The Six Lenses of Coaching

Inquiry

Change Management

The lens of inquiry invites questions that are equally important as the
answers. Many questions from multiple perspectives need to be asked
to define a problem and thereby define a solution.
The way we pose the question determines the nature of the
answer.
The way the problem is defined dictates how we define the
solution.
The questions that are asked are as important as the answers we
find.
People can create their own knowledge and solutions.
Difficult problems can be addressed.
Some questions to ask from the lens of Inquiry perspective viewpoint:
1. Who is defining the problem? Whose question is this?
2. What data do we have on this problem? What problems do that
data say we should address?
3. Is this a question I really care about? Who does care about this
question?
4. From what perspective am I seeing this? What other
perspectives would help me understand this?
5. How is this connected to other things?
The change management lens enables people to first consider how
changes could be made. It makes one look at conditions that need to be
present to cause change such as incentives, resources, vision, and clear
action plans.
Some assumptions of the Lens of Change Management are:
Beneficial change is possible
Conditions and strategies can be manipulated to get the system
to produce different outcomes
Change can be studied, understood, and influenced
Analysis of conditions for change is necessary for effective
implementation
Certain elements need to be present for successful change to
occur: leadership, vision, skills, incentives, resources, a clear
plan of action
People need to have the will, skill, knowledge, and capacity to
change
Some questions to ask from the Change Management Lens are:
1. What are the conditions for change here?
2. What are the strengths that can be built on? What's working?
3. Where are the opportunities for leveraging change? What
threats to change are present?
4. What is the vision people are working toward here?
5. What skills are required of people to achieve the vision? What
knowledge is necessary?

Systems Thinking

Adult Learning

6. Do people have the skills and knowledge necessary to

implement change?
7. Does the will for change exist here? Where?
8. What incentives are in place for people to change? To improve
their practice?
9. What resources are available to support change?
The lens of systems thinking causes one to analyze the complex
systems within a school and how they are all interrelated.
Some assumptions of the Lens of Systems thinking are:
What we observe, whatever is happening in this moment, is
exactly what is supposed to happen in the system as it is
Everything we observe is the result of a complex set of
interactions
We must seek to understand these interactions in order to
intervene effectively to change them
Process and product are part of the same whole
Conflict and tension are necessary and natural
Complexity and diversity are good, healthy things
All energy moves in cycles
Some questions to ask from the Lens of Systems Thinking are:
1. How is the current system designed to produce these results?
2. Why did that happen?
3. What happens when this happens? What happens when that
happens? What are the relationships between things here?
4. Where is the energy here? Where are the stuck points?
5. If I do this here, what will happen over here?
The Lens of Adult Learning puts the learning in the hands of the
learners. Adults need some control over what, who, how, why, and
where of learning and they need to apply the learning quickly.
Some assumptions of the Lens of Adult learning are:
Problems of change are problems of learning
People can only be where they are
Every human being is on a path from one place to another,
and it is important to find out both where people have been and
where they're going
We all enter the work of equity and justice from very different
starting points
If you don't acknowledge progress, you lose people's trust
Adults have had a lot of life experiences that affect how they
continue to learn
Adults must feel safe to learn
Adults want to be the origin of their own learning; they want to
control certain aspects of it
Adults want and need feedback

Systemic Oppression

Some questions to ask from the Lens of Adult Learning are:

1. What is the goal or objective?
2. What came before?
3. What is the gap between the goal and what is?
4. What progress has been made?
5. Is there evidence of prior learning?
6. Does the will for learning exist?
The Lens of Systemic Oppression looks at oppression applied through
systems and structures such as economic, social and racial structures.
Some of assumptions of the Lens of Systemic Oppression are:
Oppression and injustice are human creations and can
therefore be undone
Systemic oppression exists and negatively affects relationships
and the educational process in multiple ways
Oppression and systematic mistreatment (such as racism,
classism, sexism, and homophobia) are more than just the sum
of individual prejudices
Systemic oppression has historical antecedents; it is an
intentional disempowering of groups of people based on their
identity to maintain an unequal power structure that subjugates
one group over another
Systemic oppression manifests in economic, political, social,
and cultural systems
Systemic oppression and its effects can be undone through
recognition of inequitable patterns and intentional action to
interrupt inequity and create more democratic processes and
systems supported by multicultural, multilingual alliances and
partnerships
Discussing and addressing oppression and bias will usually be
accompanied by strong emotions
Some questions to ask from the Lens of Systemic Oppression are:
1. Who is at the table? Who isn't?
2. Who has power here? What is that power based on here?
3. How are power relations affecting the truth that is told and
constructed at any given moment?
4. Where and how does each person locate herself in a
conversation?
5. How are oppression, internalized oppression, and transferred
oppression playing out right here, right now? (In this school,
group, organization, or district?)
6. How safe is it here for different people to share their truths?
7. Does the truth telling connect to shared purposes and
commitments for action?
8. How can I build the alliances here to move forward?

Emotional Intelligence

9. How is leadership constructed here? What forms does it take?

Who is missing?
10. What can we do to make room for different cultural
constructions of leadership?
11. How do I understand my practice as an antiracist, antibias
educator, given my differences from and similarities to my
colleagues? To the people I am serving?
12. How can I build my practice as a leader for equity starting with
who I am and what I bring because of who I am?
The Lens of Emotional Intelligence reveals ones capacity to identify,
assess, and control ones emotions and those of other individuals and
groups.
Some assumptions of the Lens of Emotional Intelligence are:
We are all born with a certain level of emotional intelligence,
and we can also develop these skills and capacities
The emotional intelligence of a leader is a primary act of
leadership
There are four areas of emotional intelligence: self-awareness,
self-management, social awareness, and relationship
management
An effective leader can speak about her emotions, welcomes
feedback, and knows when she needs help
An effective leader manages her emotions by demonstrating
self-control and by being clear about her beliefs and actions
Adaptability and flexibility are indicators of high emotional
intelligence
A high degree of emotional resiliency is an indicator of
emotional intelligence; an effective leader sees adversity as
opportunity
Demonstrating empathy is an expression of social awareness
Organizational awareness and an understanding of power
relationships are indicators of emotional intelligence
Managing relationships between people is the skill of an
emotionally intelligent leader
Some questions to ask through the Lens of Emotional Intelligence are:
Self-awareness:
1. When does he recognize how his feelings are affecting him at
work? How does he speak about his feelings?
2. When does he recognize his limits and strengths?
3. How does he invite or welcome feedback?
4. Is he aware of the times when he needs help?
Self-Management:
5. How does she respond to disturbing emotions?
6. How does she manage high stress?
7. Is she clear about her feelings, beliefs, and actions? Can she

admit her mistakes or faults?

8. How does she adapt to new challenges?
9. Does she welcome or create new opportunities? Or does she
usually wait for them?
10. How does she deal with changes and setbacks?
Social Awareness
11. Can he sense the unspoken emotions in a person or group?
12. Can he detect social networks and key power relationships?
How does he recognize political forces in an organization?
13. How does he cultivate an emotional climate that ensures that
people are getting what they need? How does he monitor the
satisfaction of those he serves?
Relationship Management
14. Does she create resonance and move people with a compelling
vision or shared mission? If so, how?
15. How does she model what she wants from others?
16. How does she try to appeal to different stakeholders? How does
she try to enroll key people?
17. When does she seem to be genuinely interested in developing
her people? How does she learn about their goals, strengths, and
areas for growth? When does she give feedback? Is it useful and
well received?
18. When does she recognize the need for a change and aim for
transformation? When does she strongly advocate for change,
even in the face of opposition? How does she find practical
ways to overcome barriers to change?
19. When there's a conflict, how does she understand different
perspectives? How does she surface the conflicts, acknowledge
views from all sides, and then redirect the energy toward a
shared ideal?
20. In what ways does she model respect, concern, and
collaboration? How does she build relationships, identity, and
spirit?