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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Materials:
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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 means: we track where an exercise has been observed in public sources. We do not claim to know who created it, or how popular it is.
- No efficacy claims: appearing in this library is not a claim that the exercise is proven effective. Facilitator judgment and context decide whether it works for a given room.
- Corrections: if you have evidence of an earlier or more accurate source, read our methodology and trust boundary and tell us.