ABSTRACT
In the fifth stage of Breakthrough Conversations clients are able to sustain GREEN states of awareness and so observe and manage potentially disruptive RED or AMBER states. The key capability at this stage is playfulness, which consists of three elements: the creativity arising from examining different viewpoints and sustaining uncertainty, the collaboration to sustain a balance of listening and speaking, owning potential triggers, and moving between different perspectives and the pragmatism to translate ideas into tangible plans and actions. Our role at this stage is to support clients to sustain their body-brain awareness amidst interactions and to reinforce understanding of how previously similar contexts might have led to habitual or reactive tendencies. These positive shifts are further reinforced by guiding clients to pause and notice their body-brain states when there are positive cycles of interaction. This can be in the form of recognising the power of more skilful conversations to support shared reflection and the emergence of creative breakthroughs, or in other circumstances discovering insights leading to a new quality of acceptance and working with others to find the best accommodation to a limiting situation. When clients have generated new ideas or solutions, we support them to translate their ideas into tangible next steps. Planning to fail can be a light-hearted way of identifying potential obstacles to change and so reinforcing the enactment of new ways of conversing and collaboration.
