When to Use the "Meta-View" Method in Coaching

Sooner or later in the coaching process there comes a time when the client starts going in circles or simply doesn’t know which step to take next. In circumstances like this, the method called “meta-view” comes in handy and I believe each coach should have it as part of their “tool box”.

“Meta-view” is a symbolic view from “high above”, whether it is from an airplane, helicopter, the top of a mountain, or just a platform. When using this method, the coach invites the clients to look at their situation from a higher perspective, turning their attention to the “bigger picture” of their lives, rather than the obstacles obvious at that moment.

This exercise is very useful in any coaching process. Firstly, it gives the clients the opportunity to try something new. Secondly, the clients can fully experience the benefits of coaching – because this sort of exercise is exactly what can make a difference in any client’s life! (It is not usual for people who have not been through coaching to use a method like this in their everyday lives!)

Thirdly, the clients can appreciate the work of their coach, who understands that now is the right moment to steer the clients away from the nitty-gritty of their daily life and focus instead on what really matters to them in the long-term and what their true goals and desires are.

It is easy to get engrossed in heavy thoughts under the burden of everyday life but the ability to soar above that all and see all the connections that make our life what it is, and what can make it different and better, is the true benefit here. To top it all, once the method gets tried in coaching, the client can keep using it in later life, whenever needed.