Every picture tells a story and a picture is reputed to be worth a 1000 words.
How would you describe your perfect strawberry indulgence? Maybe strawberries are not on your yummy list. Maybe strawberries bring you out in a rash. If that is the case what would you substitute to use as a metaphor. Or maybe the imagery will work for you anyway. Suspend your disbelief and drop those strawberries in that bowl of cream….
Strawberries and cream; strawberries unwashed; strawberries washed; strawberries dipped in sugar; strawberries sprinkled with sugar, strawberries with black pepper, balsamic vinegar drizzled strawberries, strawberries sun kissed straight from the plant, strawberries dipped in dark chocolate, strawberry shortcake, strawberry jam dolloped on cream on scones, strawberry ice-cream, Eton Mess – what is your preference? Do you nibble at the strawberry or do you pull it from the stalk with your teeth or do you slice it?
What can the metaphor of strawberries, and / with, tell you? Traditional or experimenter; sweet or sharp; unvarnished or adorned – it’s all simply information.
Here’s a little exercise:
Pick one of the above list and if you were described as that, what might it tell you about your leadership, your approach to change, your image, your profile, how others see you, who you are and who you would love to be? What layers of understanding might the metaphor enable you to access? How could you stretch possibilities to access more of your potential? Then explore another one from the list, and another. Share with us what you discover. What memories surface? What likes and dislikes?
A childhood memory of a large strawberry bed in the garden with straw cushioning the jewel like fruits each with their personal greenhouse in the shape of a jam jar so that always there was a profusion of deliciously sweet taste bombs each summer. Bliss!
For more ways to find out what your choices tell you about yourself, just contact Smart Coaching & Training and indulge in the discoveries.
Submitted by Halina Jaroszewska