This document provides 5 tips for systems psychodynamic coaching: 1) Use client emotions as valuable data, 2) Pay attention to how the personal, role, and organizational aspects of a client intersect, 3) Work to uncover issues below the surface that clients may be unaware of, 4) Have courageous conversations to address difficult topics, and 5) Coach at the client's pace and in a way that supports their expertise. It also advertises an upcoming executive coaching program that uses this approach.

1. 5
top
tips
to
Systems
Psychodynamic
Coaching

2. A
systems
psychodynamic
approach…
…allows
coaches
to
work
at
depth,
to
tackle
the
hard
to
reach
issues
that
are
limiting
the
performance
of
organisations,
teams
and
leaders.
This
method
of
executive
coaching
is
often
necessary
to
uncover
‘what’s
really
going
on’
and
here
we
share
our
five
top
tips
to
working
successfully
with
this
approach.

3. Emotion
is
Data
• People
are
often
encouraged
to
leave
emotions
to
one
side
and
trained
to
work
with
purely
logic.
But
work
can
evoke
irrational
feelings.
• Emotions
are
the
undertow
at
work
and
if
left
unattended,
can
trip
us
up
in
the
most
unexpected
ways.
• Our
Advice:
Use
the
‘emotions’
you
experience
in
the
room
with
a
client
to
inform
your
work
-­‐
they
are
a
communication
that
needs
attention.

4. Remember
the
Person,
Role
and
Organisation
Triangle
• As
systems
psychodynamic
coaches
the
PRO
Model
is
a
crucial
part
of
of
our
coaching
work
with
clients.
• ‘Small
talk’
or
other
forms
of
personal
material
might
shed
light
on
the
current
situation
that
a
client
has
sought
coaching
to
address.
• Our
Advice:
Always
link
the
‘personal’
back
to
the
role,
organisation
and
even
the
context
of
the
referral.
Pay
attention
to
‘small
talk’:
holiday
plans,
difficulties
at
home,
historical
autobiographical
information…

5. Working
Below
the
Surface
• Whilst
concrete,
visible
and
factual
information
is
important.
What
is
also
vital
is
the
more
difficult
to
access
material.
• As
systems
psychodynamic
coaches
we
work
with
the
metaphor
of
the
iceberg
to
draw
our
attention
to
a
client’s
blind
spots.
• Our
Advice:
Through
your
coaching
journey
work
to
uncover
the
area
that
is
unknown
to
the
client
and
unknown
to
others.
Johari
window
Known
to
self
Not
known
to
self
Known
to
others
Open Blind
Not
known
to
others
Hidden Unknown

6. Have
courageous
conversations
• It’s
often
the
conversations
that
seem
to
be
the
hardest
to
have
that
are
the
most
important
to
have
with
clients.
• Clients
often
come
to
coaching
because
of
a
systematic
turning
away
from
the
difficult
to
grasp
conversations.
• Our
Advice:
Handle
courageous
conversations
sensitively
and
carefully
consider
their
timing
and
pace.
If
handled
well,
they
can
lead
to
creative
outcomes.

7. Coach
as
accompanist
• The
coach
serves
the
client.
The
coachee
is
the
expert
in
terms
of
the
organisation
and
culture
–
our
job
is
to
help
them
harness
their
expertise
in
a
way
that
works
for
them.
• Our
Advice:
Work
at
your
client’s
pace
and
hold
onto
the
idea
that
if
there
was
a
simple
solution,
the
client
would
have
found
it.

8. Executive
Coaching
programme
starts
May
2016
• Tavistock
Consulting
is
running
a
systems
psychodynamic
Executive
Coaching
programme
that
is
accredited
by
the
European
Mentoring
and
Coaching
Council
(EMCC)
at
senior
practitioner
level.
• Click
here
for
further
details
on
the
programme
and
course
open
evenings.