Beyond How are you? 'Powerful Questions'
Questions are not just tools, they are keys that can unlock transformative conversations, connections, and opportunities. They have the power to invite clients to grow in awareness and development, and as a coach, you hold these keys in partnership with clients.
Questions like "How are you, who, what, when?" are often asked. Intentional inquiries with a purpose can make a meaningful impact, spark creativity, and allow one to express oneself in new ways. Imagine how different it feels if someone can ask questions that connect with you and where you are in life. A client can find new perspectives or integrate lifestyle habits for long term change.
During a recent coaching session, a client made significant progress within the first twenty minutes. As a coach, I asked questions aligning with a lifestyle habit the client wanted to explore. Allowing the client's voice to lead while trusting their ability to utilize resources, the session led to greater awareness and motivation. Partnering through questions and inviting clients to connect goals to their deeper values encourages fresh perspectives and inspiration.
Crafting inquiries based on the client's input and process empowers them to explore a deeper perspective and fundamental lifestyle practices. Suppose a coach listens for indicators such as language of limitation and patterns different from where the client expresses a desire to be. Trust in the client can result in profound inspiration. An example question could be: "How will 'healthy rhythms' express your desired value of 'creativity' in a new way?" This example asks the client to search for possible connections and develop their skills to reach the overarching goal more broadly.
Video of a child asking Jesus questions from the show The Chosen
Link: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/06aGbI7wzFA
Just as a young girl's innocent curiosity helped build context in her conversation with Jesus, the client's community can play a significant role in the coaching process. By integrating varied perspectives or responses from the client's community, I was able to enhance the impact of the coaching on the client's growth.
Video of Jesus and Beatitudes Sermon preparation with Matthew from the show The Chosen
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5OnF3sg0cY
Matthew's approach to learning from Jesus is a valuable lesson for coaches. His trust, partnership, and curiosity, even when he needs help understanding, are pivotal in avoiding stagnation. As the clip shows, his eye contact during Jesus' sermon demonstrates a deep connection. When he refers to the sermon as a map, his question, 'How is it a map?' leads to a deeper discussion. Matthew's curiosity and alignment with Jesus deepened his understanding and allowed Jesus to explain more fully.
I have experienced this while coaching a client. Asking for meaning from a client to words like 'health,' 'peace,' and' joy'…has quickened the effectiveness of coaching sessions and allowed the client and I to partner alongside their processing rhythms. Open questions are another element of a "powerful" technique that can get people more involved. Questions that invite movement are ways to partner with clients and listen to the process they arrive at. There can be opportunities to support the client in growth and development, which they bring, not one a coach determines for them!
ICF Competencies
4. Cultivates Trust and Safety
4.1 Cultivating Learning and Growth
8. Facilitates Client Growth (8.1-8.4)
Resource link: https://coachingfederation.org/credentials-and-standards/core-competencies
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