From Stuck to Shifted—Why “The Problem” Isn’t the Problem in Coaching

Introduction

You’ve had this client:
They’re smart, self-aware, and motivated.
And yet, no matter what action plan you co-create…
They keep circling the same issue.

You start to wonder: Are we missing something?

Spoiler: You probably are.
And systems thinking shows you where to look.

The Trap of the Isolated Problem

We’re trained to respond to what’s presented. But clients don’t just bring problems—they bring systems.

When a client says, “I keep procrastinating,” they might really be saying:

• “I’m caught in a loop of perfectionism and fear.”
• “My team relies on me too much.”
• “I’m playing the ‘good girl’ role from childhood.”

It’s not just about behavior. It’s about patterns, roles, and relational dynamics.

Reframing "The Problem"

Here are a few common coaching issues—and how they might look through a systems lens:

Asking the Right Questions

Here are a few systems-inspired questions you can ask when a client seems stuck:

• Who else is involved in this dynamic?
• What role do you play in keeping things the same?
• What happens if you change? Who might resist—and why?
• What feedback loop is this part of?

These questions move coaching from the personal to the relational and systemic.

A Systems Coach’s Superpower

Your real power as a coach isn’t giving answers—it’s helping clients see systems.
Because once they see the system, they can choose to shift it.

And that’s when true transformation begins.

Final Reflection

Next time a client presents a familiar challenge, pause.
Zoom out. Ask not what’s wrong—but what’s connected.

Because in coaching, as in life, the problem is rarely the problem.
The system is.