Narrative Coaching: The Definitive Guide to Bringing New Stories to Life

“What did you want to do at that moment?” (I ) followed by, “What held you back?” (Me). The former sheds light on his instinctive desire (for better or worse), and the latter sheds light on his concerns about how he will be perceived by others.

template for maturing one of your strengths in the moment: 1. One of my strengths is. . . . However, I get defensive when . . . 2. Because I. . . . This shows up most often as . . . 3. I would grow by . . . (incorporating this aspect of my Shadow) 4. Therefore, I will mature my strength by . . . EXAMPLE 1. One of my strengths is doing whatever it t

Instead of faithfully recording the past, it keeps rewriting history. Recalling an event in a new context can lead to new information being inserted in the memory”

It does this by inviting them to be more present to their reality and more aware of and accountable for their narrative choices.

helping [us] to decide what behaviors to try again, reject, or modify”

Any changes a person makes in coaching are more likely to have a lasting and meaningful impact when their broader patterns, identity strategies, and socially constructed narratives are addressed (Mattingly, 1998). Ultimately, it is about asking this marvelous question from Lisa Marshall: “What story is worth your life?”

It is an invitation to leave behind what distracts you, drains you, or no longer serves you so you can show up more fully as yourself in doing what matters most in your life and work.

In coaching someone with a strength in love of learning, he came to see how often he over-prepared for meetings (his defense) to avoid his anxiety about being caught off-guard and having to think on his feet (his Shadow).

The smaller triangle at the bottom reflects the fact that all three sets of selves are available and influential in each moment. The bidirectional arrows reflect the fact that each of the three influences the other two. For example, a coachee feels unfulfilled in his current job (lived self) in large part because he has been unable to fulfill his d

Narrative coaches invite people to: Experience and reflect on their “movies”. Realize that any story they choose is but one alternative. Explore new stories that will enable them to flourish. Notice old stories in which they are stuck. Reconfigure key elements so they can tell new ones.