What do you do if your personal coaching clients exhibit cognitive biases?

Help them see things differently. Teach them about these biases and guide them to think more objectively. Encourage them to question their assumptions and consider other viewpoints. Use methods backed by evidence to help them challenge these biases and think more logically. Keep supporting them as they work on changing their thinking habits.

By fostering an environment of curiosity and non-judgment, you can guide clients to become more aware of their cognitive biases through self-reflection. One effective technique is the Thought Exploration Process from the Cognitive Hypnotic Coaching Approach. This involves guiding the client into a relaxed state and then exploring their thoughts and beliefs related to a specific situation or decision. Using Meta Model Questions and metaphors, you can help them uncover any underlying biases or distortions in their thinking.

Reflect on instances where personal biases may have influenced your decisions or perceptions without you realizing it. Consider how acknowledging and accepting your biases can lead to more objective and effective decision-making processes.

The first step towards any type of change is awareness. Help your clients see where they are holding biases and how those biases may be adversely affecting them. Then show them new ways of thinking along with insights on how that new way could benefit them an help them move forward with their goals and dreams. Recognizing a bias in and of itself is not enough if the client believes the bias to be a "truth". We all have certain paradigms we operate by and it's only when challenge the truth of those paradigms that a new way of thinking can emerge.

Our roles as personal coaches and some of the most effective ways to helping clients realize improvements is through allowing them to come to awareness and conclusions largely through their own journey. Cognitive biases play a large role in our internal stories, identities and belief systems. Guiding clients through a process of educating them on bias and the role it plays, the impact it has had in their lives and finally developing options to develop new viewpoints is key to bringing about change. Questioning in a non-threatening environment is a great way to facilitate this.

Ponder the impact of educating clients about cognitive biases on their ability to navigate challenges and make sound decisions. Explore how helping clients understand their biases can empower them to take control of their thought processes and actions.

This ties in with my comment above in that educating your client on how their bias is affecting them in relation to what they're hoping to achieve can make the difference in whether they are able to transform their thinking or stay where they are. By educating your client you give them the information they need to understand the "why" behind the change or transformation you're helping them achieve.

The best way I've found to help people challenge their own viewpoint is by using the 6-hat approach. When you try on each hat you are only allowed to view things from that perspective. WHITE - Logic. Deal in nothing but facts and data. RED - Emotion. How does it make you feel? BLACK - Critic. Play Devil's Advocate, what could go wrong? Why won't it work? YELLOW - Optimism. What could go right? Benefits? GREEN - Creativity. Is there a new angle you haven't considered yet? BLUE - Manager. Listen to all the other hats, think big picture and make decisions. You'll be surprised what this activity opens up for people.

Contemplate the significance of challenging conventional thinking patterns and beliefs to foster personal growth and innovation. Reflect on the discomfort and resistance that may arise when confronting deeply ingrained beliefs and how overcoming these challenges can lead to breakthroughs.

Powerful questions lead to powerful conversation. Engage your client in questions that force them to question their own belief and go deeper into why they think that way to being with. Offer alternative ways of looking at the same situation and ask them to role play to identify with different perspectives. So much of our thinking is habitual. By helping them break the habit of being themselves as Dr. Joe Dispenza would say, you help them open the door to a new reality.

This is the crux of transformation in coaching. Different perspectives allow clients to see different options. And when they have different options and perspectives, they are able to feel more resourceful. An exercise I like to use employs a similar concept taught in Jungian philosophy using archetypes. These have been expanded to 12 different types and allow clients to take on different perspectives to a challenge. Ruler Creator/artist Sage Innocent Explorer Rebel Hero Wizard Jester Everyman Lover Caregiver These can be adapted to the specific situation or even transposed with people from the client's life situation.

Awareness and education without implementation are meaningless. I personally love to walk through potential scenarios with my clients and then have them reframe their perspective and their response based on their new way of thinking. The more you can see where you can do things differently, the more likely you are to follow through.

Consider the importance of developing practical strategies to address cognitive biases in various aspects of life and decision-making. Reflect on the effectiveness of implementing personalized strategies tailored to each client's unique biases and circumstances.

Oftentimes this is the difference between coaching and therapy - actionable lessons. Skillful coaches allow the client to develop multiple options and come up with the one or ones that will be most effective for them = better client 'buy-in'

One powerful mindfulness technique from the Cognitive Hypnotic Coaching Approach is the Mindful Observation Exercise. This involves guiding the client into a relaxed state and then directing their attention to their thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations without judgment. As they observe their internal experiences, you can help them notice any cognitive biases or distortions that arise, such as catastrophizing or black-and-white thinking.

Explore how cultivating mindfulness can enhance self-awareness and help individuals recognize and manage their cognitive biases in real-time. Reflect on the role of mindfulness in promoting clarity of thought, emotional regulation, and conscious decision-making amidst distractions and biases.

Ponder the value of regular self-reflection as a means of identifying and addressing cognitive biases over time. Consider how integrating reflective practices into daily routines can promote continuous learning, growth, and refinement of decision-making skills.

Regular reflection and self-analysis is critical to maintaining a new way of thinking. Change doesn't occur overnight, the same way your old way of thinking was in essence a practiced way of being, your new way of thinking will also require practice so it can replace the old thinking and become your standard way of thinking.

Regular self-reflection is key in all areas of our lives. Find what works best - journaling, conversations, even coaching sessions. This really helps cement learnings and keep them in front of the client so the practice can continue until habituated.

When personal coaching clients exhibit cognitive biases, critical considerations include fostering self-awareness about biases, employing evidence-based strategies for unbiased decision-making, incorporating diverse perspectives, and promoting a growth mindset to challenge fixed beliefs and assumptions.

As a coach, it's essential to approach this process of addressing cognitive biases with patience and compassion, recognizing that biases are a natural part of human cognition and that change often occurs gradually. One effective approach is to incorporate these techniques into your coaching sessions regularly, rather than treating them as one-off exercises. By consistently guiding your clients through processes like mindful observation, belief restructuring, and cognitive restructuring, you can help them develop a deeper awareness of their biases and build the mental habits necessary to counteract them.

It's imperative to first reflect on and recognize their bias. However just as important is the second step of exploring the impact that their bias has on both themselves and the people around them. It's through this very essential second step that awareness is developed. Once explored, we move into challenging the assumption and developing a more flexible mindset.