The following is general guidance about how to understand the Competence criteria for Level-1 certification v1-8.
It does not aim to be definitive and the examples are illustrative. Your trainer/assessor may provide their own interpretation and examples of the criteria. (Only some criteria have guidance, more will be added as and when.)
1. Clean Language
1a Use the basic clean questions.
There are some variations in the set of ‘basic questions’ (depending on the context they are being used for) and a variety of ways they have been presented. Some examples are:
The compass
The molecule of perception
Four modelling processes
For links to these models see: cleanlanguage.com/clean-language-revisited
1b. Ask specialised clean questions compatible with the logic of the client’s information.
Specialised clean questions, also referred to as contextually clean questions, are clean when congruent with the logic inherent in the client’s information. Lists of commonly used specialised questions are available in many books about Clean Language. They include some or all of the following:
Identify a symbol’s desired outcomes and necessary conditions
And what would [perceiver symbol] like to have happen?
And what needs to happen for [desired outcome/necessary condition]?
And is there anything else that needs to happen for [desired outcome]?
And can […] [action]?
Identify attributes
And does [an ‘it’] have a size or a shape?
And how do you know […]?
And is […] on the inside or outside?
And how many [group] could there be?
And in which direction is/does [movement]?
And where is [perceiver] [perceiving word] that from?
And what’s happening now?
Relate over time and/or space
And where could/does […] come from?
And is [x] the same or different as/to [y]?
And is there a relationship between [x] and [y]?
And what happens between [event/space x] and [event/space y]?
And what determines whether [x] or [y]?
For an extensive exploration of the topic see: cleanlanguage.com/context-makes-clean-clean/
2. Metaphor
2a. Utilise the client’s explicit and implicit metaphors
The demarcation between explicit and implicit metaphors is not well defined since it depends on the knowledge of the people involved. In general terms an explicit metaphor is one that is overtly metaphorical. Implicit metaphors (also called embedded or conventional) are usually not recognised as such since their metaphoric nature is disguised in ordinariness and familiarity. For example, prepositions used to describe relationships in physical events are often used metaphorically without much awareness.
2b. Facilitate the client to translate their sensory, conceptual and nonverbal expressions into metaphor
Includes demonstrating appropriate use of the ‘Like what?’ question. A typical inappropriate use this question is to ask it of an explicit metaphor.
One way to facilitate a client to translate their sensory, conceptual and nonverbal expressions into metaphor is to make use of the Feeling / State / Concept to a Metaphor vector.
3. Modelling
3b. Direct attention in a way that takes into account the purpose of the session and the client’s current desired outcome
- Keep the scope of a resource-developing session related to the topic specified (by the trainer-assessor) or as agreed with the client.
- Keep the scope of a change-work session related to the client’s desired outcome.
3c. Develop a resource metaphor landscape by identifying, locating and establishing a configuration of symbols and the relationships between them
Demonstrating this criteria primarily involves facilitating the client to:
- Establish a metaphor landscape. This requires facilitating the client to identify the name, address and attributes of the symbols before moving time or switching attention to another perception.
- A resource landscape is one that represents an aspect that the client likes or values. Problems, aspects the client does not like, value or want, are to be acknowledged but not developed.
4. Change-work
Examples of clean change processes based on self-modelling are:
And numerous books [Link to a list of books available soon]
4g. Acknowledge problems without dwelling on them
One way to do this is to make use of the Problem-Remedy-Outcome (PRO) model.
