Problem-Solving: An Example of Changing perspective.
ByA Rabbi teaches his disciple. “Two men go down a chimney at the same time. One comes out completely clean, the other one dirty. Which one goes to wash himself?” The disciple looks at the Rabbi, thinks for a minute, then says: “the dirty one.” “Not at all!” says the Rabbi. “The dirty one, looking at his clean friend, thinks he is clean as well. The clean one, seeing that his friend is so dirty, concludes that he must be dirty as well and goes to wash.”
“Let me ask you another question” says the Rabbi. “Two men go down a chimney at the same time. One gets to the bottom completely clean, the other one dirty. Which one goes to wash himself?” The disciple looks at the Rabbi, totally puzzled: “You just told me! The clean one!” “Not at all!” replies the Rabbi. “The two men look t themselves, and the dirty one goes to wash.”
“Now one more question” says the Rabbi. “Two men go down a chimney at the same time. One gets to the bottom completely clean, the other one dirty. Which one goes to wash himself?” The disciple is lost: “I do not know, depending on your point of view, either or?” “Of course not!” says the Rabbi, “how can two men go down a chimney at the same time and only one of them remain clean? They are both dirty and go to wash themselves.”
Often, the solution to problems depends on the point of view we adopt. A problem-solving coaching style will promote the client’s ability to get out of his/her usual model of the world.
