Helping Heuristics
During the second round, the response pattern is “Guided Discovery”: the coach accepts all offers, guiding inquiry for mutual discoveries (see the Liberating Structure Appreciative Interview).
How to run it
- During every round the person in the role of client shares a challenge he or she is passionate about. While the observer pays close attention, the coach responds in a sequence of patterns that is different for each round as follows.
- During the first round, the response pattern is “Quiet Presence”: the coach accepts all offers with compassionate listening see the Liberating Structure . 2 min.
- During the second round, the response pattern is “Guided Discovery”: the coach accepts all offers, guiding inquiry for mutual discoveries (see the Liberating Structure Appreciative Interview). 2 min.
- Debrief the impact of all four helping patterns as experienced by clients, coaches, and observers. 5 min.
- Based on the debrief, repeat all rounds or only some for all participants to practice various response patterns.
- Reduce/eliminate common errors and traps when people are giving or asking for help
- Encourage people to change roles in each round
- During the first round, the response pattern is “Quiet Presence”: the coach accepts all offers with compassionate listening \see the Liberating Structure . 2 min.
- During the third round, the response pattern is “Loving Provocation”: the coach interjects advice, accepting and blocking as needed when the coach sees something that the client does not see (see the Liberating Structure Troika Consulting). 2 min.
- Helping Heuristics make it possible for them to experience how they can choose to change how they work with others by using a progression of practical methods.
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Prompts to use +
During every round the person in the role of client shares a challenge he or she is passionate about. While the observer pays close attention, the coach responds in a sequence of patterns that is different for each round as follows.
During the second round, the response pattern is “Guided Discovery”: the coach accepts all offers, guiding inquiry for mutual discoveries (see the Liberating Structure Appreciative Interview). 2 min.
Debrief the impact of all four helping patterns as experienced by clients, coaches, and observers. 5 min.
Based on the debrief, repeat all rounds or only some for all participants to practice various response patterns.
During the third round, the response pattern is “Loving Provocation”: the coach interjects advice, accepting and blocking as needed when the coach sees something that the client does not see (see the Liberating Structure Troika Consulting). 2 min.
Helping Heuristics make it possible for them to experience how they can choose to change how they work with others by using a progression of practical methods.
Run this with your AI assistant +
Works with Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, or your own local model: paste this prompt and your AI will co-facilitate this exercise with you.
Adapt this exercise for my exact room. Exercise: Helping Heuristics. Readiness: Publishable Draft. Core moves: During every round the person in the role of client shares a challenge he or she is passionate about. While the observer pays close attention, the coach responds in a sequence of patterns that is different for each round as follows.; During the second round, the response pattern is “Guided Discovery”: the coach accepts all offers, guiding inquiry for mutual discoveries (see the Liberating Structure Appreciative Interview). 2 min.; Debrief the impact of all four helping patterns as experienced by clients, coaches, and observers. 5 min.; Based on the debrief, repeat all rounds or only some for all participants to practice various response patterns.. Return a concise facilitator script with timing, wording, safety notes, and remote/in-person adjustments.
Origin unverified
- Where we observed it: The strongest current observations come from Liberating Structures; aggregators are listed as additional observations, not origin proof. (2 sources observed, including Liberating Structures, SessionLab.)
- What that does and does not claim: we track where an exercise has been seen in public sources. We do not claim to know who created it, how popular it is, or that it works. See methodology and trust boundary.
- Corrections welcome: if you have evidence of an earlier or more accurate source, tell us.