Who doesn't love powerful questions? Well if you're at all like me, you get excited when you find a great new coaching question to add to your collection.
So, Here are 10 Coaching Questions to Get Your Clients Unstuck!
- What do you NOT want me to ask you?
- Imagine for a moment that your issue is resolved. How did you get there?
- So, what do you think you're SECRETLY afraid of, that's getting in the way of ________ ?
- a. What are you ready to change?
b. What are you NOT ready to change YET? - What haven't you admitted out loud yet?
- a. What's the problem in a nutshell?
b. Now, what’s the problem in one sentence?
c. And what’s the problem in one word? - What's the EASY way forward here?
- How important is this to you REALLY?
- What would YOU suggest I ask you to move this forwards?
- Name someone successful that you admire. What would ________ do if they were in your position?
If you have any powerful questions to unblock your clients that you think would help others - please share them in the comments below!
If you liked this article, you may also like:
- Our Infographic 10 Weird and Wonderful Ways to Get Unstuck!
- Our Free Tool: 37 Questions To Liberate Your Clients From Themselves
- The Complete Guide to The Wheel of Life (for Coaches)
Contributing Author:
Emma-Louise Elsey is passionate about kindness, coaching and personal development and has been coaching since 2003. She's the Founder and Former CEO of The Coaching Tools Company, and Founder of Fierce Kindness. Originally a project and relationship manager for Fortune 500 companies she loves to create coaching tools and exercises, including lots of free coaching tools for you here at The Coaching Tools Company. Through Fierce Kindness she helps people create a life they love, make a difference and learn to be kind to themselves.
She'd love you to sign-up for the Fierce Kindness Newsletter and grab a free How to Be Kind to Yourself Workbook. Or connect personally on Linkedin, Facebook or Instagram.
Learn more about Emma-Louise & see all their articles here >>
Image of Little Einstein by wavebreakmedia via Shutterstock
A great question I have found to get a stuck client moving when they won't get out of the story and are stuck in a bad relationship or environment (work or personal) is "Is this really good enough for you?"
The answer is invariably "no" which really gets them aware and thinking – and I take it from there.
Wendy Buckingham
Email: wendy@wendybuckingham.com
Thanks Wendy! And a great question - it shifts them into a different perspective. Warmly, EL
Brilliant question, thanks!
Wendy, you're a lifesaver, I'm going to use that today with a client!
Emma-Louise, you are too 🙂 I've picked out there questions from your list. That's all me and this client are going to today, enough already! 🙂
Dear Mhairi, glad that Wendy and I could help! Warmly, Emma-Louise
Hi Emma-Louise,
I think question 5 is really powerful for my coaching clients - sometimes confronting them with exactly what they are NOT saying is just the trigger for a great exposition. Makes growth really exciting.
Thanks
Bren
Dear Bren, thanks for your comment! I'm glad you found a useful question. Curious how you - and your clients 😉 - get on with it! Warmly, Emma-Louise
I have found this question To be very powerful.
What's stopping you from taking that action or
What needs to change in your thinking to take that action
Dear Prasad, Thank-you for those great questions! I particularly like your second one about the change to your thinking! 🙂 Warmly, Emma-Louise
I have client in a tough place and I have learn from each question. I’m new to the coaching environment. Thank you.
Dear Willy, I am so glad you found this article and the questions helpful 🙂 Thank-you for taking the time to comment. Warmly, Emma-Louise
Question 1: what "stops" you from moving forward? Whats your "red light"?
Always followed by
Question 2: What "starts" you to move forward? Say more...
Thank-you Linda! I particularly like the "red light" as it brings in a visual too! And the say more... 🙂 Warmly, Emma-Louise
"What were you pretending not to know, that, if you DID know right now would cause that old thing to resolve itself"
( I am using Spatial Predicates & Presuppositions in the question.)
Dear John, thank-you for your question! 🙂 Warmly, Emma-Louise
Thank you. This is very helpful.
These are really helpful.
Thank you
Thank you for your kind words, Avalon!
We're so glad you found these powerful questions to unblock your coaching clients!
Warmly, Mary
Thank you for these great questions! After asking the "scale" question ("On a scale from 1 to 10 where are you now and where would you like to be by the end of our session today"), I like to ask: "What shift needs to happen to get from # to #?"
Hi Kitty, that's a great addition! Thank-you 🙂