Reframing
The way we interpret life is filtered by our values, previous experiences, and beliefs.
And, without further investigation, those interpretations inform our narratives about others and their intentions, motivations, and trustworthiness. In my coaching practice, I often find myself helping clients examine those interpretations, especially when it comes to strategic and human leadership challenges.
One foundational technique that I use is reframing. With reframing, I walk clients through the exercise of reality-setting - the exercise of replaying the same event or situation, while: 1) considering that facts as they actually occurred (similar to video playback), 2) suspending judgment, and 3) checking for biases and assumptions. Reframing affords us the opportunity of slowing down to get some emotional and cognitive distance from events. It helps us simplify experiences, so that we can choose the best response and make the best decisions. More importantly, it allows us to discover what’s available for our learning and development.
Yes, we should be in the habit of trusting our own interpretations, so long as we are practicing reflection and self-awareness, making space for the opposite of our story to be true, and framing experiences as they truly occurred, not as our biases, judgments, and predetermined labels describe them. In leadership, reframing communicates fairness, respect, trust, clarity, and dependability. It also supports our ability to address the “undiscussables” (see Dr. Barbara’s article on The Elephant in the Room). Consider including reframing and reality-setting as fundamental practices in your leadership journey.
Quote for Growth
“If a problem can't be solved within the frame it was conceived, the solution lies in reframing the problem.” ― Brian McGreevy
Video of the Week
Inspirational video from Robin Sharma.