Asking Powerful Questions
Purpose
Equip coaches with questions that shift perspective and deepen insight
How to Use
1. Introduce the principle: powerful questions open thinking rather than lead to predetermined answers. 2. Share the question taxonomy: open questions, exploratory questions, perspective-shifting questions, future-focused questions, challenging questions. 3. Participants practice generating questions for a given coaching scenario. 4. Score questions: does it open or close thinking? Does it serve the coachee's agenda? 5. Select top three questions for a live coaching conversation.
Created by Various (coaching tradition; compiled by Barbara Toth)
When to Use
This tool is suited to the following coaching and facilitation contexts:
| Context | Relevant |
|---|---|
| Individual Coaching | |
| Team Coaching | |
| Leadership Development | |
| Facilitation / Workshop | |
| Online / Virtual |