Quick Links

InviteCHANGE

Co-Active Summit

Practice Pay Solutions

Market Your Coaching
Business

choice Magazine

Subscribe to choice

More from choice!

choice expert series
archives







BE A FAN

VISIT THE CHOICE FAN PAGE ON FACEBOOK!



Subscribe to choice

BECOME
A
PART
OF
THE
GLOBAL
CONVERSATION



US SUBSCRIPTION ORDER

CANADIAN SUBSCRIPTION ORDER

INTERNATIONAL SUBSCRIPTION ORDER

choice Magazine
Customer Service

Hours:
M-Th 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
(Pacific Time)

email us at:
communication@choice-online.com

(310) 941-7249

 

choice - the magazine of professional coaching


Our choice premium partner, MHS, Inc., presents us with a four- article series, each one based on the principles of Emotional Intelligence

Top 25 Coaching Questions:
A proven framework for motivating change


In our fourth and final article, Wendy Gordon explores the Top 25 Coaching Questions

Top 25 Coaching Questions:
A proven framework for motivating change

by Wendy Gordon based on feedback from Katie Ziemer, MOrgPsych

The coaching questions below are designed to help you explore assessment results, find meaningful connections, and establish a plan for future coaching sessions. The structure of these questions is inspired by the ADAPT interview framework popularized by Thomas N. Ingram, who believed that a series of strategic questioning 'stages' was the most effective way to establish awareness of a development need.

To best motivate behavioral change, our 25 favorite coaching questions are broken into six stages.

Build Rapport

The first step is to creating a sense of ease and establishing common goals between you and your client. Questions to ask first include:
  1. How does today's purpose/agenda sound to you?
  2. What was your reaction to taking this assessment?
  3. What are your expectations or goals for this feedback session?
Validate Facts

Next, establish the truth of factual information, such as assessment results. You can ask:
  1. oes anything surprise you?
  2. Would you say this is a real strength of yours?
  3. This suggests to me that____. Is that true of you?
  4. Is there anything unusual going on in your life right now?
Uncover Development Areas

In the third step, the goal is to acquire a full understanding of any areas for development that may be present. As a coach, you want to probe for details to clarify your client's thoughts, feelings, opinions, and expectations.

Meaningful questions here are:
  1. What areas stand out for you as things you'd like to focus on?
  2. How satisfied are you with the way you are currently performing in this area?
  3. What would be the impact if you could do ___ better?
  4. What is the message here?
  5. What prevents you from being effective in this area?
  6. Why is that so frustrating?
Establish Relevance

Next, activate interest in finding a solution. You can gauge the possibility and desire for change by connecting the importance of your conversation to your client's work. Try asking:
  1. It sounds like it is important for you to ___ on the job. Is that correct?
  2. How long have you been doing that?
  3. Is it realistic to expect that you can continue doing ___ over the long term?
  4. To what extent is that effective for you?
  5. How is that behavior working for you?
Explore Benefits

The goal here is to help your client become aware of the benefits of change by considering the positive outcomes associated with a particular solution. "If... then" questions help the client project an ideal state of operating without difficulty. You could ask:
  1. What is the ideal situation here?
  2. If you had a choice, what would you do?
  3. If you didn't have to deal with ____, how would things be different?
  4. What kind of support would be helpful?
Transition

The final step involves discussing the next steps and establishing the client's commitment to continue working with you. Questions to help close the conversation are:
  1. How committed are you to this?
  2. What would you like to focus on now?
  3. I propose that we____. Does that sound good to you?
This stepwise process is helpful not only in an initial interview or debriefing session, but can be used throughout the coach-client relationship to determine if your client's goals have changed, whether modifications to your processes are warranted, and to re-establish your client's commitment along the way.

Challenging anyone's personal beliefs and emotional responses can be a very touchy activity. Often, using a proven framework such a theoretical model or validated assessment can help bring some objectivity to the process. The real trick here is not to tell the client what the results mean, but rather to ask what meaning the results have for the client.

A written and structured plan, such as the Development Plan section of the EQ-i Business Report, helps to reinforce this coaching framework and provides a means for your client to view personal development as any other important project: as a process with clear objectives, benefits, tasks, and means for measuring success.

This article was based on the expertise of Katie Ziemer, MOrgPsych along with the ADAPT interview framework as popularized by Thomas N. Ingram.

MHS is proud to publish the premiere predictive emotional intelligence assessment tool in the market, the EQ-i. Not only does using the EQ-I make consultants and coaches like you, an authority on EI with your customers, but our new partnership program will help you secure new leads and grow your business. Ask your emotional intelligence sales representative about our partnership program today.

Contact info:
eiconnection@mhs.com
Website link: www.mhs.com/ei Linkedin

For updated information on our choice Multi Media Expert Series visit www.morefromchoice.com

For archived MP3 audio library visit www.morefromchoice.com

For the choice expert series archives visit www.choice-online.com/expertseries.html

choice, the magazine of professional coaching


become a fan


tweet us


link up with us

Feedback is welcome at ExpertSeries@choice-online.com

Visit our choice Website
 choice, the magazine of professional coaching
For our Multi Media Teleclasses visit
www.morefromchoice.com
customer service phone: 310-941-7249 (PST 9-4)