I'm not just talking about strange coincidences. I may write in the New Year about the coincidence that as you commit to opening yourself to new possibilities, so they suddenly appear. but to me this is a coincidence that is easily explained rationally. It's another case of perception creating reality (or the "what you see is what you get" effect I have written about before).
No, in this last post of 2010, I am thinking about how there are many things whose essence is not fully captured by rational explanations. Rational explanations by their nature are created in the Left Brain and so are all about using "either/or" logic to categorise, put into sequence, limit the set of possible outcomes etc. And while these are usually helpful, sometimes they just don't capture it all.
The specific event which triggered this reflection was trying to write a paragraph to describe my coaching approach. I realised that however I worded my rational explanation, my description diminished the work - not just because I lack the writing skills but because the left brain process of analysis inherently cannot capture some key elements. It is like describing a dance purely as a series of steps. It would be accurate, but it wouldn't capture everything. That's why the judges on a programme like "Strictly Come Dancng" comment on things like musicality, the mood of the dance and the connection between the couples, rather than just on the footwork and choreography.
So just as my coaching often uses right brain approaches such as images, metaphor and story within the work, I realise I need to be comfortable to describe my approach to coaching using these tools. Not just in order to explain what I do to clients, but to embrace better the non-rational aspects.
The metaphorical image I am playing with is of a labrador dog with glasses (and a PhD in psychology) - friendly, trustful and attentive, if a bit excitable, yet with real depth of emotional intelligence and insight. What do you think? Is it just too soft?!
