7 Coaching Questions

When you coach someone, use any of the following questions:

• "What's on your mind?". The kickstart question encourages the individual to start the conversation by sharing what's important to them.
• "And what else?". The AWE Question prompts the person to delve deeper into their thoughts, feelings, and ideas, encouraging a more comprehensive exploration of the issue.
• "What's the real challenge here for you?". The Focus Question helps clarify the core issue or problem the individual is facing, steering the conversation toward a more precise focus.
• "What do you want?". The Foundation question encourages the person to articulate their goals, desires, or objectives, fostering clarity about what they truly want.
• "How can I help?". The Lazy question invites the person to consider how the coach or leader can be of assistance and empowers them to take ownership of the solution.
• "If you're saying yes to this, what are you saying no to?". The Strategic question helps individuals recognize the trade-offs and consequences of their choices, fostering better decision-making.
• "What was most useful or valuable here for you?". The Learning question encourages reflection and learning after the conversation, allowing the person to identify key takeaways and insights.

This is a summary of the book The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever by Michael Bungay Stanier.