On Using ‘Ideal’ Elements in the Repertory Grid Interview

 

Relationships at Work Example

For example, in a Grid about relationships at work, you might get a sense that your interviewee has a strained relationship with his boss. So you as might suggest that you create one or two new imaginary elements and rate them: for example, MYSELF AS MY BOSS WOULD LIKE ME TO BE, or MY BOSS AS I WOULD PREFER HER TO BE. Together you then look at the differences between the first of these elements and MYSELF, the differences between the second of these elements and MY BOSS, and maybe some other comparisons which the process suggests. You can then get into a discussion about the size and nature of the problem, who owns the problem, what would have to happen to change it, etc.

Market Research Example

Or in a market research Grid, you could introduce MY IDEAL CAR; setting up a person-specification, THE IDEAL PERFORMER or THE IDEAL APPLICANT; examining stressful situations, THE MOST STRESSFUL SITUATION I CAN IMAGINE and THE LEAST STRESSFUL SITUATION I CAN IMAGINE. The idea is to name an imaginary element which gives expression to the question you want to explore when contrasted with the real elements. They can be very instructive in getting to the core of an issue quickly - almost too quickly, if you have a counselling contract. The difference between MYSELF and MYSELF AS MY BOSS WOULD LIKE ME TO BE might need to be taken in bite-size chunks.

Introducing the ‘Ideal’ Element

For most Grid purposes and practitioners, it’s best to introduce the ‘ideal’ element part-way through the session rather than at the beginning. Get a good number of constructs out through consideration of real elements (people, cars, stressful situations, etc) and then introduce the ‘ideal’. There are two connected reasons for this:

• if you include your ‘ideal’ element from the beginning, you have a non-homogenous element set and it could be difficult to work with; and
• the ‘ideal’ element may not be clearly defined in the client’s mind at the start of the process. Using real elements to give you a rich selection of constructs from which the client can come to their own definition of the ideal.

That’s not a hard-and-fast rule; for example, I saw a nice application of Grid used to help someone reflect on selection interviews she had performed, and each triad was composed of two real interviews and THE IDEAL INTERVIEW. That was a very experienced Grid interviewer, working with a client who had already done a lot of thinking about selection interviews. If you want the low-risk route, introduce the ‘ideal’ element part-way through. Enquire Within^® lets you introduce a new element at any time and rate it immediately, so it’s there whenever you’re ready to explore the insights you hope to achieve.

Prepared by Dr Valerie Stewart

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