Helping Heuristics make it possible for participants to experience how they can choose to change how they work with others by using a progression of practical methods. Heuristics are shortcuts that help people identify what is important when entering a new situation. They help develop deeper insight into interaction patterns and make smarter decisions quickly. A series of short exchanges reveals heuristics or simple rules of thumb for productive helping. Try this exercise out!

Instructions

1. Explain that there will be four rounds of 1–2-minute improvised interactions.

2. Groups choose one member to be a “client,” another a “coach,” with the third acting as “observer.”

3. Roles can stay the same or change from round to round; the fourth round will be followed by 5 minutes of debrief.

4. During every round the person in the role of client shares a challenge he or she is passionate about.

5. While the observer pays close attention, the coach responds in a sequence of patterns that is different for each round.

6. During the first round, the response pattern is “Quiet Presence” – the coach accepts all offers with compassionate listening.

7. During the second round, the response pattern is “Guided Discovery” – the coach accepts all offers, guiding inquiry for mutual discoveries.

8. During the third round, the response pattern is “Loving Provocation” – the coach interjects advice, accepting and blocking as needed when the coach sees something that the client does not see.

9. During the fourth round, the response pattern is “Process Mindfulness” – the coach and client accept all offers from each other, working at the top of their intelligence while noticing how novel possibilities are amplified.

10. Debrief the impact of all four helping patterns as experienced by clients, coaches, and observers.

11. Based on the debrief, repeat all rounds or only some for all participants to practice various response patterns.

When you are ready for your debrief, review each coaching style. Start by addressing the difficulty of active listening (quiet presence); it’s usually the hardest one –

• Ask coaches to reflect on their own journey. How did they adapt to each round? How did the interaction change on each coaching style? Which helped the client the most? Why? Which one was the hardest for the coach? Why?

• Invite clients to reflect on their experience. What worked? What didn’t work? Which styled helped them better understand their challenge? Which helped them identify better possibilities or solutions?

• Ask the observer to provide feedback to both the client and the coach. What worked? What didn’t work? How easy (or not) was for the coach to stick to each coaching style?

• Reflect on the observer role. How can the team benefit by having an ‘observer’ in upcoming meetings?

• Lastly, reflect on the progression. In the future, does applying the different coaching styles help? Or shall they choose one in particular?

Helping Heuristics is a tool for team members to gain insights into feedback and collaboration practices. Heuristics are shortcuts that help us identify what’s important. They allow us to develop deeper insights into our mental patterns and make decisions quickly. By experiencing the series of short interactions, participants reveal rules of thumb for productive coaching and helping team members.

Liberating Structure developed by Henri Lipmanowicz and Keith McCandless. Inspired by author/professor Edgar Schein.