Purchasing Coach: Advent window 9: FCP

25 unconventional coaching and facilitation tools to surprise and delight

Today's advent window uncovers a tool that's a firm favourite of mine and clients - in 1:1 coaching and facilitation with groups - it's the Frameworks for Change Coaching Process *.

It's such a pity that writing about it often fails to truly demonstrate how effective this process is at getting to the heart of the matter. Thankfully that won't stop me trying ;-)

There are 3 types of cards used in the FCP deck: insights, setbacks and mentors.

Insights (I). These either indicate a direction, attitude or behaviour you can take, highlight a truth you need to remember or remind you of a time when you demonstrated a particular quality or behaviour to bring it in to the now.

Setbacks (S). These may indicate a particular attitude that is unproductive, identify a habitual way you react that restricts your effectiveness or presents its self through someone who displays a behaviour that sets you back in this way.

Mentors (M). These are either real people who already model this quality that can act as an example for you at this time or reminds you to express this quality.

Before reading my own insight from the FCP cards I've pulled you may want to reflect on them yourself. Here they are:

(I) You take time to acknowledge, savour, and celebrate each of your teams successes
(S) You are set back by the inability to communicate in the current situation
(I) You value and express the quality of Faith in the current situation
(M) Willingness

What action do these words inspire in you at this time, how may that lead you back on track and towards a remarkable 2018?

Here's my personal take on these cards:

(I) You take time to acknowledge, savour, and celebrate each of your teams successes.

A reminder perhaps to review the successes achieved in 2017 rather than focus on what didn't happen. Too easy perhaps to focus on the destinations not visited that were on the plan, and forget all the new destinations that appeared as life got in the way!

A reminder too to acknowledge the people who have supported me during the year. More of that tomorrow.

(S) You are set back by the inability to communicate in the current situation

I've got a playlist of happy songs playing in the background as I write this. It's not something I do very often at all, as music normally distracts me. But today it just felt right.

As I jig about on my seat, and sing loudly as I listen to these tracks that I love, what comes to mind for me is the means of communication.

Saying the same thing even if with different words might not be what's needed - perhaps a more whole scale shift to how I'm connecting with the communicating is needed - whether that's singing or dancing.   

In truly connecting to the communication in every part of my mind and body perhaps the words I wish to share will truly pour forth?

And as I do that then the words of the track that has now started playing will perhaps be as true for me as they are for those singing them for themselves.

(I) You value and express the quality of Faith in the current situation

Often with these cards we're asked to tap into a time in the past when we expressed the quality written on the card.  However, as I looked for an appropriate picture and waded through a plethora of religious themed images, I came across this one which had me going in a different direction.

This reminded me to have faith in humanity, and the earth and nature's ability to find equilibrium, for peace to win the day over war and negativity. A little more spiritual than you'd expect in a business blog, but an insight for me that allows me to sleep at night and not buy into the doom-mongers.

The Rhythm of Life has just started playing on the playlist - which also has the same energy to it.

ie let's not forget to follow the things that give us a tingle in our fingers, and a tingle in our toes.

Oh dear, sorry, the next song on the play list also applies - its Seasons of Love from Rent, and ask us how do we measure a year - coffees? sunsets? midnights? miles? tears? bridges burned? minutes (525,600 of them), or love?

A reminder perhaps to not measure my year in turnover and profit but in laughter, support and difference made, and even aspirations.

(after all the start of the year started with a post of me not wanting us to leave our humanity at the office door,

and continued by realising that if humanity could go to the moon, humanity could blinkin' get into board room.)

(M) Willingness

In another set of cards the word willingness is accompanied by the picture of an angel doing the washing up! A reminder perhaps that even the angels have to get their hands dirty and do the jobs that won't go away and we just need knuckle down and get them done!

Hmm I wonder what that's inviting to do..... I'm starting to think it involves those board rooms!!

More here using the FCP* many years ago on keeping on track in a downturn with a group of professional speakers here in Scotland.

Alison Smith
Unlocking procurement potential - using conventional and unconventional tools
Procurement and Business Speaker, Coach, Trainer, & Facilitator
alison@alisonsmith.eu +44 (0)7770 538159

Earlier in the year I applied some of the unconventional tools shared in this series of advent posts to common procurement challenges - more here.

* The process, the insight, setback and mentor cards used here are from Frameworks for Change © Innerlinks - www.innerlinks.com.