Clean Language Facilitation

Purpose

Clean Language, developed by David Grove, is a questioning technique that minimizes facilitator contamination. By using only a small set of "clean" questions and exclusively the participant's own words and metaphors, the facilitator helps the thinker explore their internal landscape without imposing frameworks, assumptions, or reframes. In organizational settings, it is particularly powerful for uncovering hidden assumptions, clarifying vague goals, and deepening self-awareness.

At a glance

How to run

1. Introduce Clean Language (5 min). Explain the principle: the facilitator asks only clean questions using the thinker's exact words. No paraphrasing, no interpreting, no adding.
2. Elicit the topic (5 min). Ask: "What would you like to have happen?" The thinker shares. The facilitator notes the exact words, especially metaphors.
3. Develop using clean questions (20 min). Use the core clean questions to explore:

• "And what kind of [X] is that [X]?" (attributes)
• "And is there anything else about [X]?" (developing)
• "And where is [X]?" / "And whereabouts is [X]?" (location)
• "And what happens next?" / "And then what happens?" (sequence)
• "And what happens just before [X]?" (antecedent)
• "And [X] is like what?" (metaphor)

1. Reflect and harvest (10 min). The thinker shares what they discovered. What shifted? What became clearer? What new metaphor or insight emerged?
2. Debrief the process (5 min). Brief discussion: How was it to be asked only clean questions? How was it to ask them?

Materials needed

• Clean questions reference card per facilitator
• Note-taking materials
• Quiet, comfortable space
• Timer

Pitfalls & common mistakes

• Adding your own words. The discipline is to use ONLY the thinker's words. "So you feel overwhelmed?" — if they said "heavy," say "heavy."
• Too many questions too fast. Let the thinker's answers breathe. One question, wait, one question.
• Trying to solve the problem. Clean Language explores, it does not solve. The facilitator is not a therapist or consultant.
• Ignoring metaphors. When someone says "I'm hitting a wall," stay with "wall" — do not translate it into abstract language.

Inclusion & accessibility

• Clean Language respects every person's unique way of thinking and speaking.
• It is especially powerful for people whose thinking does not fit conventional frameworks.
• Offer the process in the thinker's preferred language.
• Provide a written version of clean questions for reference.

Variations

• Clean Language in meetings: Use clean questions to clarify statements: "And what kind of 'alignment' is that 'alignment'?"
• Clean Space: A movement-based extension where the thinker physically moves to different positions to explore different aspects.
• Systemic Modelling: Apply Clean Language to model organizational metaphors as a diagnostic.

When NOT to use this

• When quick, direct answers are needed — Clean Language is for exploration, not efficiency.
• When the thinker is in acute distress and needs professional therapeutic support.
• When the facilitator has not practiced enough to maintain the clean discipline.

Source & further reading

• Lawley, J. & Tompkins, P. (2000). *Metaphors in Mind: Transformation through Symbolic Modelling*. Developing Company Press.
• Sullivan, W. & Rees, J. (2008). *Clean Language: Revealing Metaphors and Opening Minds*. Crown House.
• Grove, D. J. & Panzer, B. I. (1989). *Resolving Traumatic Memories*. Irvington.