Avoid those Dead-End Questions!

In this newsletter, we look at avoiding dead-end questions! Enjoy.

Hey 👋

Here’s a consistent observation I made: Coaching at the most basic level has a lot of dead-end questions that lead to "I don't know" and therefore "Coaching does not work".

Not so fast!

Examples for dead-end questions:

"What do YOU think we should do?"

“What would YOU do in this case?”“What’s YOUR solution or idea here?”

While it’s a good start to ask these kind of questions, they are also blunt instruments that work well only in the simplest of scenarios, i.e. when someone has not thought a challenge through yet at all. If a team member approaches you to overcome a challenge that they have been struggling with for a while, those kind of questions fall flat fast.

It's like trying to fix a complicated watch with a hammer.

Instead, good coaching uses more powerful asking to draw the other person’s thinking out and help them think different.

Examples for better questions that draw out more:

“What is in your control?”“What can you actually influence in this situation?”“What makes it challenging for you to make progress here?”“What is your recommendation, based on your available facts?”“Based on what you know: what needs your attention right now?”

These questions are of a very different calibre and are much more likely to generate something. They take a step back and open up areas where people could put their energy and thinking in.

Coaching is so much more than "What would you do?"

Let's all take a step back and do some better asking!

Have a great week ahead!

Maik

p.s.: Open to join my next Leader Academy run st starts on 25 Nov! We still have spots left. Check it out!

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