Introduction to the three essentials of Clean Language, with demo and activity. Includes references. For coaches, facilitators, trainers, consultants.

1. Revealing Minds With
Clean Language
Judy Rees

2. Clean Language
“If you are in the business of
communication and continuous
improvement, Clean Language is a no-
brainer.”
Simon Coles, Amphora

3. David Snowden
Cynefin Framework

4. © JUDY REES 2018 David Udall
Change Rollercoaster

5. Clean Language
• A precision enquiry methodology
• Optimised for difficult human stuff in
complex situations
• Devised by David Grove (1958 – 2008)

6. “Clean Language” is not:
• Not swearing!
• The software language “Clean”
• Speaking clearly
• but it does help effective
communication
• The NLP concept of the same
name

7. Six Ways To Use Clean Language
1. Harvest known information
2. Explore unknown knowns
3. Shift emotional states
4. Motivate to change
5. Give and get good feedback
6. Enhance relationships

8. The 3 Essentials Of Clean
Language
© JUDY REES 2018

9. The 3 Essentials Of Clean
Language
© JUDY REES 2018

10. Metaphor
• One kind of thing in terms of another
• Native language of the unconscious
mind
• Found in all cultures and languages
• Six per minute in English
• Not only in language: “the stuff of
thought”

11. Metaphor
“Love is like a bottle of gin… but a bottle of
gin is not like love.”
The Magnetic Fields

12. Clean Language and Metaphor
• In many change approaches, the
coach/facilitator supplies the metaphor
• In others, the coach/facilitator actively
seeks or cultivates shared metaphors
• In Clean Language, individuals’ own
unique metaphors are nurtured, shared
and explored

13. When you are working at your best,
you are like… what?
From Caitlin Walker, From Contempt To Curiosity

14. 2 Lazy Jedi Questions
• What kind of X?
• Is there anything else about X?

15. Activity/Demo
• When you are working at your best, you
are like… what?
• Starter question only
• What kind of X?
• Is there anything else about X?
• Use these as often as you like, in any order, about
anything the person said

16. Application Examples
• Antarctica team
• Liverpool John Moore’s University
• Paediatric consultant
• Agile coaches
• Retrospectives
• “Beyond the bubble” communication
…and many others

17. Some Clean-Based Coaching
Models
• Framework for Change
• Symbolic Modelling Lite
• Penny Tompkins and James Lawley
• The Five-Minute Coach
• Lynne Cooper and Mariette Castellino
• One-Minute Motivator
• Marian Way

18. And when all of that, what would you
like to have happen next?
Questions?
What have you learned and how will you use it?

19. Possible Next Steps
• Metaphor Mastery recorded course
• http://bit.ly/metmastery2
• Your Clean Language Questions
Answered
• Free e-book
• http://bit.ly/clqaebook

20. Contact Judy Rees
judy@judyrees.co.uk
+447979 495509
@judyrees