minds, metaphors and (ethical) manipulation
Archive for January, 2012
The Core Clean Language Questions
Jan 31st
Want a handy list of the core Clean Language questions? Here goes:
Developing Questions
- What kind of X (is that X)?
- is there anything else about X?
- Where is X? or (And) whereabouts is X?
- Is there a relationship between X and Y?
- When X, what happens to Y?
- That’s X like what?
Sequence and Source
- Then what happens?
- What happens just before X?
- Where could X come from?
Intention Questions
- What would X like to have happen?
- What needs to happen for X?
- Can X (happen)?
For more about the core Clean Language questions and how to use them, get the book
Simple But Not Easy: Mastering Clean Language
Jan 30th
If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you’ve probably had a go at using the Clean Language questions to help someone to change. After all, the questions are simple. How complicated can it be to apply them, particularly if you’re an experienced hypnotist of other change worker?
And you may well have been left wondering why you bothered. The attempt might have ended in your client’s tears – or just fizzled out.
Because of course there’s more to using this powerful change methodology than just asking the simple questions at random to ask about people’s self-generated metaphors.
What Clean Language question should you ask, about what, and when? And what should you do with the response?
Over the weekend, I was teaching two close friends the heuristics I use to choose my questions, based on Penny Tompkins and James Lawley’s Framework for Change. Both of my students are very bright and both have been exposed to my work for years. “They’ll soon pick it up,” I told myself.
And of course, it was much more complicated than that. As soon as they began to practice with “real” content, they began to struggle. They were overwhelmed with the sheer volume of stuff that their More >
“I Can Make You Think”
Jan 26th
What’s the most effective way to get people to think? It’s a question that teachers and trainers grapple with daily, the world over.
So it never fails to amaze me that so little attention is paid to questions and their attention-directing qualities.
I was the speaker at a central London event last night. Called Interesting Talks, it attracts a young, lively crowd with lots to say for themselves.
It might have been tempting to do what I’d been asked to do and just give an “interesting talk” on my chosen topic – how to discover your Sweet Spot, the place where you can make a great living by doing what you love.
But instead, I used questions to challenge the group to think for themselves.
It seemed to work, judging by the buzz in the room and by the feedback. Some of the participants were a bit surprised that it was so interactive – but a larger number commented on how much more fun it was than sitting and listening.
Why bother trekking into London on a January night just to sit and listen? You could do that at home, with the radio and TV. Events should be interactive!
I suspect we’re all so used to the More >
How Can Clean Language Make You Rich?
Jan 21st
“How can Clean Language make me wealthier?” That was the question from a prospective client recently – and it seemed well worth answering.
There are at least three specific ways that Clean Language can increase the amount of money that you have:
1. Working with a skilled coach who uses Clean Language techniques (like me, for instance!), you can get really clear about your “sweet spot” – the place when your unique skills, experience, knowledge and passion coincide with the needs of a hungry crowd, keen to pay you to help them – and how to articulate the value you offer.
This makes it easier for you to focus your money-making efforts more tightly, on the activities which are most likely to produce a positive return which is consistent with your personal values – and which are enjoyable for you to do.
Oh. My. God! If someone had told me before my session with Judy that it was possible to get so much clarity in such a short space of time… I wouldn’t have believed them! I’ve known for ages what I’m good at and enjoy doing, but have always struggled to articulate it in terms of the value I can provide to business owners and their More >
