Metaphors & Clean Language
Michele Fattal • 13 janvier 2019
Metaphor and Clean Language
On the 9th of January 2019, I had the great pleasure to run a workshop on “Metaphors & Clean Language” with ICF Lebanese chapter in Beirut.
One week before the arranged date, I didn’t know if the workshop would happen or not. Good surprise. It happened.
This is not the first time I am convening a workshop. I already did it several time. Even though, I was a little nervous, asking myself if this workshop would “work”, if attendees would trust me. I decided to stay calm. I had prepared my workshop and still working on it. I said to myself, “Be yourself, trust yourself and let it happen.”
It was a great experience as a Coach. These two hours taught me more about my presence as a Coach, my ability to meet others, overall about myself. In addition, once more, I’ve been surprised about how things can emerge from interactions with others. Keeping the contact alive is a day to day work. Improving consciousness in our day to day experiences is a day to day training.
The group was small: Nine people attended the workshop.
While people arriving, I felt like a sort of agitation and excitement coming from the group. I felt agitated myself. For a few seconds, I was nervous, questions were running into my head, I was feeling hot and cold at the same time. Breathing effectively helped me get through my anxiety.
Attendees, most Coaches, arrived with their own expectations: Some of them had already read about Metaphors & Clean Language and knew a little about the practice. Some of them didn’t, but were very curious about it, and needed specific and immediate answers. Others simply wanted to add a new skill to their practice. All those reasons were legitimate.
My one and only goal was to give a small taste of this practice by suggesting a concrete experience. The only way to comprehend what it is.
Once the theoretical part of my workshop over, I introduced the experience. My topic was very simple: “Your year 2019”.
I made this simple choice consciously. I believe that staying simple helps going straight to the point, right to the core. I was right.
While conducting the first exercise, I saw each one of the attendees diving little by little in the experience. Connected to themselves.
As a Coach, I had to trust and follow the process, observe each person, take notes on what was happening and let everyone stay in their own experience.
What a great moment!
No one was indifferent. Everyone noticed how being simple helps going straight to the point, how simple questions can be powerful.
When came the time for words of the end, what was shared was joyful.
Everyone lived its own experience, with its own sensations, thoughts & emotions.
At the end of the workshop, I looked at everyone: faces and bodies were relaxed. the group was calm. Curiosity is still alive.
During the workshop, I saw a real change from the beginning to the end.
No doubt, this workshop was a success.
Finally, I keep in mind that, as a Professional Coach, the most important thing while running a workshop or an individual session is to be fully present.
Thank you to all who attended the workshop. I have learned a lot! What about you?
I am looking forward to run new workshops very soon.
The opportunity to live unique experiences, enhance your creativity and learn more about yourself.
Over the past few years, I have felt a subtle yet profound shift in the world of accompaniment. What used to be centered on performance, expertise and control is gradually evolving into something more relational, more meaningful and deeply human. Coaching, from Performance to alignment. There were times when coaching conversations revolved mainly around goals, measurable progress, and optimization. Performance mattered most. Something has changed. Success is no longer defined solely by outcomes, but by alignment. Not just “Did I reach the objective?” But “Does this objective still make sense for who I am becoming?” Coaching is no longer about achieving more. It is about reconnecting with purpose, to what truly matters. The questions I hear today reflect this evolution: · How do I stay grounded in complexity and uncertainty? · How do I sustain my energy without burning out? · What truly gives meaning to my work? And to my life? · Coaching becomes a space where being aligned matters the most. A space where inner presence, clarity, security, and sustainable, meaningful action meet. Mentoring: From Mastery of doing to refinement of being Mentoring is traditionally about helping coaches develop their competencies to perform at their best. It is the mastery of the craft. What do I need to do and how to become a better coach? While mentors focus on the "how-to" of coaching, the deeper work is about the coach's awareness of their own presence. It is not simply about transmission of skills. It is about cultivating the quality of being behind the practice. By embodying a presence that is both grounded and discerning, both humble and expert, mentors offer more than guidance. They offer a lived experience of what it means to hold space. And through this, mentees learn to offer the same to their own clients. Supervision, from Practice support to Personal & Systemic Ecology Supervision was once mainly about ensuring support, methodological rigor and ethical standard. Essential yes. Yet, not sufficient. Supervision today is as a space of ecology . Personal : · How am I impacted by my clients? · What do I carry that is not mine? · How do I regulate myself to remain available, and grounded? Systemic: · What dynamics are at play beyond the individual? · What is my role within the larger field? · What patterns repeat across contexts? Supervision becomes about cultivating awareness of oneself, of others and of the whole system. It is a space for professional maturation and inner refinement. A Common Movement: Cultivating presence Across coaching, mentoring, and supervision, a common movement is unfolding: cultivating presence In an increasingly complex and fragmented world, perhaps the most impactful offering we can bring as professionals is not a method, but a quality of presence. a space where meaning can emerge where responsibility is owned where awareness deepens. Our presence acts as an invitation. When we stay grounded in complexity and uncertainty, we give our clients the permission to do the same. This is the real shift of our time: supporting individuals relate to themselves and their systems with true integrity, clarity and depth. A moment to reflect If your presence is the primary intervention, what "quality of being" are you bringing into the room today? This article was written for Business Coaching Magazine : https://bcoaching.online/coaching-mentoring-supervision-today-a-shift-toward-meaningful-alignment/
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Every individual possesses a unique set of talents. These talents can be defined as natural abilities, strengths, or qualities that enable a person to perform, create, or respond effectively in different situations. Some are visible and recognized, while others remain hidden or underdeveloped. In everyday life and work, people rely on their talents, sometimes consciously, sometimes unconsciously. Observing how these abilities show up and are utilized is a crucial step in understanding one’s potential. Identifying hidden or overlooked talents can have an even greater impact, opening new possibilities for personal and professional growth. Accessing Your Talents Even when it feels like nothing is working, resources and talents are always within reach. They can be accessed through simple yet powerful practices: • Breathing to regain focus and calm the mind. • Moving the body to shift energy and stimulate creativity. • Changing perspective by looking at a situation differently, raising the eyes, or exploring another environment. • Expressive practices such as writing, drawing, or other forms of creative expression. These actions help reconnect with your innate abilities and reveal talents that may have been dormant. Developing Talents Recognizing a talent is just the first step. To truly harness it, it must be nurtured and refined. Development can include: • Practice and repetition: Regularly using a talent in different contexts strengthens its impact. • Reflection: Observing the outcomes of using a talent helps refine its application. • Feedback: Seeking perspectives from trusted colleagues, supervisors, mentors, or coaches provides guidance and new insights. • Integration: Combining talents with other strengths or skills amplifies their effectiveness. The Impact of Talents in Coaching and Teams In coaching, helping individuals identify, value, and use their talents consciously has a powerful effect. It enhances confidence, encourages self-trust, and allows people to contribute more fully in both personal and professional contexts. At the group level, the effect is multiplied. When individual talents are recognized and brought into collective work, they fuel what is often called collective intelligence, a dynamic where diverse abilities combine to improve team performance, problem-solving, and innovation. Ultimately, talents are not fixed assets. They are living capacities. By learning to access, cultivate, and apply them intentionally, individuals unlock their potential, teams become stronger, and organizations thrive. A moment to reflect Which of your talents have you been using consciously, and which ones might be waiting quietly for you to recognize and develop them? When facing challenges, which of your natural strengths have you relied on most, and which ones have you overlooked? How could intentionally developing one hidden or underused talent change the way you work or lead? In a team setting, which of your talents could contribute more to collective performance if you consciously brought them forward? Taking the time to reflect on these questions can help you identify untapped potential, strengthen your contribution, and inspire growth for yourself and for the teams and organizations you work with.
