Dear Subscriber First Name

It’s been a crazy few weeks. From pushing my own lofty standards during marathon training (🏃‍♀️ The Marathon Mentality)

… the energy and focus carried right into our recent Schema Coaching Masterclass I hosted. Which was a great experience!

In case you missed it -

There was one question in particular, that really stood out from the Q&A: “Can you have more than one schema?”

And what a fantastic question that is.

The answer: Absolutely

Which led to my favourite analogy: the Schema Spice Rack.

First thing first, what’s the question really asking?

Well there’s as many as 20 ‘official’ schemas though far fewer seen in the workplace (maybe half that). Here’s a few garden variety types….

So the question is this: Can several of these be ‘triggered’ at the same time. Again: Absolutely

In fact, of the hundreds of people I’ve helped with their schemas, the majority have identified more than just one when a situation triggers theirs.

And this my friend, is what I call your Schema Spice Rack

Let’s look at one of the most common and damaging ‘blends’ we see in the workplace: Unrelenting Striving mixed with Approval Seeking.

I was doing some 1:1 coaching with a high-level manager, who was often praised by the CEO for being the "most dedicated person on the floor."

He took on every extra project (Unrelenting Striving) and rarely delegated because he feared the work wouldn't be "good enough" (more Unrelenting Striving only directed at others…) or that his team would think he wasn't doing enough (Approval Seeking).

He worked 60 hours a week, yet felt an increasing sense of resentment and exhaustion (and this still didn’t slow him down).

The problem wasn't a lack of appreciation; it was that the praise only fed his Approval Seeking need temporarily, forcing the Unrelenting Standards to climb even higher on the next project to secure the next 'hit' of validation.

Initially, the very idea of ‘standing down’ from his Unrelenting Striving ways had him in a pink fit!

Gradually, we focused our coaching on detaching his sense of self-worth from external praise and helping him set healthy boundaries, allowing his team to grow and significantly reducing his immense, self-imposed pressure. To his credit, he worked hard to refrain from swinging back to his old beliefs.

But before we did that, we identified the schema ‘chemistry’ going on - or his Schema Spice Rack.

Just like a chef blending spices to create a signature dish, this fellow’s schemas were ‘marinating’ behind the scenes, creating a complex dynamic driving both massive achievement and frustrating obstacles all at once.

Mastering Your Schema Chemistry

Your willingness to explore these underlying patterns is what sets you apart as a leader or an individual committed to growth.

You've recognised that to solve a performance or retention issue, you need to go beyond surface behaviour - you need the recipe book.

I specialise in helping people and teams unpack that Schema Spice Rack. We identify the potent blends that are creating tension and then work 1:1 to 'shrink' the dysfunctional schemas and grow the 'Healthy Adult' mindset.

If you're ready to stop guessing at the ingredients and start mastering the recipe for high performance in yourself or your team, let's talk.

Which Schema Chemistry blend is currently creating the biggest obstacle in your organisation?

You can reach me below, or simply hit reply and I’ll reach out to you (in a week or so!):

• Visit the website / Book a call 📱

• tim@schemacoaching.com.au 📧

Looking forward to connecting!