You can’t think your way out of a problem

Most clients aren’t stuck because they haven’t thought enough. They’re stuck because they’ve thought in the same way over and over, and their brain is protecting that way of thinking. As a result, they analyse, reflect, and plan, yet still remain stuck. This is why coaching the problem often does not lead to meaningful change.

In the second edition of her landmark coaching book, Coach the Person, Not the Problem, MCC Marcia Reynolds explains why this happens:

“We justify our choices instead of questioning them. The brain prefers self-preservation over self-actualization.”

When coaching remains focused on the problem, it stays within the same thinking that created it. Clients may leave with greater clarity, but the coaching remains transactional where the only things that change are goals and steps.

Coaching the person takes a different approach. Rather than sorting through possible solutions to the problem, the focus shifts to how the client thinks about the problem, including how they perceive what they believe are challenges and how they define their own capabilities. This shift is transformational. When clients recognize there is more to the story they were telling about the situation and themselves, the insights that emerge lead to sustainable changes in behavior.

Many coaches understand this distinction in theory, yet in practice, it is easy to be drawn back into problem-focused coaching.

This is where our Coach the Person, Not the Problem Peer Coaching Round comes in. The round is designed to support you in moving from understanding the concept to applying it consistently in your coaching practice. It combines reading the book with structured peer coaching and the opportunity to learn directly from Marcia through a dedicated group mentoring session (available for separate registration – not included in the peer coaching round)

With the release of the newly updated second edition just last month, there is now an opportunity not only to engage with this work for the first time, but also for those already familiar with it to revisit and extend their learning. Drawing on new research and decades of coaching experience, the updated edition offers refined practices, new examples, and deeper guidance for coaching at the identity level.

Across six coaching sessions, you will apply the concepts in practice, working as both coach and client with your partners. Each session is supported by structured debriefing and reflection, helping you recognise when you are coaching at the level of the problem and when you are working more deeply with the person. With permission to record your sessions included, you can further develop your skills by reviewing your own coaching and observing where thinking shifts occur.

You can find more information about the round and read past participant testimonials here. If you are ready to move beyond problem-focused coaching and create more consistent shifts in your clients’ thinking, you can register directly below.

You also have the opportunity to join a separate group mentoring session with Marcia (not included in the peer coaching round), where you can learn from observation, feedback and discussion around recorded and live coaching. Bring your list of questions!

Supporting you in continuing to evolve your coaching,

Kerryn Griffiths, PhD, PCC

Global ReciproCoach Coordinator

Give another coach the opportunity to develop themselves personally and professionally by letting them know about ReciproCoach. As a thanks for helping to grow our community (giving us all more choice for coaching, mentoring and supervision), we’ll reward you.