Every time I ask a powerful question there are 5 factors I keep in mind:
1. What’s the context?
What’s happening, in the client’s life, inside my body, in the client body, and the conversation.
2. What’s the bind?
Where is the client trapped or stuck, usually by some sort of unresolvable dilemma, impossible choice, or conflicting commitment?
3. What’s possible?
What possibility am I holding for them? What’s possible that they don’t even know is possible? What’s possible in this moment?
4. What’s their language?
How do they talk about the problem or the possibility they are facing? Will using their language help this land? Will using different language shake things up?
5. What are you actually curious about?
What do I most want to know? What am I afraid to ask? What are the most obvious questions? What might be a creative way of asking this? How can I ask this in one simple question?
Of course, I don’t run through ALL these questions as I coach. Sometimes I’ll consider one or two before I ask a question, but most often I ask from instinct with some focus on the area of growth I’m longing to create.
The time I DO consider these questions is when I’m practicing or reflecting on a session.
DO YOU WANT TO GO DEEPER?
If going deeper interests you. . .
If you’d love to have space to ask yourself these questions. . .
If you’d love to listen to how coaches like you and even master coaches answer these kinds of questions. . .
I’d love to invite you to the Art of Powerful Questions Half Day Dojo taking place November 15th!
– You’ll get a list of powerful questions you can use again and again.
– You’ll learn how to know what makes a question powerful.
– You’ll learn how to ask questions in a bunch of different ways.
– And most importantly you’ll develop a trust yourself and the questions you ask. You’ll feel confident when you ask a powerful question and stay confident no matter what kind of answer you get back
I hope to see you there!
Love,
Toku
