Coaching Questions
The Art, Skill & Practice of Professional Coaching
Further Examples of Powerful Coaching Questions
[edit]Powerful questions are provocative queries that overcome evasion and confusion. Through the use of powerful questions, delivered within the TGOROW structure, the coach invites the participant to a greater level of discovery, clarity and action.
The list below is by no means exhaustive as there are infinite amounts of powerful questions, and as you gain coaching experience, and you are listening at the level required for qualitative coaching, you’ll learn to intuitively trust your subconscious ability to produce a powerful question when required to serve the participant.
The vast majority of coaching questions are open-ended to create a greater possibility for expanded learning and a fresh perspective. Remember, the most powerful questions are often the simplest.
Never be tempted to take a list of questions into a coaching session, they will not be relevant to the moment and will distract you from being truly present with the participant. It is in being truly present that the right question will emerge in your conscious mind at exactly the moment it is needed.
Anticipation
[edit]- What might happen?
- What if it doesn’t work out that way?
- And if that fails, what will you do?
- What if that doesn’t work?
- What is your back-up plan?
Assessment
[edit]- What do you make of it?
- What do you think is best?
- What does it look like for you?
- How do you feel about it?
- What if it doesn’t work?
Clarification
[edit]- What do you mean?
- What does it feel like?
- Can you say more?
- Help me understand that better.
- I’m curious, what exactly do you mean?
- What do you want?
- What seems to confuse you?
Evaluation
[edit]- What’s your assessment?
- What do you think that means?
- In what way?
- Is this good, bad or indifferent? In what way?
- How does this fit with your plans?
- How does this align with your values/lifestyle?
Exploration
[edit]- May we explore that more?
- What other angles can you think of?
- What else?
- What would your closest friend/mentor suggest?
- What is just one more possibility?
Example
[edit]- For instance?
- Like what?
- Such as?
- What will it look like?
- Will you give an example?
Elaboration
[edit]- Will you elaborate?
- What else?
- What other ideas do you have about it?
- Will you tell me more about that?
For Instance
[edit]- If you could do it over again, what would you do differently?
- If it were you, what would you have done?
- How else could a person handle this?
- If you could do anything you wanted, what would you do?
- For instance?
History
[edit]- What action have you taken so far?
- What caused it?
- What led up to this?
- What happened?
- What do you make of it all?
Implementation
[edit]- What is the action plan?
- What will you have to do to get the job done?
- What support do you need to accomplish…?
- What will you do?
- When will you do it?
Integration
[edit]- What will you take away from this?
- How do you explain this to yourself?
- What was the lesson?
- How would you pull all this together?
- How will you internalize this?
Learning
[edit]- If your life depended on action, what would you do?
- If you had free choice in the matter, what would you do?
- If the same thing came up again, what would you do?
- If you had to do it all again, what would you do?
- If you could wipe the slate clear, what would you do?
- What would you do if you weren't allowed to ask anyone for advice?
Options
[edit]- What are the possibilities?
- If you had your choice, what would you do?
- What are possible solutions?
- What if you do and what if you don’t?
- What options can you create?
Outcomes
[edit]- What do you want?
- What is your desired outcome?
- If you got it, what would you have?
- How will you know you have reached it?
- What would it look like?
Perspective
[edit]- When you’re 80 years old, what would you like to say about your life?
- What would you think about this five years from now?
- How does this relate to your purpose?
- In the bigger scheme of things, how important is this?
- So what?
- For what purpose?
Planning
[edit]- What do you plan to do about it?
- What is your game plan?
- What kind of plan do you need to create?
- How do you suppose you could improve the situation?
- Now what?
Predictions
[edit]- How do you suppose it will all work out?
- What will that get you?
- Where will this lead?
- What are the chances of success?
- What is your prediction?
Resources
[edit]- What kind of picture do you have right now?
- What resources do you need to help you decide?
- What do you know about it now?
- In what ways can you find out more about it?
- What resources are available to you?
Starting the session
[edit]- What’s happened since we last met?
- What would you like to discuss?
- What is the latest? What’s new?
- How did you get on with your assignments/committed actions?
- How are things with you?
Substance
[edit]- What seems to be the trouble?
- What seems to be the main obstacle?
- What is stopping you?
- What concerns you the most about..?
- What is it that you want?
Summary
[edit]- What is your conclusion?
- How is this working?
- How would you describe this?
- What do you think this all amounts to?
- How would you summarize the effort so far?
Taking Action
[edit]- What action will you take? And after that?
- What will you do? When?
- Is this a time for action? What action?
- Where do you go from here? When will you do that?
- What are your next steps? When will you complete this?