What's Next?
Finding hope in chaos seems an appropriate exploration of the world that has me pondering, “what’s next?” I admit that recent national and global events have left me feeling somewhat down.
To combat that feeling of hopelessness, I decided to return to significant coaching concepts – puzzles, problems, mysteries, and locus of control.
Dr. William Bergquist first introduced me to these concepts in graduate school. He proposes three types of issues that must be addressed in mentor coach engagements – puzzles, problems, and mysteries. I suggest that these three concepts along with locus of control is especially apropos for living and being present in the world today.
Dr. Bergquist describes puzzles as everyday issues with relatively easily solvable solutions. The parameters are clear – such as changing a project due date.
In organizations and life, easily solvable puzzles have a quick fix, aren’t terribly complicated and once done, are done.
He identifies problems as placing more cognitive demands on us as there are less simple solutions. Problems (like a beach ball) have many different colors – diverse points of views - we are all looking through our life lens. Think of a large family system trying to make a vacation decision with all family members getting their needs met.
In mysteries, Dr. Bergquist defines one of their main distinguishing characteristics as being beyond rational comprehension and resolution. Depending on our individual perspective, we often look to a higher power to help us find a way to make sense of incomprehensible acts. In today’s world, I know I am finding myself frequently trying to make sense out of the senselessness.
So I turn to the locus of control as a way to maintain balance and bring hope to the day to day. Locus of Control has two components – that within our influence or control and that that isn’t. As Dr. Bergquist notes, we perceive mysteries as taking place outside our sphere of control or influence, an external locus of control. With puzzles we perceive them to be under our control or influence, an internal locus of control. Problems on the other hand are those complex mixtures of controllable and uncontrollable occasions. A vital distinction here is our ability to recognize what is in our control and what isn’t or what is a blend of both.
As I write this blog surrounded by the beauty of the Rocky Mountains, I am sadly aware of the deadly shootings in Munich, an event very much out of my immediate locus of control. What is within my control however is staying calm and focused on my nephew’s upcoming mountain wedding as they commit their hope for a bright future together. So, with a heavy heart, I let go and lean on something bigger than me to guide me in this world of many mysteries.
