Clean Language: Revealing Metaphors and Opening Minds [Paperback]

"Clean" language, developed originally by David Grove, has been an interest of mine since I read "Metaphors in Mind" (Lawley and Tomkins). So, I was very interested to see the approach taken by Wendy Sullivan and Judy Rees. I'm impressed by this book's, simplicity and practicality. For the uninitiated or novice "clean" user, this book has some great application strategies, techniques and tips.

For those unfamiliar with the concept of "clean" questioning, it is a way of helping another person find answers without giving advice. This may sound similar to the contemporary model of "coaching", so popular today, particularly in the business context. However, "clean" is substantially different. "Clean" is as clean as possible of the questioner's assumptions, opinions and metaphors. Furthermore, although listening is an integral component of the process of clean, it definitely does not use techniques such as paraphrasing, summarising etc, for these automatically provide the opinion of the questioner.

Chapter headings are not normally my cup of tea (there's a metaphor for you!). However, Sullivan and Rees have selected some gems that add to the explanation and the reader's understanding of "clean". Two that particularly sum this up are, "No-one ever listened themselves out of a job" (Colin Coolidge, U.S. president) and "The quality of your attention determines the quality of other people's thinking" (Nancy Kline).

As Sullivan and Rees suggest in their introduction, the book is "designed to put Clean Language in people's hands, worldwide, ready to be used whenever it could be valuable". To my mind, they have achieved their aim. The book has 16 chapters, each of which has a select number of practical activities which enable the reader to practise the concepts. There are just 12 "clean" questions and each is covered in detail. They form three clusters, Developing Questions (to encourage a person to become clear about what's true for them), Sequence and Source Questions (to tease out the sequence of events), Intention Questions (to help the person establish what they would like to change).

This is a great book. If you are really interested in helping other people, then I would suggest reading this book, undertaking the activities, then reading it again. It's one that I will certainly be using in my role as management and leadership coach and facilitator. Highly recommended.

Bob Selden,
Author, What To Do When You Become The Boss: How New Managers Become Successful Managers

I've just started reading this gem of a book for the second time, and keep finding new meanings which further enrich my understanding and use of Clean Language. In many ways, it changes the way we think about the way people think and use language, which results in a much richer understanding of what constitutes effective communication. I came across the concept of Clean Language about a year ago when reading the fascinating book 'Metaphors in Mind: Transformation through Symbolic Modelling.' It instantly captured my interest, and I have been practising and applying Clean Language on a large number of occasions, often with surprising results.

However, I still had many unanswered questions which I felt limited my understanding of and confidence in using Clean Language. When I heard this book was about to be released, I instantly ordered it. It exceeded my expectations in many ways. I found it to be both a great companion to Metaphors in Mind and an excellent work in itself which extends and refines many aspects of Clean Language. It contains a rich collection of exercises, real-life examples, tips, and background information which should satisfy newcomers as well as experienced users of Clean Language. It extends the scope for using Clean Language to include a wide variety of contexts including counselling, training, teaching, management, parenting, relationships, and research.

For me, the book managed to effectively weave together the basics as well as more advanced aspects of Clean Language. As a relative newcomer, I especially liked the many exercises which allow the reader to first develop and gain confidence in using the basics of Clean Language before moving on to more advanced techniques. The Frequently Asked Questions chapter provides some excellent down-to-earth tips and explanations which greatly help any newcomer dealing with relevant issues and skills such as memory strategies, dealing with information overload, maintaining focus, and many others.

The techniques have helped me to support myself as well as friends and colleagues in gaining a deeper understanding of difficult situations they faced and in finding new ways to think and act effectively, often with surprising results. In fact, I find it increasingly difficult not to use any Clean Language within conversations, as once you become more familiar with the questions you start to understand their power in developing and maintaining positive relationships and gaining a deeper understanding for yourself and those around you.

It cleverly illustrates the operation and interdependencies of Clean Language, while keeping the language simple for everyone to follow. Numerous examples and references help the reader grasp the concepts with ease and stay interested. Beginner and intermediate-level coaches will find this book an indispensable tool to learn about asking questions and sharpen their knowledge and skills as facilitators. This book is also an excellent Clear Language reference for everyone. If you have ever wondered about how to get anyone to open up, or you have ever felt overwhelmed by the complexities of the Clean Language, this book is for you.