Podcast Notes

Episode 472 Distinctions as the Key to Insight Hosts: Brian Miller, PCC and Chad Hall, MCC Date: July 3, 2025

In this episode, Brian Miller and Chad Hall dive deep into the concept of distinctions in coaching—the practice of helping clients untangle and clarify similar ideas that are often conflated. They discuss how distinctions can evoke awareness, expand thinking, and lead to more precise actions. With examples ranging from assertive vs. aggressive to interests vs. positions, they illustrate how a coach’s role goes beyond asking questions to offering lenses for clearer perspective.

Key Highlights:

• Defining Distinctions: A distinction separates two similar but different concepts. Helping clients see these can unlock new insights.

• Examples in Practice: Common distinctions include want vs. need, assertive vs. aggressive, candid vs. kind, and toxic vs. imperfect.

• Role of the Coach: Coaches aren’t just question-askers—they are thinking partners who offer observations and distinctions that facilitate awareness.

• Distinctions Create Clarity: When clients conflate ideas (e.g., all managing is micromanaging), clarifying distinctions can change perceptions and actions.

• Language Matters: The words clients use—like calling someone “toxic”—can reflect deeper assumptions worth exploring.

Takeaways:

• Distinctions Are Tools: Use them intentionally and contextually to help clients reframe issues and discover new possibilities.

• Beyond Questions: Coaching involves sharing observations, metaphors, and distinctions—not just asking questions.

• Clarity Enables Action: The clearer clients are about what they’re experiencing, the more effectively they can respond.

• Stay Curious, Not Prescriptive: Offer distinctions as lenses, not conclusions—clients still decide what’s true for them.

• Language Shapes Experience: Help clients label experiences accurately to avoid unhelpful assumptions.

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