“Try to be simple in everything. Drop all complexities and then many things will follow spontaneously. If you are simple you cannot lie because a lie can never be simple; it has to be complicated. The very nature of a lie has to be complex. Only truth can be simple.” -Osho

The dictionary meaning of “simple” is easy to understand, plain without anything extra or unnecessary.

Think of two identical rooms. One is full of furniture and the other is simple, having just a few objects. If you have lost something in these rooms, in which room will it take you less time to complete your search and find what you are looking for?

Imagine that our minds resemble a room. When we chose to talk simple, without anything extra or unnecessary, we cleanse our mind. Then, we can easily find what we are looking for. The solution will be easily visible. Simplicity and focus require sacrifice – the sacrifice of all the other things you could be saying. Simple is good because it is hard to miss.

Choosing simplicity in our talk, gives us clarity and it is also time saving.

So, when do we create complexity? Mainly in two situations:

• When we cannot see the solution because of our thinking habits: Some people are lost in the details and do not know how to think simple.
• When we do not want to see the solution: We avoid seeing the reality and live in denial out of fear. We might be escaping from the reality. Simplicity breaks this denial, clears the unnecessary and helps us to see the things from a different perspective.

When we miss the big picture and focus on the details of the problem, we create complexity. As a result, we get lost. We forget our priorities. We miss to see the simple solution.

In one of the books of the Adventures of Tintin series, Captain Haddock finds himself face to face with his old enemy Captain Allan. Allan has the Haddock locked in a cabin overnight, and leaves him with a question to ponder: “Do you sleep with your beard under or over the cover?” Wrangling over the question leaves Captain, as his enemy predicted, unable to sleep. After long hours, he finally falls asleep when he realizes that it is a summer night and there is no need to use a cover.

As above, if we miss the big picture, we create complexity and find ourselves in a hard-to-solve puzzle. Captain managed to relieve after he changed his zoom level. He looked at the situation from a higher perspective: “Do I need it?”

There are many times in our lives when we miss to see a simple solution.

Sometimes, people ask us yes-no questions. We make huge explanations and at the end, we even forget to give an answer. We develop habits for doing something. Then we hardly challenge or question that habit if we can do it in a simpler way.

As Albert Einstein said, “Anyone who really understands his work should be able to explain it to an eight-year-old”. The opposite is also true, if the client is able to tell “his story” to an eight year old, it means that he has a clear understanding of what is going on. The simpler it is, the more understandable it becomes for the client himself as well.

As Edward de Bono said, “Dealing with complexity is an inefficient and unnecessary waste of time, attention and mental energy. There is never any justification for things being complex when they could be simple”.

A coaching session during which we encourage simplicity becomes time efficient. It consumes less mental energy and brings clarity for both parties. It helps the coach to create more “Aha!” moments for the client.

Creating simplicity for the client

The client creates complexity when he:

• Starts telling his story but as he talks, he forgets where he is coming from,
• Tells about many things but gives no answer to the question,
• Adds irrelevant details to the story,
• Keeps repeating himself.

In these cases the coach might interrupt the client politely, focusing on the need of using the time more efficiently. Then the coach might:

• Ask the client to summarize the whole story in one sentence.
• Ask the client to group the problems,
• Ask the client “What is the question whose answer you are looking for?”
• Speed up the client by asking “So, what is the conclusion?”
• Ask the client to summarize by saying: “So, what do you see here?”
• Identify the similar patterns in the story and reflect it to the client,
• Try to identify the real feelings and the needs of the client.

Imagine that the client is lost and trying to orientate himself in life. He is trying to find the answers to the questions “Where am I now? Where do I want to go from here?” He is looking at the Google maps and his zoom level is 18 where he sees himself stuck between the buildings and the streets. He does not even know which city he is in.

The coach’s first duty here is to lead the client to zoom out and help him identify where he is. When the client zooms out, if he is familiar with the environment, then he can locate himself, which city he is in. If he is not familiar, then keep zooming out till he sees the planet as a dot. He is now focused to the big picture. At this time, the client’s an-hour-long-story is cut to a single sentence. Also, since he knows where he is now, he is at a point to choose where to go from here.

Below, you will see different client talks on different zoom levels. Please read each case, from top to bottom.

Client Talk Case 1

Zoom Level 3 – (Story phase – Complexity)

She said bla-bla, I said bla-bla. She said bla-bla, I said bla-bla.

Zoom Level 2 – (Grouping phase – Clarity)

I am angry with her/him.

Zoom Level 1 – (Reality phase – Simplicity)

I am angry with someone.

Client Talk Case 2

Zoom Level 3 – (Story phase – Complexity)

This happened, that happened, this happened, etc.

Zoom Level 2 – (Grouping phase – Clarity)

Many things happened.

Zoom Level 1 – (Reality phase – Simplicity)

I am confused. (or) I am hurt. (or) I am tired.

The more you change the zoom level of the client, the more he gets out of the story where he is stuck. The aim here is to change the zoom level as much as possible so that the client is free from all the prejudice coming from the event or the person in the story. For instance, if the client sees the situation as “I am angry with someone” instead of “I am angry with her”, then he can take a less prejudiced action.

During the coaching session, it is not only the client whom you ask a question. When you start asking yourself “What is the client telling me?” you start changing your zoom level as well as the client’s. This question will bring simplicity to the session.

When you reach Zoom Level 1, the point of simplicity, you can ask the client a call-to-action question. This will help the client to identify the direction of the next move. For instance, “What can you do when you are angry with someone?” As a coach, you can even create an action plan with the client from this point.