Using Visualization in Business Coaching

(Design Thinking Assignment – by Vipan Rashmi)

Challenge

I have recently started practicing business coaching for young entrepreneurs as a full-time  career after almost 27 years of corporate software professional experience. During my  coaching sessions with young entrepreneurs, it has always been challenging to understand  their vision, product roadmap and business plan as nothing is ever documented. All the  ideas and plans are in their head and every time I meet them, I used to get a different  version of it.

Selection

After the Design Thinking lecture of Module 1, I decided to implement visualization technique  in my coaching sessions to make it more effective. I started using “In-Time Timeline”, “cross- road” and “future visual” to pen down their ideas and plan. I picked the “In-Time Timeline”  tool so that I could visually make them traverse time to get better understanding of their  business plan and product roadmap. I used “cross-road” to put their various options before  taking a decision. I also use “future visual” way of visualization for them to imagine a live  event happening after a year that gives them maximum happiness and satisfaction (like  giving a speech after winning a trophy/award, spending time with family at a hill top resort,  opening a new office, etc.). These tools were selected so that I could go back to these  visuals to arrive at a common meeting point.

Application

Let me share three examples where I applied these tools. In first case, I asked the 2 co- founders in a coaching session, to draw their business plan for a year. I used “future visual”  and asked them to visualize where they would be, how they would be feeling, what would be  their customer saying about them, what would be market talking about them, how much  revenue they would be having after a year. As they started talking, I kept on documenting  the points on the timeline. I asked them to keep that visual picture in their head that will  always inspire them.

In second case, I asked my coachee to visualize a meeting with his client – I asked him to  visualize the room, the chair, table, clothes, smell, temperature, etc during the meeting –  then visualize the discussion. I kept on documenting and drawing on paper as he spoke.

In third instance, there were 2 founders and were not clear of the direction to move the  company – they had to choose from designing new product feature, go for angel funding,  develop skills in team, or a mix of any two. I used “cross road” picture and drew a road, drew  2 people walking on it and reaching a “cross-road” that had 4 possible directions to take.  Using that picture, we discussed about the path to choose that would finally lead them to the  final destination.

Needless to say, at the end of these sessions, the founders, in all 3 cases, were very  pleased with the outcome as they could visually recollect the discussion!!

Insight

I realized that visualization is a great tool to be used in coaching as coaching is also about  energizing your right brain. As a coach also, we need to ask powerful questions, we need to

be patient and empathetic, should be able to connect the dots, etc. just like it’s mentioned in  this course. I have bought Professor Daniel H. Pink’s book “A Whole New Mind” and will use  insights from it as well as visualization tool more in my coaching sessions.

Also, I see visualization can be applied more broadly in any situation where I have to explain  my point of view or understand others viewpoint. I plan to use it with my children soon!!

Approach

As an extension of using visualization in coaching, I would be adding story telling in my  coaching session. I plan to use visualization and storytelling together – so for example, after  using the timeline tool for visualizing, then, in the next session I plan to narrate the whole  thing as a movie story - starting with the last scene first and then saying “12 months before”  and just unfold all the events. I think that will bring logic, emotional connection and meaning  in the coaching sessions along with the visual impact. I have not been a good story teller in  my life and it would be good for me learn this skill as well!!

