Talking to an empty chair: unlocking leadership insights through ‘chair work’
What Is the ‘Empty Chair’ Coaching Technique?
The empty chair technique, originally developed in Gestalt therapy, has been adapted into executive coaching as a powerful method for reflection and growth. The concept is simple: the coach invites the leader to imagine someone or even a part of themselves sitting in the empty chair.
This could be:
- A colleague or manager with whom they need to have a difficult conversation.
- Their “future self,” offering guidance or wisdom.
- A different role they play within their professional life.
Through dialogue with the empty chair, leaders can externalize thoughts, test different approaches, and experience new perspectives that would otherwise remain hidden.
Why ‘Chair Work’ unlocks Leadership Potential
A new problem-solving perspective
Some coaches take it further: you might sit in different chairs, each representing a part of your personality, a thought process, or a professional role you play in your current position, talking through a challenge from these different viewpoints.
Most of us can think of conversations we wish we’d had. We may even want to speak to parts of ourselves, strange as it sounds.
The transformative power of 'chair work'
When facilitated well by the coach, ‘chair work’ shifts perspective. The physicality of the exercise jolts the brain to think in different ways. By embodying different roles and perspectives, leaders can dig into the root of their challenges and find breakthrough moments of self-insight. It’s a dynamic way to untangle thoughts that hold us back and unlock new levels of business performance.
A technique that requires trust
‘Chair work’ is not for the faint-hearted, for either coach or business leader. Trust must be present. The leader’s tentativeness and scepticism must be overcome. For the coach, the process is exploratory and initially uncertain without the usual control of standard ‘open’ coaching questions. Yet in a safe space, the results can be truly transformative.
Ready to see it in action?
Let’s pull up a chair. For a free consultation on how coaching techniques like these and others can support your organisational leadership development . We’d be happy to explore it with you.
| Content type | Articles |
| Topic | |
| EN FAQ Question #1 | How does chair work improve problem-solving? |
| EN FAQ Answer #1 | ‘Chair work’ helps widen people’s perspectives on a topic and, in turn, generate more alternatives, options and solutions. It encourages empathy and broader thinking on a subject that may be perceived narrowly, or solely from the perspective of the leader. Equally, it can promote some ‘out of the box thinking’ to problems, and surfaces reactive or emotional responses to situations that can hinder logical and/or objective thinking. |
| EN FAQ Question #2 | Is the Empty Chair method suitable for every leader? |
| EN FAQ Answer #2 | Chair work is not a one-size-fits-all technique, but it can be highly effective when applied with sensitivity to the leader’s personality and particular context. It’s also about their readiness to take a ‘leap of faith’ into an activity that might feel strange or out of their comfort zone. ‘Chair work’ can be a useful practice when a leader is stuck in indecision, or pulled in different directions, either while they wrestle with their own internal business deliberations, or by their colleagues or team members. In the early stages of coaching, this may be too much for more reserved or analytic leaders, whereas more exploratory or curious leaders may be more open to it. In short, it’s best practice to discuss the method upfront and contract with the leader if they are comfortable to engage with it. |
| EN FAQ Question #3 | Can this technique be applied outside executive coaching? |
| EN FAQ Answer #3 | This technique is not exclusive to executive coaching, and is practiced across areas such as education, mediation and counselling. However, training in the application of these techniques is strongly recommended, particularly if you are facilitating it for other. Certainly, it can be used informally if you’re engaging in self-reflection or if you’re practicing with colleagues or peers in a low stress, low stakes setting. |