Transformation maps
A transformation map is a visual report that uses symbols of key themes rather than words. The map often includes moments of a sensory experience, experiential journey, or design session that incorporates approaches such as systems sensing and compassionate inquiry. The moments or key themes of an experiential journey are often referred to as elements of a given system and include people, organizational entities, emotions, qualities, or aspects of a situation. My clients tell me transformation maps can support recall, reflection, learning, and integration.
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How did mapping begin?
A few clients asked me, “How can I best integrate the learning from the sessions?” At the time, in pure coach form, I spun that question around and asked them what worked best for them. “What works for you? Do you go on walks, journal, or something else?” I asked.
But the question and its repetition worked on me. Maybe there was something I was missing. The sessions of these clients had a few things in common. For example, the sessions were longer and incorporated combined approaches of systems sensing and Compassionate Inquiry (CI). Both systems sensing and CI work with our different ways of knowing including the felt senses. In the sessions, clients are invited to notice their present-moment experience. In this process, the mind can often take a ‘back seat’ while the felt senses are turned up. This can include exploring one’s inner or current emotional landscape, mental structures of constructed beliefs and assumptions, and different parts that makeup one’s experience or narrative.
These journeys are guided with questions as we move from the present-moment experience to the next present-moment experience, deepening our understanding of a given situation. Through the use of the felt senses, a client can often access new perspectives and sometimes unveil what is stored in the subconscious. Because of this, I wonder what effects these processes have on memory and recall. For example, at the end of the session, it’s common for a client to ask, “Can you give me a summary of what happened and how we got here?” I usually can share an overview of the main points and I often record the session for this purpose.
My general belief about this work has been that people will digest what they need but what if that belief is missing information? What if there is something else needed to support learning and integration? And if so, what format might be best for recording sensory information and logging key themes and concepts in a session? To answer these questions, I’ve been experimenting with visual maps and ways to record experiential information from sessions.
Examples
The examples below depict experiences in an individual’s leadership development. Each person's journey is different and can be seen in their own way and time.As you look at these examples, you might see something that feels familiar or reminds you of your own experiences. Discovering what makes each person’s journey unique as well as the common experiences we share, is what I find most meaningful about this work.
