Have you ever found yourself dispensing brilliant advice to a colleague, only to feel completely stuck when facing a similar challenge in your own professional life? Welcome to Solomon's Paradox – the curious psychological phenomenon where we're remarkably insightful for others, yet frustratingly blocked when it comes to our own situations.
The Weight of Ownership: Why Our Problems Feel Different
In the high-stakes world of safety and organisational development, we're trained to be problem-solvers. We pride ourselves on analytical thinking, risk management, and strategic solutions. But there's a hidden trap: when a problem becomes our problem, something fundamental changes.
Suddenly, the problem isn't just a challenge to solve – it's a personal burden. Emotions cloud our judgment, stakes feel higher, and our typically razor-sharp problem-solving skills become muddled. The psychological weight of "owning" the problem creates tunnel vision, limiting our creativity and adaptability.
The Coaching Difference: Creating Psychological Distance
Organisational coaching offers a powerful antidote to Solomon's Paradox. By introducing a neutral, supportive third party, coaching creates essential psychological distance. This distance isn't about detachment, but about creating a safe space for genuine exploration.
Consider these key transformations:
From Personal Burden to Shared Exploration: A coach helps reframe the problem from a personal challenge to a collaborative discovery process.
Neutrality as a Catalyst: The coach's external perspective cuts through emotional fog, allowing clearer, more strategic thinking.
Structured Reflection: Coaching provides frameworks that help professionals step back and view their challenges more objectively.
Practical Implications for Safety Professionals
In safety-critical environments, Solomon's Paradox can be particularly dangerous. When leaders or team members are too close to a problem, they might:
Overlook critical risk factors
Become defensive instead of adaptive
Miss innovative solutions hiding in plain sight
Coaching interventions create a structured approach to problem-solving that mitigates these risks, transforming personal challenges into opportunities for systemic learning and growth.
A Personal Invitation
Next time you find yourself stuck, remember: the wisdom to solve your challenge already exists within you. A coach doesn't provide answers but helps you access the insights you've been blocking yourself from seeing.
The most powerful solutions often emerge not from wrestling with a problem, but from creating the space to see it differently.
About the Author
As a professional who has witnessed the transformative power of coaching across multiple industries, I've seen firsthand how breaking free from Solomon's Paradox can revolutionise individual and organisational performance.
Key Takeaway: Your greatest problem-solving asset might just be the perspective you've been missing.
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