Making sandwiches is a simple way to think about the different ways that I support businesses and teams with their agility, and the different hats that I wear when I’m working with you.
One hat that I might wear is my teacher hat, so my teacher hat would be explaining to you; what is a sandwich, a sandwich has two slices of bread and it has a filling. Historically sandwiches might be large doorstep sandwiches. You can get different types of sandwiches. I might teach you about the doorstep sandwich or little finger sandwiches. I’m teaching you the theory and the facts of what a sandwich is and the basics of how to make one.
With my training hat on I’m going to show you how to make a sandwich. I will be with you and I’ll be demonstrating and helping and training you to to make a sandwich and you’ll make one too, we’ll do it together. We will get two bits of bread, put some butter on them, add the filling and now we’ll test that out. So training often involves a degree of testing and validation to say yeah I’ve I’ve done that. I’ve made a sandwich and I’ve tested that sandwich and the sandwich is good.
When I have my facilitation hat you want to make a sandwich and I’m going to facilitate that process for you so as a facilitator I’ll be talking to you about the process rather the content so I’ll be managing the timing, the materials that you need, and guiding you through the process. Facilitating the process of you making a sandwich, so I’m supplying the materials and the environment that you need to get the job done.
Next up is advising, so if I’m advising you on making a sandwich then I’ll be saying, “okay so given what requirements you have given me, I believe these are your three best options on what sandwich to make and how to make it.
If you want to know which option I think you should take, I will take off my advisory hat and put on my consultant hat. I will tell you which sandwich you should make and make it for you.
With my coaching hat on I will be helping you to work out for yourself which type of sandwich you would like and how to make it. I may wear my other hats to help inform your decision. I might help you review your sandwich decision making and options. Is there anything that you might improve next time, helping you to reflect and improve on the sandwiches that you’ve been making. I’m not telling you what to do I’m not teaching you anything I’m asking you powerful coaching questions that really help you to work out for yourself how to make the best sandwich for you and how to improve it each time you make it.
When I put on my mentoring hat in terms of sandwiches then I would be sharing experiences and stories of sandwiches I have made, and my understanding of making sandwiches and sharing that with you so that to help inform your decision. I’m sharing my knowledge and my experience to inform your decision.
‘Super’-vision is a form of coaching for coaches and guides. To help improve your support to others making sandwiches, review which hats you wore and raise your self-awareness, where you may have fallen into consulting mode and telling them what to do, rather than coaching them to work it out for themselves. Or where as a facilitator you may have fallen into advising and consulting by contributing content rather than facilitating others to share their thoughts and input. Or where you put your mentor hat on and told a great story that really helped someone to reflect on their own scenario from a new perspective.
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