NICK WRIGHT
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Shadow

5/4/2016

91 Comments

 
Picture

What do you see? What sense do you make of it? What does it mean? I met with a social worker friend in Germany last week. He shared this idea: Imagine sitting in a dark room. You take a torch, shine it across your hand and cast a shadow onto the wall in front of you. The shadow creates a shape that we recognise as a ‘snake’. Its overall shape resonates with previous images of snakes we have seen and, hence, we superimpose that meaning, that interpretation, onto it.

An interesting thing here is that the snake is not a snake or a hand, nor is it a light or a torch. In fact, the snake shares very few properties at all with the hand or the torch that created it. If we tried to infer a hand or a torch from the snake without previously being aware of the way in which hands can be formed to create snake-like shapes when used with a torch, it would be almost impossible. The snake is a consequence of a hand, a torch, an experience and an interpretation.

Now imagine working with a client or team member who describes the consequence of a situation at work. In doing so, they paint a picture of something, maybe someone, much like casting an image of a snake onto a wall. If we focus our attention on the image as if it holds its own intrinsic meaning, or if we assume its meaning to be the same as that of the personal and contextual conditions that created it, we could miss significant factors that carry their own separate meaning.

So, we can pose questions. What is the person seeing, as if projected onto a wall? What meaning are they superimposing onto it? What beliefs, values or assumptions are influencing their interpretations? If the client is the hand, what are they doing to shape the shadow they are seeing? What stance are they taking – or could they take? What contextual factors (e.g. organisational culture, team expectations) are creating the image, like a torch? Who or what is the light?
91 Comments
Steve Benfield FCMI FIC MAC
5/4/2016 09:02:55 pm

Great question and a great snake, hand and torch analogy! For me in my practice it is about route cause systemic analysis where you triangulate opinions with an evidence base. This way, you avoid seeing snakes as the problem and instead help clients to see what, why and how those snake images are created!

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Nick Wright
5/4/2016 09:03:23 pm

Thanks Steve. Could you say a bit more about how you 'triangulate opinions with an evidence base'? I'm very interested to hear how you do it in practice. Do you have any examples you could share? All the best. Nick

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Brigitte Jowanka
5/4/2016 09:09:10 pm

Yes I agree, take all areas of perception into account. Let the coachee paint their situation with words....I believe by speaking about the situation and being actively listened to...they can reflect well and point out perceptions themselves. ..at least that's what I do mostly ...

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Nick Wright
5/4/2016 09:13:17 pm

Hi Brigitte and thanks for the note. Yes, it can be interesting and valuable to notice how a client paints their situation, e.g. by use of evocative imagery and metaphor. I sometimes invite clients to act out their situations physically to see what emerges into awareness when they (and usually I, with them) do so. This approach can enable the client to bypass subconscious or rational defences and it's sometimes surprising and releasing to see and experience what reveals itself. All the best. Nick

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Dave Smith
5/4/2016 10:03:40 pm

That's an interesting and sobering thought.

Often I call upon course attendees to reflect upon what they saw/learned/experienced, sharing this info with others so we can digest patterns and thought directions - sometimes trying to understand why people leapt to specific conclusions (whether right or not).

In the same way I often find people (usually the younger generation) won't recount events they saw, more the things they said or thought, hoping that will build a picture of what actually happened. I know a policeman once told me that when taking statements from different people, what those actually said needs to be recorded, not what your interpretations are. And people will report what they *thought* they saw, not possibly actually what happened - but though multiple observations does the true picture emerge.

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Nick Wright
5/4/2016 10:10:48 pm

Hi Dave and thanks for posting such interesting reflections. I really like the analogy with police statements. It reminded me of the Guardian's 'points of view' advert in the 1980s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SsccRkLLzU

Whether multiple perspectives necessarily create a truer picture or account is an interesting question. Witnesses influence one-anothers' perspectives, often without realising it, so that a composite 'created' narrative may sometimes emerge.

I was also interested in your observations of a younger generation. Can you say more? What do you think that is about? Fascinating! All the best. Nick

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Dave Smith
6/4/2016 12:28:14 pm

Heh, when you mentioned the Guardian advert, I immediately thought of the skinhead one. Yup!

As to the unnecessary influences, separating out different speakers prevents "anchoring" in which a strong opinion/personality may prevent perception redirection.

The generational communication differences are quite prevalent if you watch news reports, for example:
Reporter: "the crane came crashing down, and shocked people scattered in fear"
Young onlooker: "I was like 'watch out!" and then BANG! and then everyone was like 'OHMIGAWD!' and..."

You can see differences between fact-based reporting and feeling-based report.

Nick Wright
6/4/2016 12:34:33 pm

Many thanks, Dave, for sharing such a great illustration of generational cultural differences. It raises interesting questions about which is a 'truer' account since each narrative reflects its own distinctive perspective and meaning vis a vis what is, for instance, of interest or of importance in that situation. This reminds me of related insights from social constructionism - how shared narratives both reflect and create 'reality'. Lots to think about! All the best. Nick

Carla Noelle Perfecto
6/4/2016 08:58:33 am

i think Edward de Bono's 7 thinking hats exercise (or principle) could work. Most times we hold on stronger to our beliefs when we feel that someone is trying to change it. If a method where everyone is on board and agrees to "shift" perspectives together (and on the individual, it is the "I" that decides to switch) , it makes clutching on to our perspective less attractive and being flexible more alluring. I'm sure it will take some practice but eventually could become a norm. Let us know how it goes.

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Nick Wright
6/4/2016 09:42:50 am

Hi Carla and thanks for the stimulating insights. I agree that people often hold onto their beliefs more strongly if they feel that someone is trying to change them. De Bono's method enables people to identify with, explore and experience alternative perspectives. This can challenge and enable them to reframe their ordinary ways of sense-making and, thereby, discover and create fresh insights and possibilities. All the best. Nick

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Terrence H. Seamon
6/4/2016 09:14:19 am

Another great post to get us thinking, Nick. Thanks. Recently I was facilitating a 2 day "boot camp" for up-and-coming leaders at a client company and we spent some time on perception: what do we see? (This video was helpful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47LCLoidJh4) how do we see ourselves? others? what does "what we see" say about who we are? The participants seemed to find this section of the program particularly impactful.

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Nick Wright
6/4/2016 09:17:42 am

Hi Terrence. Thanks for sharing such useful insights and the video link. I'll definitely take a look. Yes, there can be something very profound about exploring what we 'see', what we notice, what we filter, what we project etc. and what it could signify for us and for the cultures, systems etc within which we play a part. All the best. Nick

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Eric Lynn
6/4/2016 09:18:40 am

Thought-provoking piece Nick. Questioning further ... And what underlies the beleifes or assumptions that people hold? Dialogic inquiry ...

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Nick Wright
6/4/2016 09:20:01 am

Thanks Eric - and good thought-provoking questions! Can you say a bit more about 'dialogic inquiry'...perhaps with an example? All the best. Nick

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Eric Lynn
6/4/2016 12:25:57 pm

Dialogic inquiry: check David Bohm's work on Dialogue. It's one of the pillars of cultureQs

Nick Wright
6/4/2016 12:26:33 pm

Thanks Eric. I'll check it out. All the best. Nick

Steve Benfield FCMI FIC MAC
6/4/2016 09:21:37 am

Thanks Nick - to give an example of "triangulating opinions with an evidence-base". In many examples of diagnoses we may hear stories about the system that, if said often enough, become part of the organisational narrative, but in real terms often (as Eric has mentioned) are not representative of what lies beneath those beliefs and assumptions. So, can we find evidence in the system that backs up those beliefs or claims? For example, if the claim is "our people are engaged well in the organisation and we don't have a sickness problem here" - what evidence in the system can triangulate that claim? So, we are looking for at least two pieces of data (the other two points of the triangle) to support that claim. What are the sickness levels over at least the last 12+ months and what is the un-budgeted cost of that to the organisation? What data is there to prove that staff are well-engaged? (e.g. is retention/attrition/staff engagement or survey data demonstrating high engagement?).

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Nick Wright
6/4/2016 09:23:54 am

Aaah, thanks Steve. So it's about testing beliefs and assumptions against what can be known evidentially? It reminds me of some principles in cognitive-behavioural coaching or therapy. A reality check, so to speak. Thanks for sharing such a helpful illustration. All the best. Nick

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Cath Norris, MA, BA, Dip Couns
6/4/2016 09:25:24 am

I'd say stay with what is unfolding with an energy of relaxed and open attention. Watch and listen and sense into the more subtle signs and signals and support them to amplify and be made conscious - they might be physical or verbal signals so match the feedback to the channel through which they are expressed. Build a shared picture as you progress of the conflicting messages and signals and the implications that these hold. This way we develop insight into duality or complexity and choices evolve.

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Nick Wright
6/4/2016 09:28:09 am

Hi Cath. Thanks for sharing such fascinating reflections. Could you perhaps share an example from experience that will help me better imagine what that approach could look like in practice? All the best. Nick

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Tania Potter
6/4/2016 09:28:41 am

Nick, what an excellent analogy, it's fabulous! And also such a reminder not to solidify our or the clients impressions. I have never thought of working with it like you do, by asking the client to act out the situation, but it sounds intriguing. Even in myself, I know there can be a lot of resistance to looking past the current situation and yet that is what is often most helpful. The questions you posed at the end are great, they point to the pattern or recipe even, as in the ingredients that are reflected in the current circumstances. That can give a lot of insight into the dynamics at play and that clarity, seeing clearly what is going on, can be quite freeing. Much food for thought but the analogy of the snake is absolutely superb, thanks so much for sharing it.

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Nick Wright
6/4/2016 09:34:15 am

Hi Tania and thanks for such encouraging feedback. Yes, when this friend (Rudi) shared this image and idea with me in the midst of a conversation about Gestalt, I was struck by how impactful and evocative it felt. Perhaps, for me, it was partly about the choice of 'snake' (which, in some situations, could evoke or represent fear) as well as the stark contrast between the attributes of the shadow and the factors that create it. If interested in exploring an 'acting out' approach further, you may be interested in this short case study article based on Gestalt principles? http://www.nick-wright.com/just-do-it.html Let me know what you think? All the best. Nick

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Jayne Harrison
6/4/2016 09:35:50 am

Love this analogy.

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Nick Wright
6/4/2016 09:37:05 am

Thanks Jane. I will let Rudi Weinzierl know, the friend who shared it with me! All the best. Nick

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Frankie Doiron, PCC, BCC
6/4/2016 08:02:47 pm

This is really great, thank you for this interesting perspective!

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Nick Wright
6/4/2016 08:03:36 pm

Thanks Frankie! I'm still trying to get my own head around it! ;) All the best. Nick

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Lani Refiti
6/4/2016 08:13:26 pm

Your friends metaphor is analogous to Plato's Allegory of the cave and it illustrates the difficulty when dealing with interpersonal dynamics. Daniel Goleman talks of a triple focus in leadership of self, of other and of system. I assert leaders also need to focus on "the in-between" When the subjective experience becomes intersubjective. To answer your original question, I try to encourage divergent ideas and experiences between people. To foster an acceptance of difference as a precursor to change and ultimately growth of the individual, group and system. In the technology space we call this speed and agility, disruption and innovation.

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Nick Wright
6/4/2016 08:14:06 pm

Hi Lani and thanks for sharing such interesting and useful insights. Yes, there are similarities with Plato's Cave. I agree with your ideas about inbetween-ness and I like your description of the shift from subjective to intersubjective. My sense is that intersubjectivity is a core aspect of culture too. I also like your ideas around divergence, disruption and innovation. This is where I think diversity and cross-cultural conversations and experiences can be particularly powerful, especially if entered into in a spirit of curiosity and openness to learn. All the best. Nick

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Lani Refiti
6/4/2016 08:15:14 pm

Intersubjectivity as a core concept in culture? Now that's worth another post on its own :)

Diversity is definitely powerful because in essence without diversity/difference it is nigh impossible to support change and ultimately growth. I like the Gestalt concept of contact at the boundary between an organism and its environment. The meeting of "me" vs "other" and the difference causing the possibility of another Gestalt to form = new possibilities and experiences. In Gestalt this is the fertile void and in business speak, the genesis of innovation and disruptive ideas.

One more thing. Your last comment around curiosity and openness is crucial and without them difference often descends into conflict and rupture. This is where the leadership skill of holding difference and fostering collaboration is paramount.

Nick Wright
6/4/2016 08:27:51 pm

Hi Lani and...wow...so many stimulating insights and ideas! Perhaps we should write the culture piece together. ;)

I too find the Gestalt concept of contact very powerful. The way you described it reminded me of Fichte's ideas around dialectics where a new Gestalt could be comparable to a synthesis - although I hadn't thought about that before.

To pose the question: 'What is the quality of contact..?' can be both revealing and generative.

I agree with your comments about diversity and the potential for rupture.

In my experience, the leader (and team) need to learn: how to hold and protect difference in order to release its benefits (e.g. creativity/innovation) whilst, at the same time, how to handle the tensions difference can create to avoid unhelpful breakdown.

With thanks again for sharing such great insights. All the best. Nick

Arielle Rose, MBA
7/4/2016 08:42:43 am

Trainers have to constantly drive and control the narrative. One way to do this is so simple: Ask questions.

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Nick Wright
7/4/2016 08:49:18 am

Hi Arielle and thanks for the note. I agree that asking questions can be a useful way of enabling a person or group to make sense of their experience. Can you say a bit more about what you mean by 'drive and control the narrative?' I think of the trainer as someone who contributes to the group's narrative and sometimes facilitates the development of a wider narrative within the group.

This is a co-creative process that is shaped and influenced by everyone in the group, the relationships between participants, cultural norms and expectations etc. and the total context of the training (in Gestalt terms, the 'field'), . Is that how you see it too? All the best. Nick

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Joanna Wilde PhD
7/4/2016 09:48:33 am

Enjoyed reading this and the comments so far. People will always make meaning out of the experiences they have-the 'sense' they make may well be a different thing. I have found ideas from drama helpful-genre, narrative, character types and how they are used in story construction to be a helpful way of engaging with the 'grammer of narrative' that we all use in constructing identity, self and meaning in our lives (and the aspect that when badly damaged can lead to mental I'll health and despair). Gabriel has explored this organisationally-looking at stories in Orgs as a form of resistance- this may be wider that the 'sense-making' question....but maybe worth a look.

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Nick Wright
7/4/2016 09:53:46 am

Hi Joanna and thanks for the note. I'd be very interested to hear more about how you use ideas from drama in sense-making. Do you have an example from experience that you would be happy to share? Also, I'm not familiar with 'Gabriel' - could you give more details? The main reference book I have on this topic is Karl E. Weick's 'Sensemaking in Organisations' along with various books on reflective practice, e.g. Donald A. Schon's 'The Reflective Practitioner'. All the best. Nick

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Michael Will
7/4/2016 07:15:57 pm

It's easy to fall into an abyss of relativism in considering this. One almost has to understand the world before one can understand the world. This is why it takes many years (perhaps even a lifetime) to 'bootstrap' a rational mind.

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Nick Wright
7/4/2016 07:17:22 pm

Hi Michael. That sounds wonderfully mystical and paradoxical! Can you say a bit more about what you mean, perhaps with an example from practice? Thanks and best wishes. Nick

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Michael Will
16/4/2016 05:43:29 pm

Seymour Papet's constructionism may be beneficial. If thinking is moved from internal to external effort, many cultural biases and assumptions are squelched. I'm often surprised at how quickly such barriers dissolve in a crowded kitchen, for example. Minecraft running in the cafeteria would be an interesting experiment.

Robert Escondo
8/4/2016 08:55:11 am

Patient is the one how we can teach and guide.

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Nick Wright
8/4/2016 08:58:59 am

Hi Robert and thanks for your note. Could you give an example that would help me understand better what you mean? All the best. Nick

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Pankaj Kumar Sinha
8/4/2016 08:56:14 am

Keeping this theory in mind and by practicing it many of us can refrain ourselves from wrong perception and image building for someone.

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Nick Wright
8/4/2016 09:01:50 am

Thanks Pankaj. Yes, it can help us to avoid superimposing our own assumptions and interpretations onto the client or client situation. It can also enable us to support the client in exploring their own perceptions and experience and the contextual factors that may be influencing it. All the best. Nick

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Adrian Stokes
8/4/2016 09:02:51 am

Great idea. Helps us drip our preconceived ideas and assumptions AND encourages others to share how they have shaped their thoughts, beliefs and assumptions, a sort of emptying the mind before exploring the issues.

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Nick Wright
8/4/2016 09:07:57 am

Thanks Adrian. Yes, I think it's about being aware (as far as we can be) of our own presuppositions and enabling the client to explore theirs against the backdrop of their own experience and wider contextual influences. You may be interested in this short piece on a similar theme: http://www.nick-wright.com/what-is-really-going-on-here.html Let me know what you think? All the best. Nick

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Adrian Stokes
8/4/2016 08:39:46 pm

'drop....'

Nick Wright
8/4/2016 08:40:23 pm

...I had guessed... ;)

Adrian Stokes
16/6/2016 02:17:48 pm

Great post 'what is really going on here' Nick. I like your thinking and probing approach to get to the bottom of the real issue at play, and looking for evidence to either support, or indicate a negative correlation with a potential hypothesis as to the cause. of the issue. The root cause of the issue is rarely what it appears on the surface!

Tanya Podvrsan
8/4/2016 11:41:06 am

Not an easy task but what I ask the participants is about an event that has really marked them. Then we work backwards via questions and reflection. It has worked nicely especially when there is more than 1 culture involved. It's a softer method, like appreciative inquiry.

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Nick Wright
8/4/2016 11:43:37 am

Thanks Tanya. That sounds like an interesting method. Could you give an example of how you have used it in practice, especially in cross-cultural situations? I would love to hear more! All the best. Nick

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Doaa K. PMP,CBP,CCT
8/4/2016 08:42:08 pm

Yes I agree with Arielle too Nick. People easily lose interest when you start making assumptions about what they think and then respond to these assumptions by giving them a stream of open-ended answers which they may not necessarily relate to.

So asking the right questions to make them aware of the aspects they needs to address highlight what is massively important to THEM is key. Two absolutely effective links which would help are;

Quick tests: http://goo.gl/O5YZ4g

Auto-response psychology worksheets which have the big questions to help your client self-lead themselves to a permanent change: http://goo.gl/8iDUIq

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Nick Wright
8/4/2016 08:47:59 pm

Hi Doaa and thanks for the note. Yes, it can be very frustrating or disengaging for a client if we superimpose our own assumptions onto them. When I work with 3D Coaching, one of the principles is: 'see, hear, sense - not analyse, interpret, diagnose'. In other words, we can offer what we notice and invite the client to do the same. This can raise the client's awareness and opportunities for sense-making, with support and challenge from the coach or trainer. All the best. Nick

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Jeanne Schulze
9/4/2016 10:45:02 am

One of the best descriptions, no, inspirations of projection I have heard. Thx again, Nick.

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Nick Wright
9/4/2016 10:46:23 am

Thanks for your encouraging feedback, Jeanne. I will pass it onto Rudi, the German friend who shared this imagery with me. All the best. Nick

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Prabhaker N Thakur
9/4/2016 09:05:55 pm

Hi Nick,

Thanks for asking a thought provoking question and supporting it with a terrific analogy.

My personal expereinces tell me that given an opportunity most individuals can make sense of their own experiences, provided they are guided to reflect upon those moments in an organized and focused manner, while being kept emotionally detached.

When working with groups, I make conscious efforts to ask probing questions, no matter how little time is available. This often forces individuals to reflect upon their acts, which further leads to animated discussions as they start connecting dots between the simulated and real life.

It is a time consuming job, but if handled properly turns out to be highly satisfying for all engaged.

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Nick Wright
9/4/2016 09:11:06 pm

Hi Prabhaker and thanks for your affirming comments. Yes, I too believe that posing probing questions can be a great way of stimulating awareness and insight. Your reflection on emotional detachment is an interesting one. On the one hand, it can enable rational reflection, analysis and sense-making. On the other hand, emotional states can raise awareness too, e.g. in terms of what really matters to a person. In that sense, sometimes noticing and reflecting on emotional experience can be a powerful way to raise awareness and insight too. All the best. Nick

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Prabhaker N Thakur
12/4/2016 04:28:52 pm

Hi again Nick,

You are absolutely right that emotional states can raise awareness. But unlike a coin with two acceptable sides, I look at it from multiple perspectives.

I live and operate in India. Numerous deep-rooted beliefs overlap and/or co-exist parallelly here. Owing to India's long history and multi-cultural exposure, Indians are "already" highly aware people. But awareness does not necessarily guarantee maturity. So, no matter how homogeneous a group might appear to be, one can never be sure about an individual's sensitive zones and triggers.

Therefore, in an extremely complex and high-context culture like India, one ALWAYS NEEDS TO KEEP IN MIND -- what is good for the Goose ISN'T always good for the Gander.

As a trainer/facilitator one needs to be careful and stay true to one's objective in hand and not go where life has a possibility of getting difficult, unless required otherwise. And thus "kept emotionally detached".

Hope it makes sense.

Nick Wright
12/4/2016 04:32:40 pm

Hi Prabhaker and thanks for sharing such stimulating insights. I agree with you that culture plays a very important part in how people make sense of their experiences. You may be interested to have a glance at this related blog: http://www.nick-wright.com/blog/what-does-it-mean I think it resoantes with a number of points in your note. All the best. Nick

Prabhaker N Thakur
13/4/2016 12:17:41 pm

Thanks Nick, both for your appreciation and the link.

I had a look at the article. It certainly syncs well with my line of thoughts. I am sure I will get to learn a lot more from your other articles too.

Steven W. Page, Ph.D
9/4/2016 09:13:04 pm

We are by nature meaning makers. Two inescapable facts that we should always take into account is this first, that indeed meaning is being made. The second is that meaning is an interpretation. We should certainly never assume that people construct meaning in the same way, no matter the efforts we pour into making that a goal. We can achieve complementarity, and move toward the same goals taking multiple meaning making paths, but we should toss out the window any idea that we can achieve uniformity of meaning. Relativism is not the last stand, but a phase we do pass through on the way to a level of meaning making where we can make commitments and decisions in a relativistic world based on awareness of multiple perspectives and contexts and how these inevitably bear on the quality and usefulness of knowledge and information.

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Nick Wright
9/4/2016 09:18:58 pm

Hi Steven and thanks for sharing such stimulating ideas. I agree with you that we cannot assume that the same 'objective' events or experiences hold the same meaning and significance for different people, or even for the same person in different circumstances. I believe that meaning is personally and socially constructed; that is, something created by a person but not only by that person. This means that it's possible for people who share the same cultural worldview to attach similar meaning to an experience. Would you agree? All the best. Nick

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Steven W. Page, Ph.D
16/4/2016 05:47:48 pm

In reply to your question, Nick, I also agree that meaning is both personally and socially constructed. However, I'm not sure you mean by 'people sharing the same cultural worldview' and thus attaching a similar meaning to an experience. I thing we should recognise that adults construct meaning at qualitiatively different levels. For instance, many adults assume that subject and object are distinct and this is a feature of the 'real' world. The a priori assumption of other adults is that subject and object are not separate (this is, by the way, the basic distinction between hard systems and soft systems approaches). Can they share the same cultural worldview? Or do they have what may be different but compatible ways of constructing meaning within a cultural worldview able to accommodate the differences?

Rick Vander Kam, Ed.D. ABD
12/4/2016 09:05:51 am

Dialogue involving cross-functional teams around the meaning of a given organizational condition seems to help participants better understand the meaning making lens through which they work. This over time, along with some work on how their personal history sensitizes them to a given bias, seems to provide a more grounded way to help teams interpret their circumstances and make appropriate tests of those interpretations. Normalizing constructive conflict processes seems important here. This seems to provide a kind of dynamic triangulating system.

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Nick Wright
13/4/2016 12:22:33 pm

Thanks Rick - very useful insights. Yes, cross-functional teams can create a valuable cross-cultural experience within which different assumptions, biases etc. can be surfaced and tested. I agree with your comment about constructive conflict. Difference can evoke conflict, especially if over issues of profound disagreement, and handling this well can be a useful method of awareness-raising and meaning-making. All the best. Nick

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Derek Couzens MA
13/4/2016 12:15:31 pm

Simple and excellent ideas.

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Nick Wright
13/4/2016 12:16:27 pm

Thanks Derek. All the best. Nick

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Jo Campbell MA MAppSci
16/4/2016 05:50:42 pm

This took me to a bit of Gervase Busche's work around Clear Leadership and 'organisational mush'. We have a strong tendency to make up stories to connect dots and those stories are seldom flattering to the actors in them. Communication between humans is something of a small daily miracle....

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Michael Will
16/4/2016 05:51:46 pm

'We have a strong tendency to make up stories to connect dots and those stories are seldom flattering to the actors in them.' A precis of Shakespeare.

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Nick Wright
16/4/2016 06:00:17 pm

Hi Jo and thanks for the note and useful reference. I love the idea of 'organisational mush'. So graphic! On connecting dots, you may find this related blog interesting? http://www.nick-wright.com/blog/whats-your-story All the best. Nick

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Nina Gabriella Madaffari
16/4/2016 05:55:12 pm

An eccelent metaphor and explanation of how awareness is generated in coaching and the impact of different perspectives. Add to this multicultural views and the awareness grows exponentially.

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Nick Wright
16/4/2016 06:07:23 pm

Hi Nina and thanks for the affirming feedback. Yes, I agree that encountering different cultures and, thereby, e.g. testing our own assumptions and revealing alternatives, can have a dramatic impact. All the best. Nick

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Christine Cavanaugh-Simmons
20/4/2016 11:36:27 am

I've always loved the metaphor of "organization as conversation". Dovetails with Michael Will's comments (thank you all and to you Michael) about a co-constructed reality, particularly through story. Keeping it simple, there are three stories that need to come together - who am I?, who are we? and where are we going? Hope that helps!

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Nick Wright
20/4/2016 11:38:38 am

Hi Christine and thanks for the note. Yes, the emphasis on 'conversation' as co-creation in organisations can be very powerful. I like the questions you pose. I would add, 'What is important to me/you/us in this?' - which taps into values too. All the best. Nick

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Aramide Akisanya
22/4/2016 01:37:30 pm

Dear Nick, I find your article very interesting. I am a Nigerian and we have several ethnic groups and diverse cultures in my country. I have discovered that certain conflicts that are experienced in the workplace are a result of unique individual interpretations based on the socialization process from the childhood stage. So paradigms shape thinking and emotions rage, stifling employee productivity and organizational performance. It is therefor important to guide individuals to understand the process that has shaped their realities and how this reality might be hindering career progression.

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Nick Wright
22/4/2016 01:45:14 pm

Hi Arimade and thanks for sharing such a great cross-cultural example. In my experience, there can be great value in exploring cultural influences (which often lay out of awareness for those who hold them) and how they impact on beliefs, values, interpretations, behaviour etc. It assumes, of course, that the individual and/or culture are open to self reflection and cultural critique and willing to change, if needed, to achieve what are regarded in that context as more 'successful' outcomes - e.g. career progression. Does that resonate with your ideas and experiences too? All the best. Nick

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Steve Hearsum
25/4/2016 09:21:41 pm

I echo Jo Campbell: Gervase Bushe's work (and serendipitously had pleasure of working with him at Roffey Park today) talks to your enquiry, Nick. 'Organisational mush', there's heaps of it around. :-)

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Nick Wright
25/4/2016 09:24:27 pm

Cheers Steve. :) All the best. Nick

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Mark Hollern
1/7/2016 07:39:15 pm

Taking the time to explore with the individual or group what is being evoked in them by asking very open ended/non-directive questions (the latter are usually interveners projections or beliefs and not the clients) or making a statement such as, "Tell me what that evokes in you" and then getting out of the way allows the client to fill in the picture. Too many questions will take people into their heads and it becomes intellectual or "figuring out."
Have them stay in their bodies, sensations, anxieties, etc. and speak from there. Only when a shift occurs and there is movement away from where the client is to a new place can we begin to have them make meaning/sense of their experience and assimilate it.

Reply
Nick Wright
1/7/2016 07:44:09 pm

Hi Mark and thanks for the note. Yes, focusing on body, sensations, anxieties etc. can bring a person into direct here-and-now awareness. From there, the coach can work with the client to help make sense of what they are experiencing. One way to do this is to enable the client to reflect on their own beliefs, assumptions, filters etc. in order to explore different options, opportunities etc. All the best. Nick

Reply
Steve Benfield FCMI FIC MAC
2/7/2016 12:44:44 pm

Hi all - as ever, very stimulating debate thanks Nick Wright for creating such material. Reading this, I noticed a warming reaction in me and wondered where everyone has contributed from so far? To borrow Mark's phrase, are we "figuring out" what our responses are to each other or do they congruently come from our "bodies, sensations, anxieties"? To be clear, I felt my warmth from reading the conversation and then moved into my head to write this comment! How was it for you?

Reply
Nick Wright
2/7/2016 12:46:40 pm

Hi Steve and thanks for modelling and expressing that so beautifully! :) Warm good wishes. Nick

Reply
Alaa El-Halwagy
5/7/2016 01:32:35 pm

Thank you Nick for the metaphor and the story; quite interesting! a couple of things crossed my mind as I was reading your article; Systems Thinking, the ABC Model for behavioral change, and the Culture Index! Living in America for most of my adult life and dealing with tens of nationalities in Florida bring the content of your article to life. Putting the language aside, which can be a huge bridge to cross sometimes, highlights the question of "what did they really mean by this?" or "what's the context to this story?" Some of the Systems Thinking Principles that correlated to your story may include things like "Everything is connected to everything else, You can never do just one thing, Obvious solutions do more harm than good, and Look for high leverage points."

Reply
Nick Wright
5/7/2016 01:35:14 pm

Hi Alaa and thanks for the note. Yes - some great connections there with other fields of thinking and practice. In my experience, perhaps similar to yours, it's often when I'm working cross-culturally that these things come to the surface most explicitly. Great opportunities for stretch, discovery and learning. All the best. Nick

Reply
Robyn L Bartlett
5/7/2016 04:10:31 pm

Thank you Nick for starting this discussion! I'm now in-my-head reviewing some specific scenarios that were somewhat emotionally charged at a recent family wedding. Exploring the separate meanings helps to diffuse the attached emotions.

Reply
Nick Wright
5/7/2016 04:11:20 pm

Thanks Robyn! I'd love to hear any insights you glean from the family wedding experience. ;) All the best. Nick

Reply
Edward Korbal
5/7/2016 04:11:55 pm

What immediately came up for me here is the Gestalt Cycle of Experience. Getting an individual, team or organization to make sense of their experiences will rely heavily on where they fall in the cycle and where they fall on the continuum will manifest itself in a variety of unconscious and conscious ways. By understanding where one may be in the cycle (Sensation, Awareness, Energy Mobilization, Action, Contact, Resolution/Closure and Withdrawal of Attention) will help give the consultant a better idea why an individual may be interpreting their experiences as they are and thus can provide valuable insight and meaning that the consultant can generate more powerful questions to ask in order to provoke greater introspection and or provide greater awareness through feedback.

Reply
Nick Wright
5/7/2016 04:14:15 pm

Thanks Edward. I think that's a really interesting insight from Gestalt. Do you have an experience you would be willing to share that could illustrate what that might look like in practice? All the best. Nick

Reply
Edward Korbal
5/7/2016 08:29:59 pm

Hi Nick. Thank you for your feedback. I recently took a graduate course on the Gestalt Approach to Organizational Change. What an amazing experience! Aside from taking an intensive course such as this to gain insight into what the Cycle of Experience looks like I did write four reflection papers from an experiential/anecdotal perspective on what I learned in this course. One of those papers I wrote in response to a group case study where we were in a group of 5-7 people and we were all given roles in a consulting company. This paper is a culmination of my entire experience of the Cycle of Experience throughout the course. This quite frankly is my very first post on Linkedin and I'm not sure if me posting my reflections would be of any value and I'm a little unsure of the proper etiquette here for this forum. I'd be happy to share if you think it would be ok. It's about 4-6 pages so it may be a little too long of a read to keep anyone's interest.

Nick Wright
5/7/2016 08:37:29 pm

Hi Edward. Your course sounds great! I, similarly, did a postgraduate diploma in coaching psychology, specialising in Gestalt, and I loved it! :) LinkedIn-wise, you can post a paragraph or so in any group that's relevant to your interests. If the paragraph gets too long, you need to start a new post entry. Perhaps you could post a short extract from one of your assignments that shows what using a Gestalt approach to sense-making could look like in practice. If you would be willing to share your longer Gestalt assignments off-line, I would be very interested to read them. My email address is info@nick-wright.com. Here's a link to one of my Gestalt assignments that may be of interest to you too: http://www.nick-wright.com/just-do-it.html All the best. Nick

Jeremy J Lewis
7/7/2016 08:17:12 am

I agree with Edward. I believe much can be revealed exploring meaning through a Gestalt lens.

Mark Hollern
5/7/2016 04:35:30 pm

Edward, We are on the same page(done all of the programs in Cleveland/am a Gestalt practitioner). Yes, that's my point about meaning making. We have to guide clients through the whole Cycle before they can make meaning (closure) and move on without unfinished business. This applies be it the individual, group or organization. If I am in a meeting and the leader is delivering bad news and the group are all "on the edge of their seats", no one is breathing or speaking and I sense I am not either, I am in my body tracking the group and in my head ("shuttling") about what intervention I may make to bring this into the group (group intervention) or the leader's (individual intervention) awareness. When they are aware, I can then work with them, through further interventions, to move through the stages of the Cycle through their anxiety to action and closure.

Reply
Jennifer Venturanza-Lapa
13/7/2016 09:52:20 am

So timely Nick! I've recently seen a few similar situations happening. So simple at the beginning but has become so complex with the meanings ascribed and expressed by individual members. The chaos created made it difficult to recognize the origin and what the issue was all about at the start. So much challenge for OD practitioners as the influence of communications technology becomes so real in the 21st century.

Reply
Nick Wright
13/7/2016 10:00:08 am

Hi Jennifer and thanks for the note. Yes, I believe the complexity that characterises each individual person is reflected and, at times, amplified and made visible in human systems such as teams, groups, organisations, communities, international relations etc. When we surface the 'chaos', it can evoke e.g. anxiety - a fear of being 'out of control' - which can also be illuminating! I would be interested to hear more about your experiences and what you see as the influences of communications technology. Thanks and best wishes. Nick

Reply



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    ​Nick Wright

    ​I'm a psychological coach, trainer and OD consultant. Curious to discover how can I help you? ​Get in touch!

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