If a sentence ends in a question mark, does it mean it’s a good question?
Questions are at the heart of coaching, and from my perspective, the heart of leadership.
Recently, while working with a leader, we explored some issues of delegation, team effectiveness, and the role of curiosity in their leadership. After a couple of weeks, we reviewed their progress. They felt nothing had changed. So, we did some role-playing. Although their sentences ended with a question mark, they often came across as directives rather than genuine curiosity. For instance, they would ask, "Have you tried doing blah blah blah?"
Thinly veiled advice disguised as a question.
Not sure where to start to ask better questions? If I gave one piece of advice around asking questions, use WHAT questions in your next meeting.
What are some of your favorite coaching questions? (see what I did there?) Share them in the comments below.
If you’re looking for more examples of great questions, check out one of my favorite coaching books for leaders; “The Coaching Habit” by Michael Bungay Stanier.
Kommentit