An approach developed in the USA in the 1960’s – 1970’s

50 years later, Palo Alto still stands for a different take on human issues.

A systemic look at the reality we live in.

A method of asking that combines pragmatism and rigor.

An approach that helps to deal with complex issues.

System = elements in interaction.

The purpose of a system is only reached if interactions between its elements are effective.

Never cut an element off from its environment, instead look at its interactions.

How are interactions organized? What messages are central?

Each context is unique! What is a problem in one place may not be one elsewhere… Yesterday’s stunning solutions may lead to dead ends tomorrow.

With this in mind, a systemic coach moves on very carefully, doing his best not to impose his views on his client, nor to talk him/her into allegedly proven solutions.

Notions of « problem » and « change » are central to this method.

The assumption is that solving the problem will imply changing something in the setting in which it takes place. Initially, we do not know what. Nor do we know what indeed is the problem.

First and foremost, define the problem.

Who is the client?

That is – who is open to trying out something new ?

Is there a problem at all ?

The goal?

Avoid doing more of the same things that did not pay off…

What solutions have been attempted so far ?

Setting a goal.

What you will need to accept once the problem is solved.

Palo Alto’s alternative name is
« brief intervention » .

« Brief » means neither
« miraculous »,
nor « immediate ».

Instead, it is all about trying to ask the right questions when facing complexity.

The aim is not to get lost in a comprehensive analysis of what caused the problem in the first place. This method is brief thanks to the paths it does not explore, meaning the questions that are deliberately left out.

Jean MASSELIN is an occupational psychologist by background (2001)

His first 5 years of professional life (2002-2007) were dedicated to coaching individuals who were engaged in a job change process :

– One year assignment at Altedia (2002) helping employees find another job.

– Joined then Altiga (2003-2007) as a career coach.

Back in 2007, he joined the SOCOMEC Group, an independent manufacturer in the low voltage electrical industry, as an HR Manager.

During the following 8 years spent in this Group, he took on different generalist HR roles. Jean first worked in France, then in Asia from 2009 until 2012, before coming back to the group’s headquarters to take care of R&D, Marketing and corporate departments.

This experience as HR Director has been instrumental in confirming change management and human problem solving as his main area of interest.

Founded his own consulting company « Adventif » in April 2015. The key ideas behind this project :

A focus on individual and team development.

Linguistic skills allowing for interventions in multi-cultural teams.

A different take on human problems, based on systems thinking in general, and Palo Alto in particular.

Jean first found out about systems thinking in 2008 during a management training. Shortly thereafter, he also experienced systemic team coaching as a client

First puzzled by this different way of looking at human interactions, then intellectually seduced by it, he became passionate about it and has incorporated it in his daily practice ever since.