I'd like to share some of the ideas that came out of a discussion yesterday, when Julian Still and I were discussing the structures that underpin the story of our new book.

To be able to coach is to be able to think in systems. Systemic coaches do not merely work with loose elements and trends; they examine the underlying structures and interdependencies. Understanding these structures and systemic relationships enables you and your coachee to find (and influence) the driving forces for certain behaviour and phenomenon. Approaching the individual as part of a whole system, the systemic coach considers both the individual and the group dynamics.

Most of the time, reality eludes us because reality seems overwhelming (there’s a lot of data to process), dynamic (everything changes all the time) and overly complex (there’s no clear cause or reason for certain phenomenon or behaviour). The brain uses different strategies in order to cope with complexity. It filters (removes data), reduces (chops up) and recognizes patterns from the input. 

The brain then constructs abstract models (maps) for us to be able to process the input more efficiently and act more effectively. 

But the brain doesn’t stop there. It actually will construct a ‘version’ of reality based on the models it holds. Or as neuroscientist Henry Markram explains:

“The brain creates, builds, a version of the universe. And projects this version of the universe, like a bubble, all around us. […] 99 percent of what you see is not what comes in through the eyes. It is what you infer about [reality].”

So where’s the good news? We know that our observation of reality is really limited. And now it’s also distorted, because the brain actually builds its unique ‘version’ of reality? Well, the good news is that, as a coach, we can help people by:

• helping the coachee to build richer models of the world, by pointing out the deletions, distortions and generalisations he or she uses;
• pointing out the sensory input filters;
• making sure that the coachee understands that what he or she always thought was real, is actually their own ‘version’ of reality;
• inviting the coachee to explore other ‘versions’ of reality by associating in different perceptional positions;