soon to report on the group’s successes, I was excited by the potential I saw represented.  All the participants share a common vision, but their perspectives are diverse.   I look forward to the rich discussions that are ahead of us, and the transformations that the participants will be creating for themselves!

What do you do when you feel “stuck”?  Do you have some good support systems or “sounding boards” in your life to help you consider various perspectives?   If you’re looking for a breakthrough, I invite you to consider the benefits of using other people to help facilitate your transformation. 

If you’re interested in learning more about the documentary, Escape Fire, you can learn more about it here.

The Power of a Mirror

I have always loved to dance, and over the years I’ve had my share of dance lessons. Most of them were ballet, and they occurred in locations that looked very similar. There was a large empty room with a wide expanse of floor, a barre attached to one wall, and a mirror on the other wall. The expansiveness of the room created a clear space where students could move freely. The barre was there to help us with balance.  The mirror was there to reflect the way our bodies looked as they moved or stood still.

The mirror was an important tool as we developed deeper awareness of our bodies. When we could see what we were doing, we could decide if it matched the aesthetic we were trying to create and adjust our positions accordingly. Over time, we learned how it “felt” to be a dancer. After many rehearsals with the mirror, we could recreate that feeling on stage – confident that what we were now able to perform would faithfully represent the vision of the choreographer.

I’ve been thinking about mirrors lately, and the power that they have. Sometimes when we look in the mirror, we don’t like what we see. But unless we are at a “fun house” we can trust that the mirror is showing us what is actually there. How we use the information mirrors give us is where the power comes in. It isn’t helpful to judge what we see, or to wish it were different. It is very powerful, however, to notice what is “so”, decide whether that matches what we want, and choose whether or not there is an appropriate action for us to take.

Among the other skills that professional coaches develop, we are particularly trained to act as “mirrors” for our clients. We listen deeply and then reflect what we hear. Whether we reflect our clients’ words verbatim, or paraphrase them, we are careful not to add anything extra. It is astounding how something so simple – paying attention to one’s speaking – can create breakthroughs. Clients often find moments of great clarity when a coach uses reflection – honing in on what is most important to them, or where they are getting stopped in achieving the results to which they are committed.

The “a-ha” moments that clients have during coaching are exciting and satisfying, but powerful listening and reflection also have longer-lasting rewards. As I work with clients, I have also noticed that it is common for them to begin to develop greater awareness and ability to listen to themselves. Just as I found a physical mirror helpful in honing my ability to dance on stage, my clients seem to use my reflections as a tool for increasing their mindful awareness in their day-to-day lives. 

Mirrors are one way to notice what is “so”. A physical mirror may help you notice that piece of spinach caught in your teeth, or that you appear tired and need rest.  A "coach mirror” may help you identify the vision and values that give your life meaning, and the daily choices you make that help create the life you have.

Are you using your mirrors to their best advantage?