From Challenges to Growth: The Figure-Ground Dynamic in Executive Coaching

The days of senior executives are filled with competing priorities that demand immediate attention—strategic decisions, operational challenges, leadership issues that can’t wait. It’s natural that these urgent matters consume most of their focus. But in my work coaching executives, I’ve noticed something: the leaders who consistently perform at the highest levels do more than just solve today’s problems. They use each challenge as an opportunity to build the capabilities they’ll need for tomorrow’s unknowns.

An analogy for this approach is rooted in understanding what psychologists call the figure-ground dynamic.

The Figure-Ground Dynamic

The figure-ground concept originates from Gestalt psychology, where it describes how human perception organizes visual information. At any given moment, our minds automatically divide what we see into two categories: the “figure” (what stands out and captures our attention) and the “ground” (the background context that supports and gives meaning to the figure).

Think of the classic optical illusion, the rabbit or the duck. Whether you notice the rabbit or the duck, depends on what your mind designates as figure versus ground. But here’s the crucial insight: you can consciously shift your perception, making the duck become the rabbit or the rabbit become the duck.

This perceptual principle translates directly to executive leadership and coaching:

• The “figure” represents your immediate business challenges—the urgent problems demanding your attention right now. The client threatening to leave, the product launch behind schedule, the team conflict disrupting productivity.
• The “ground” represents your broader leadership development, the deeper work of expanding your capabilities, refining your decision-making frameworks, and building the mental models that will serve you across countless future challenges.

Just as in visual perception, what dominates your attention at any moment from a senior executive perspective is a matter of focus, not a fixed reality. 

A Change of Focus Can be Helpful

When executives first engage a coach, it is not unusual for them to come with their “figure” firmly in mind. “Help me deal with my difficult board member.” “How do I turn around this underperforming division?” “What do I do about this toxic team dynamic?”

These are legitimate needs, and effective coaches don’t dismiss the urgency of immediate challenges executives may be facing. After all, attempting to focus exclusively on abstract development when your executive is experiencing concrete challenges feels tone-deaf at best, irresponsible at worst.

However, coaching that remains permanently focused on this “figure” – one that is anchored in immediate business challenges creates three critical problems:

• Dependency. When coaching only addresses immediate problems, you’ll always need your coach for the next crisis. Your coach becomes an expensive consultant rather than a development partner.
• Surface-level solutions. Many recurring challenges stem from deeper patterns in how you think, decide, and lead. Figure-only coaching leads to more surface-level solutions that often do not last over time.
• Missed capacity-building. Solving today’s problem matters but building your capacity to solve tomorrow’s unknown challenges matters more. Figure-only coaching leaves you just as vulnerable to the next crisis.

The Art of Executive Development

The art of executive coaching lies in the intentional, dynamic movement between what is the figure and what is the ground. Effective coaching relationships move fluidly between addressing immediate challenges and fostering deeper development. Sometimes the urgent business challenge takes center stage; other times, the developmental focus becomes primary.

The ultimate sign of successful coaching is a fascinating inversion: as your development deepens, many of the challenges that once dominated your attention begin to recede into the background. What once felt like great problems transform into routine situations that you navigate with confidence and skill.

This doesn’t mean challenges disappear—leadership will always present new tests. But your relationship to these challenges fundamentally changes. 

When broader development becomes the “figure,” transformative growth occurs. You gain:

• Greater situational adaptability
• Enhanced strategic clarity
• Improved emotional intelligence
• Stronger decision-making frameworks
• More authentic leadership presence

What makes this approach powerful is its dynamic nature. 

Finding the Right Balance

If you’re currently working with a coach or considering doing so, ask yourself:

• Does this relationship help me address immediate challenges while also developing my broader capabilities?
• Am I gaining insights that apply beyond the specific problem we’re discussing?
• Is my coach helping me recognize patterns in how I approach leadership challenges?
• Am I becoming more self-sufficient in addressing similar challenges?

The most valuable coaching relationships answer “yes” to these questions. They honor the figure-ground dynamic, addressing what’s urgent while building what’s important. In doing so, they don’t just help you solve today’s problems; they transform you into a leader who navigates challenges with greater wisdom, clarity, and purpose.