One the advantages of being a coach and a facilitator is that we seek, and then experience moments where something clicks in the heads of our coachees or participants in our meetings. From one moment to the other, people suddenly have a realization, change their mindset, or the way they see an event or a problem. I am always how such change is sudden even if it took very significant time to come to this point.
It is actually quite amazing and humbling at the same time to witness these sudden changes of state. Of course we are here to provoke these changes (without necessarily trying to impose an answer, as in coaching), and it is always fascinating and exhilarating to reach that moment where there is a significant shift in the person.
Recently I was facilitating a workshop where part of the audience was very entrenched in its understanding of a problem and its conviction in a particular solution, and the objective was to show them that there could be other alternatives and other ways to look at their problem. It took time but finally it clicked. Suddenly, at the occasion of a break, the mood and the mindset changed.
When it happens, some people will readily admit that they changes their point of view; some others will be defensively mumbling and you might need to leave some time for them to admit the change. Yet, every time, the change is visible and can be noted in time.
We should not fear change. It is very possible we change our opinion very suddenly. Let’s not be surprised and confused. It is the way we change most of the time: through a sudden realization.
