The common trap
When people don't like the results they're getting, their first instinct is often: do more, try harder, change the action. But what usually happens? The results don't shift much, or they come at the cost of exhaustion.
This is because actions are only part of the story. Real transformation begins before action.
The OAR Model
The OAR Model reminds us that our Observer → Actions → Results are deeply connected. Observer: how we see the world, ourselves, and others. Actions: what we do, based on our perspective. Results: the outcomes we create.
If we only change actions without shifting our perspective as an observer, we often reproduce more of the same results.
An example
Imagine two leaders facing low team engagement. Leader A thinks: 'My team is lazy.' Her actions? Push harder, micromanage, add more control. The result? More disengagement.
Leader B pauses and shifts her perspective: 'Maybe my team feels unheard.' Her action? Invite honest conversations, listen, and co-create solutions. The result? Trust, motivation, and new energy.
Both wanted change, but only the leader who expanded her observer unlocked different results.
Expanding the observer
Ontological coaching helps us work in three domains of learning: Language → the stories and words we use. Emotions → the moods that shape our possibilities. Body → how our posture and presence influence us.
When we expand into these domains, we become a new observer — and new actions naturally flow.
A practical reflection
Next time you feel stuck, instead of asking 'What should I do differently?', try asking: 'How am I seeing this situation?' 'What emotion or mood am I in?' 'What story am I telling myself?'
Often, a small shift in perspective creates the space for radically different results.
Closing thought
Lasting change is not about forcing more action. It's about transforming the observer you are, so that your actions, and therefore your results, arise from a new place.
What result are you longing for? And what shift in perspective might open the way?