Dear Subscriber First Name

Greetings! This newsletter arrives on Good Friday, a day for rest.

So, if you're reading this now, I'm both impressed by your dedication and slightly concerned for your work-life balance. If it's Monday, well, the chocolate coma must have worn off quickly. But if it's Tuesday? Gold star for successfully ignoring your inbox! Hope the break was better than that four-day-old hot cross bun.

While Schema Coaching can go deep, sometimes the most powerful breakthroughs start with something refreshingly simple.

So this week, I wanted to share something simple yet powerful from my early coaching sessions: the Miracle Question. It’s part of a solution-focused approach that helps people shift from feeling stuck to seeing possibility—and no joke, it often feels a bit like magic.

Let me show you what this looks like in action…

Meet Sarah, a senior leader who came to Schema Coaching feeling like she'd lost her spark. She was second-guessing herself, holding back in meetings, and feeling a lack of confidence.

After telling me what the main challenges were, I asked Sarah:

“What would feel like a useful way to spend our time today?”

Sarah: I guess… clarity. To work out what’s going wrong, and what to do next. Honestly, I’ve been doubting myself ever since a project didn’t land the way I hoped. I just want to feel more confident again. I’m stuck.

Me: Got it, that sounds really hard going. Tell me, What would your preferred future look like? How would you know things had shifted?
Sarah: I’d speak up in meetings without overthinking. My team would see me as someone they can trust to lead, and I’d actually enjoy my job again.

Me: If things felt better—say next month, or even next week—how would you know things had shifted, were enjoying your job?
Sarah: I’d be clearer. More focused. I’d feel like I was actually leading instead of treading water.

Tim: Ok, ok…now, this is going to sound bizarre, but stick with me: imagine you go to bed tonight, and while you’re sleeping, a miracle happens. You wake up tomorrow and everything you just described has come true. What’s the first thing you’d notice?
Sarah: Oh. Well I think I’d walk into the office with energy. I’d lead meetings without that sick feeling in my stomach. I’d feel like myself again—clear, calm, capable.

Me: Ah huh, I see. And have you ever felt like this before as a leader. Challenged, yet clear, calm and capable.
Sarah: Sure. Last year, with the product launch—it was chaos, but I found a rhythm and pulled it off.

Me: Beautiful. So what’s one small step you could take this week toward that clear, calm & capable version of Sarah?
Sarah: I could lead the Monday team huddle with a clear agenda and trust my voice—no over-editing, no hiding.

Me: That’s a great start. Out of ten, where would you say you are now—ten being fully in that miracle version?

Sarah: Maybe a six? Which is actually up from a three at the start of this.

Me: Wow, huge progress, well done. Ok, how would you know you’ve moved even further up the scale, to say a 7 or 8?

Sarah: Hmm, I’d be more engaging with my team, even with the small chit chat stuff, checking in etc

Tim: Perfect! So that’s a pretty obvious measure of progress isn’t it?

Sarah: Yeah it is, and quite doable actually.

Tim: You mentioned last year, despite the chaos and challenge, you pulled the product launch together, how did you do that?
Sarah: (thinking for a few moments) I’d say persistence, connection with the team, and trusting my gut.

My conversation with Sarah followed five key steps from the Miracle Question approach:

1. Start with the challenge. I asked, “What would be a good use of our time today?” to help her get specific.

2. Describe the preferred future. I got her to visualise a time when the problem no longer existed.

3. Ask the miracle question. This took the visualisation even further: What’s changed? How do you know? How do others know?

4. Take a step toward the miracle. We identified a small, doable action she could take right away, then explored strengths from past successes.

5. Define progress clues. We finished with what signs would indicate progress—and how she could keep moving forward.

Why This Works

This method is powerful because it:

1. Works on the assumption the coachee already knows the answers to their problem.

2. Helps them view their challenge in a way that allows them to see past obstacles and imagine achieving their goal.

3. Starts with the end in mind, then works backward to practical action.

4. Helps them recall and recognise their own strengths by revisiting times they’ve overcome similar challenges.

The Takeaway…

• “If this challenge were resolved overnight, what would be different tomorrow?”

• “How would I behave, feel, and think differently?”

• “What’s one small step I could take today to head in that direction?”

• “Have I faced something similar before? What helped me through it then?”

Remember: You don’t need to boil the ocean—just take a step.

So What's Next?

I'm often asked, "How do I know if schema coaching is the right step for me or my organisation?"

In our next newsletter, we'll be diving into this crucial question for both employers and employees.

To help you answer this, we'll be including a practical assessment, checklist, or worksheet designed to guide your evaluation. Stay tuned!

Tim :)

P.S - thank you to all those who’ve shared their kind feedback, suggestions and own workplace experiences. Keep the ideas coming, it helps me to help you.

Schema Coaching - Go Deeper

There’s still time…but it’s getting later

Want to see Schema Coaching in action?

I'm offering free 60-minute presentations to teams/people and culture departments, etc., for those who need or want the help.

This is your chance to ask questions and explore how Schema Coaching can benefit your team directly.

You can reach me below to secure your spot, or simply hit reply and I’ll reach out to you:

• Visit the website / Book a call 📱

• tim@schemacoaching.com.au 📧

Looking forward to connecting!