Mindtraps are shortcuts that help individuals simplify their thought processes in order to create a more predictable world (Berger, 2019). No one is immune to the five mindtraps of simple stories, rightness, agreement, control, and ego, nor is anyone in control of how often they show up in our daily lives and hinder out ability to learn, grow, and identify new opportunities.
As a leadership coach, I see great value in helping clients understand where these five mindtraps may be showing up in their work and in their lives. Are they showing up frequently? Are the mindtraps that are consistently present helping them quickly make assessments, or are they debilitating the way they work with others? Are the mindtraps helping avoid paralysis in decision-making, or leading them to make the wrong decisions?
Understanding mindtraps is important for clients, but I need more practice in helping clients uncover these mindtraps. What patterns in coaching conversations can I look for? What questions can I ask that will help reveal these patterns and mindtraps? How can I help coach around these five thoughts that can be both helpful and harmful to my clients and their work? This is something I'm looking to dig into further, and believe can be a powerful coaching tool if mastered.
Source:
Berger, J. G. (2019). Unlocking leadership mindtraps. How to thrive in complexity. Stanford
University Press.
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