The domain of intentions is next entered as we focus in particular on what kind of work she would next like to do and in what kind of environment she would most want to work. In many ways, I am taking on the role of career counsellor at this point—though Jacinda Ardern is no typical candidate for career advisement. She will be in the public spotlight as she enters the next phase in her still-young life. Furthermore, her new “employer” (if she has one) will hold many expectations regarding her performance. Jacinda is definitely not a “blank slate.” However, she is a slate on which other people can project their own assumptions about her competencies and aspirations. All of these matters have to be taken into account (returning to the domain of information); however, it is much more important that Jacinda gain clarity regarding what she wants to accomplish during the next chapter of her life.
It is not enough that she wants to escape from the position of Prime Minister and somehow recover from her exhaustion (though a few months of recovery is probably in order). “What would it be like if one year from now you are celebrating an extraordinarily gratifying 12 months?” We might instead try some reverse planning: “Imagine being highly successful three years from now. What would it look like? What would have to occur during the previous year for the third-year outcome to be one of success? What would you need to begin doing during the coming year to prepare the way for year two and year three success?”
We would also want to explore the characteristics of the environment in which she would be working. It is tempting to opt for serenity (the absence of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity, turbulence, and contradiction); however, this is just an escape that is unlikely to be successful in our challenging mid-21st-century world. Especially for someone like Jacinda Ardern, who has been in the public spotlight. Furthermore, serenity is often only found in a bottle of mind-altering pills or in a bottle of some alcoholic beverage. Jacinda is certainly aware that many other “failed” politicians have taken this self-destructive route. It should not be an option for someone like Jacinda Ardern, for whom many more potential years of productive life lie in front of her.
The final act of this coach engagement should focus on actions that Jacinda will take in the near future. While there will be a frequent return to both the domain of information and the domain of intentions, when Jacinda is considering her next move, some chunk of time should be devoted to consideration of the best ideas and best course of action. During this final act, I would mostly be sitting back and listening to Jacinda reflect on what she has learned about herself and her working environment during our coaching sessions. Advocacy-inviting-inquiry and role-playing are not required. Jacinda is likely to have considered the goods and bads of many career moves. And there are too many different constituencies to consider when choosing the best person with whom to role-play.
As in the case of both Kurt and Susan, Jacinda might find that I am the only “safe” person with whom she can share concerns, fears, and hopes. Her need for a coaching-based “sanctuary” might be even more important, given her status as a public figure. I am likely to be most helpful at this stage when just witnessing her reflections, sharing of feelings, and consideration of different options. I offer my encouragement and empathy rather than my advice. I suspect that this encouragement and empathy would be what Jacinda needed at this point in her career. This might also be what most of us need at critical points in our always challenging postmodern world.
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