What if Countries Were People?

Have you ever wondered what would happen if the countries of the world were people, and they came for coaching?. (Probably not , but humour me anyway, on this one. )

Anyway, I got to thinking about the question of countries-as-coaching-clients, for one specific reason. In coaching, people often have a great moment of breakthorough when they realise that they need to do something different. Or, to put it another, if more cliched, way, that, “if they carry on doing what they’ve always done, they’ll carry on getting what they’ve always got”.

I’m thinking specifically with this about the UK, and the, “interesting,” economic decisions made therein at the moment. Now, if you’re a regular reader of these posts (and thank you, if you are, by the way) you’ll know that I’m not an economist. or even vaguely good at maths. But even I know that if throwing billions of pounds at a problem hasn’t worked so far, then repeating the same action (ie doing what you’ve always done) isn’t likely to work either.

The trouble is, countries are not people. People are innately resourceful, always know, deep down, what their best course of action is, and once they’ve decided to change, can take action quickly.

So maybe the question is, “How can we imbue our countries with more of the characteristics of individuals, and help the innate resourcefulness and innovation that each of us has, shine through, and take pressure off, beleagured leaders?”

I have no answers, by the way. But coaches know that, if you ask the right questions, clients themselves can always access their own best answers.

Perhaps it can still be so with countries, too.