1. TM © inspiration365 LtdJanuary 2014 Use of perception in coaching to help managers/leaders achieve their goals and be more perceptive Fiona Williams coach and mentor at inspiration365 Ltd Oxford Brookes University 10th Annual Coaching and Mentoring Research Conference

2. TM © inspiration365 LtdJanuary 2014 Setting the scene "I see nobody on the road", said Alice. "I only wish I had such eyes", the King remarked in a fretful tone. "To be able to see Nobody! And at that distance, too! Why, it's as much as I can do to see real people, by this light." (Carroll, Through the Looking Glass)

3. TM © inspiration365 LtdJanuary 2014 Adelson, Checker Shadow Illusion. Available from: Perception: complex, debated & unknowns

4. TM © inspiration365 LtdJanuary 2014 Initial coaching themes developed External FocusInternal FocusPerceptual Filters Drawing Together What are we sensing - external events, people, environment? Meaning of perception What are we sensing internally? What are our internal thoughts, meaning making? What are our internal filters to perception? How do we perceive ourselves? How can we draw together and action what we've learnt on perception? As underpinned by literature review Strengthening crucial skills Moving away from grey Emotional intelligence Reducing perceptual filters e.g. listeninge.g. soft thinking (Claxton) e.g. facial language (Ekman) e.g. self- deception (Bachkirova)

5. TM © inspiration365 LtdJanuary 2014 Methodology 3 Action cyclesManagers/leaders (co-researchers) Direct contact hours Thematic analysis 742 lots

6. TM © inspiration365 LtdJanuary 2014 There's more to perception than I thought… Co-researcher: "…you all know the theory of the different senses of perceptions but I wasn't really conscious of the signals, um, that I could pick up on or the effect that they could have" Mezirow (in Fostering Critical Reflections in Adulthood) "habits of expectation that constitute our frame of reference"

7. TM © inspiration365 LtdJanuary 2014 Joining the dots Co-researcher: "…I think I feel much more comfortable now with my preferred working style that can be appreciated by other people so I'm not trying to change or assume I had to adopt certain, different behaviours. So that's been a big shift which will be very helpful for me in the future" Beliefs held which defined co-researcher’s sense of self and acted as conditioning perceptual filters (Bachkirova, Developmental Coaching)

8. TM © inspiration365 LtdJanuary 2014 Flying by the seat of one’s pants Action research was messy (Herr and Anderson, The Action Research Dissertation)

9. TM © inspiration365 LtdJanuary 2014 Conclusion Themed coaching approach helped co- researchers achieve their coaching goals / synthesise learning and be more perceptive Perception: valuable coaching topic and seemingly, in part, a mechanism for change Apt for all managers/leaders at all times? (limitations/further research) Transferable to other coaching practices via Perception's Prism TM and more…

10. TM © inspiration365 LtdJanuary 2014 Perception’s Prism TM 1

11. TM © inspiration365 LtdJanuary 2014 Perception’s Prism TM 2 Perceiving stuff 1 How do you read other people? How do you take in external info.? 2 Sensory inputs? Intuition? Picking-up body language? Mindfulness, meditation, focusing Illusions 3Filters to perception, being perceived, self-perception 4Ekman, Emotions Revealed. Claxton, 'Beyond Cleverness: How to be Smart Without Thinking'. In: Henry (ed.) Creative Management and Development Perception theme 1Opening inter- vention 2Areas to explore 3Links to other themes 4Some liter- ature links Filters to perception 1 What assumptions are you making? 2 What is another perspective of X? What assumptions are relevant now? Influencing beliefs? Culture? What are clients avoiding talking about? 3Self-perception, perceiving stuff, being perceived 4Bachkirova, Developmental Coaching

12. TM © inspiration365 LtdJanuary 2014 Perception’s Prism TM 3 Perception theme 1Opening inter- vention 2Areas to explore 3Links to other themes 4Some liter- ature links Self-perception 1 How do you describe yourself? I noticed/heard/sensed you saying… 2 How would someone else see you? Self-perception of emotions (emotional competence)? 3Filters to perception, being perceived 4Harter, The Construction of the Self Being perceived 1 How do you think other people perceive you? How do you want to influence others? 2 Personal branding 3Filters to perception, self- perception, perceiving stuff (esp. other people) 4Trichas and Schyns (2012) 'The face of leadership: Perceiving leaders from facial expression', The Leadership Quarterly. Vol. 23, No. 3

13. TM © inspiration365 LtdJanuary 2014 Questions

14. TM © inspiration365 LtdJanuary 2014 Final thoughts… Why not explore perception and ask yourself: how do I perceive? A seemingly simple question yet I wonder where the question will take you. Feel free to let me know… Fiona Williams Twitter: twitter.com/fionacoachtwitter.com/fionacoach LinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/fionawilliamsuk.linkedin.com/in/fionawilliams Website: www.inspiration365.org.ukwww.inspiration365.org.uk