| |
| |
|
Coaching Information |
|
|
|
Key Questions for a Coaching Conversation
There are 2 key skills that coaches need to be truly effective, the ability to listen (often for what is missing rather than what is said) and the ability to ask the right question at the right time. Now in reality there are no 'right' questions, there are however some very good, and fairly generic questions that when asked which can make a significant difference to the way in which a coaching interaction progresses. Q1. What would be better than X? Often a coaching conversation will focus on a particular clients problem where they will focus on something that they want to change in their current situation and the client may spend a great deal of time discussing how terrible the world is for this injustice etc. One of the key tasks of a coach is to help a client identify opportunities that they wouldn't necessarily see themselves. The 'What would be better than X?' question pulls the client out of a reflective mode into a more solution oriented position. There is one thing to be aware of with this and that is a response from the client along the lines 'For X not to happen', this is avoidance rather than a solution and you can follow up with 'What would be better than the absence of X?' You can keep asking this question over and over until you have a range of possibilities from good to great. Q2. What can YOU do to get this to happen? Coaching is about getting the client to take ownership and for them to do things themselves. Coaching isn't about helping it is about supporting and guiding and it is all too easy (especially for managers who are coaching) to take on the problems of the client as theirs to solve. To be an effective coach the client has to come to the solution on their own and has to take ownership of what they want. The 'What can YOU do to get this to happen?' pushes the coaching client to think about their interactions and how they are the responsible party. Remember you are there to expand the choices available so as a coach you need to ensure that the individual avoids the 'not my fault' trap. Ownership is key here. Q3. If you did/got Y how would this impact A, B and C? Sometimes a solution will present itself and the client will latch on to a solution without thinking it through, and it is unlikely that their circumstances will be the same as yours so you will not have the answers to this question and don't assume that the client will have thought of any of the wider ramifications of their solution. The A, B and C can be anything examples include Family, Finances, Career Progression, Lifestyle, Colleagues, Employer etc. This is an ecology check question and it is important for the client to understand that any decision they make on any subject will impact many people. Q4. What would you lose by doing/getting Y? There will be some form of loss with any decision and recognising it that is an important step in the decision making process. Often it is the fear of loss (rather than the loss itself) that holds us locked in position when in reality we can usually overcome most things in life if we know about them in advance and more importantly put them into perspective. Don't be fobbed off with a 'nothing' answer, this just shows that the client isn't thinking things through and needs more prodding. If you get stuck here you can offer a few examples, but do so as a last resort as the client will likely jump on one of your suggestions without thinking about their own situation. Q5. When will you do this? Perhaps the most important question and listen carefully for the answer, especially for the silent 'but'. Often a client will seem enthusiastic in the coaching session and the moment they are back into the real world their resolve falters and they go back to the same old patterns of behaviour. If a client appears enthusiastic and they want to take rapid action then great, excellent progress at which point you schedule a follow up call for sometime within the next week to see how they got on?it creates momentum. Remember these are just guidance questions and will need to be tailored for each coaching interaction but when used they can make a significant difference in moving a coaching client towards their outcomes. To be effective as a coach questioning is just part of the equation and listening, really listening to the answers is actually more important not only for what information is contained within the answers but also for the bits left out. Use these questions in your next coaching interaction and just notice what changes, you won't be disappointed. More information regarding Organisational Change, Coaching and Performance Development can be found at http://www.achievinggreatness.co.uk 2005 © Achieving Greatness Ltd. All rights reserved. ---- PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. L Stuart Avery is the Managing Director of Achieving Greatness Ltd, an organisation dedicated to raising awareness around personal and management behaviours. Achieving Greatness specialises in offering advice and support to organisations going through change intitiatives and looking to enhance the performance of their staff. It provides training courses, facilitiation services and coaching to business leaders on Leadership, Management and Strategy. Stuart has over 20 years of experience across a wide range of industries including Government, Charities, Retail, Travel, Insurance, IT Services and Logistics. For more information visit http://www.achievinggreatness.co.uk
MORE RESOURCES:
Coaching - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Two Pillows and One Dead Husband That's what I needed when I delved deeply into my first acting class. I was 60 years old and had a lifetime of experiences behind me but anger or rather the act of reacting to it was not in my skill set. A Numbers Game! Three years ago, Paul left his corporate job to launch his freelance writing career, and he's done relatively well. He has a group of regular clients that keep him going, and they are happy with his work. Tips For Singles On Celebrating The New Year It's four weeks away and you don't have any plans. Many of your friends will be away or out with their significant others. Life - Is It Just An Illusion? It's a well-known fact that electrons and atoms move at the speed of light, technically flickering in and out of existence. In other words, half of the time we are actually not here. How Can Sceptics Get the Proof They Need Are you one of those folks that needs to figure-it-out all the time? Are you one of those Law of Attraction students who catches yourself saying things like, "I wonder how this is going to come to me?" or, "What do I need to figure out so I know what to do next (to manifest what I desire)?" Attention Law of Attraction Students!Stop trying to figure out where/how/when your manifestation is going to come! It's not your job!Here's a great tool that will help all of you 'figure-it-outers' reduce your need to figure it out. Those of you who are thinkers need to see it or know it before you can fully accept that The Law of Attraction exists and is working in your life. The Incredible Human Psyche The intriguing Human psyche - more complex than the metamorphosing cocoon, and more phenomenal than the human brain could ever imagine.Deep within the realm of your subconscious is the centrifuge, or cerebral core of all Human possibilities. Are You Controlling or Loving Yourself? How often do you hear a parental voice in your head that says things like, "You've got to lose weight," or "You should get up earlier every morning and exercise," or "Today I should get caught up on the bills," or "I've got to get rid of this clutter." Let's explore what happens in response to this voice. Do You Want to Make More Money as A Life Coach There's a lot of coaches out there not making any money, looking for opportunities, trying to model what others are doing, networking like crazy, researching, visualizing, affirming and hoping? yes, hoping that the clients show up before the bailiffs.I've been involved in Marketing and PR and worked with and met the good, the bad and the ugly of the coaching world and can honestly say if you are not making any money there is probably a reason why that I can help you with. Personal Strategic Planning I have a few questions for you ---What if we as individuals adapted and utilized some of the same tried and true processes and methods that have given businesses the edge they need to succeed over their competition? My sense is that understood and implemented correctly professionals would be able to gain the same competitive advantage. Remarkably, this is not anything overly complicated or new and I can't take credit for developing it. Permission To Have FUN ? Have you been working long hours? ? Have you been managing 10 (or more) tasks at once? ? Are you combining several different personal and professional roles?99% of my clients are experts at managing lifestyles similar to those above and this issue is dedicated to all of you.Your reward for managing your lives so well is permission to have some FUN. Top 10 Ways to Coach Yourself to Total Success! Coaching is about being your best. It's about performance, about "staying the course" and, in the end, about creating and living the life you really want. What Are Your Priorities? "The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: decide what you want." -Ben SteinAt the end of every winter as warm weather and sunshine approach, I find myself keenly aware of where I'd like to be spending my time. The Executive Coaching Contract Having found a coach you feel comfortable and excited about working with, the next step is to discuss and sign the coaching contract or agreement. This is vital to ensure that both coach and client are clear from the outset about what is expected. Getting Unstuck: Moving Forward To Success Ever find yourself stuck in that awful loop of inactivity? You circle around and around between wanting to move forward and then apathy? Covering the same ground and never moving forward? It could be that you are stuck in the web of your own comfort zone. It's a place we hang out at that's routine, predicable and safe. We Are Exactly Where We Choose to Be The idea for this month's newsletter came from an unlikely encounter: I recently had lunch with a new friend named Rick Rockwell. You may remember him as the bachelor from the first-ever reality TV show, "Who Wants to Marry a Multimillionaire?"During our meeting, Rick described some of the knowledge he gained from doing the show, along with a few of past his experiences in business, ethics, and of course, primetime romance. Essence of Awakeness Be conscious, aware, and alert. Pay attention. The Top 10 BEST Things About Having a Coach Obviously, there are many wonderful things about having a personal coach to support and encourage you. Everyone develops their own working relationship with their coach, and each situation is unique. Leading Grief Groups: The Preliminaries Preparation: If you desire advertising the group, announcements need to go to the media at least six weeks prior to the beginning of the group. Most effective is either an article or listing under Grief/support groups in the local newspaper. It's All To Do With The Way You Wake Up Do you start your day with anger, frustration and annoyance at the alarm and the need to get up? Do you wake up hoping the day will go away and you can get back to sleep? Have you lost the fun? The confidence to have a go at things. Are you struggling along? Are you just going through the rituals of life? Are you just doing enough at work? Doing what is necessary because you think you 'ought, should, must do this for the sake of others? Do you feel all washed up and no one is interested in you? Do you feel devoid of vibrancy, and sense of purpose, an aimless victim buffeted by the winds of change? It's all to do with the way you wake up. Be Better at Business - And Lose Weight, Too! In business, individuals often secure the services of a success coach like myself to "fix" certain areas of their professional life. The desired fixes typically range from a desire for a promotion and/or a salary increase, to on-the-job performance enhancements, to improving one's personal productivity, to boosting one's level of enthusiasm about their job.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
