Enriching the Dialogue: The MAPS of Coaching

William Bergquist

3 years ago

Our quarter-century issue of The Future of Coaching. This statement is not really accurate. We offer a publication, not a calendar. Yet, calling it a “quarter-century” publication is a useful way to think of the life and duration of our magazine. We are offering an Analogy. Our magazine is similar to a calendar in that both extend over time. Furthermore, both our magazine and a calendar help to demark time in that a calendar and our magazine are both published periodically. A third similarity can be noted. We can count both the number of issues we have published and number of years that have passed during something we have called a “century.” This analogy concerns time and periodicity. It potentially offers us some insights regarding the business we are in, as editors of The Future of Coaching.

Intersubjectivity

In recent years, psychologists and human service providers have coined a term, “intersubjectivity”, that refers to our capacity, in interaction, with other people to create reality together. This co-creation serves our joint purpose of interacting effectively with one another and more clearly defining and affirming the way in which we perceive and act in the world, individually and collectively. Our shared, constructed reality is often modified if another entity (such as a third person) enters the relationship. As the noted family system theorist, Virginia Satir, noted: a relationship becomes vastly more complex when it involved three (or more) people rather than just two. The introduction of a child into the life of a couple makes all the difference in their world. The third entity need not be a person. It can be an image, idea or story.

The third entity enters a coaching relationship when either the coach or client offers an analogy—or when the coach and client engage a metaphor, parable or simile. This is an important point for each of us as a coach to acknowledge. A new, third entity is being brought into the dialogue between the two of us. We are looking at “reality” in a new, enriched way when the third entity interplays with the dynamic relationship we have already created. Professional coaching is one of the most dynamic relationships in which we engage. The outcome of this relationships can be a reformed sense of reality for each of us and both of us. A timely analogy, metaphor, parable or simile can be introduced that makes this reformed reality that much more a source of insight, inspiration, guidance and enactment.

The MAPS of Coaching

For a moment, let’s pause to consider that to which each of the four MAPS refers. The definitions that we offer are quite tentative. Each of the four MAPS can be “slippery” (an analogy itself) and subject to considerable deliberation. Here is our own initial shot at each of the four (is “shot” a metaphor, analogy or perhaps even a simile that relates to photography or perhaps firearms?)

Metaphor: imagine for a moment that . . .

It is a figure of speech that describes an object or action in a way that isn’t literally true—but helps explain an idea or make a comparison. One thing is another thing. Symbolism is being engaged.

Analogy: This is similar to that in the following way(s) . . .

There are two seemingly different entities that are like. We focus on their communalities to make a specific point.

Parable: Let me tell you a story that will enlighten us . . .

A narrative is offered that leads to some lesson or the rich illustration of some concept.

Simile: Its like . . .

Two essentially dissimilar object or concepts are expressly compared with one another through the use of “like” or “as”.

MAPS Articles Posted in the Library of Professional Coaching or Library of Professional Psychology

Following are examples of each type of MAPS posted in LPC and LPP. We might argue about the category to which each article should be assigned—but probably can’t argue about the diversity and potential wealth of insights these essays offer. Each of these essays makes the case for a generative use of a MAPS inside a coaching session, or in consideration of coaching strategies and concepts regarding human nature and behavior.

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We hope that review of at least some of these MAPS-related essays inspires you in your own work as a professional coach. You can enrich your coaching sessions by adding the third element. You can also enrich your own reflections on the work you are doing by introducing a MAPS.

You might have noticed that the acronym we are using (MAPS) points itself to a representation of reality—rather than being reality itself. As Alfred Korzybski, the noted independent scholar (and founder of general semantics) famously noted: “the map is not the territory.” However, maps do provide a wonderful way of bringing a distinct perspective to that much more complex entity: the actual territory. Given that our coaching clients must live and work in the actual territory of their world, it might not hurt to provide them with one or more MAPS.

William Bergquist

Co-Editor

Bill Carrier

Co-Editor

Intersubjectivity

The MAPS of Coaching

MAPS Articles Posted in the Library of Professional Coaching or Library of Professional Psychology

Metaphors

Analogies

Parables

Similes