The seven most powerful words in coaching

There aren’t many words that have the power to unlock possibilities and help people reach their potential. But these seven words are crucial to the toolkit of any coach or ambitious individual. If you know how to use them effectively, they can be a brush in your hand in front of an open canvas. However, if you use them incorrectly, they will create a barrier between you and the person you work with…

Coaching requires that you ask a lot of questions of the person you are working with, and this is an art! Before I discuss particular effective words, I want to share some thoughts about questioning itself. This is to ensure that the environment in which the questions are asked is optimized…

1. Know why you are asking specific questions. His goal is to help clients reflect on their circumstances and generate possibilities that help them achieve their goals. This means that you don’t need to know everything and you shouldn’t ask questions just to satisfy your own curiosity, but to help them think about what will help them move forward.

2. Make sure you establish rapport with your customers before you start with in-depth questions. If detailed questions are asked before an adequate level of rapport has been established, your questions may cause the client to close rather than open up.

3. Always ask open-ended questions, questions that can’t be answered with just a “yes” or “no.”

4. Really listen to the speaker, don’t use the time to think about what he will say next. Let them determine the direction of the conversation.

Once you’ve created a rapport and the right context, the following seven question words can be particularly powerful: what, why, how, when, where, who and if. Let’s look at each in turn:

What

This is probably the word that any good coach will use most often. It could be used to gain insight, help clients think about the possible consequences of their actions, and help them define their goal. A very strong addition to what is the little word ‘else’. By continually asking what else, customers are helped to generate countless possibilities from which they could choose the most appropriate action.

why

This word should be approached with caution. If used incorrectly, someone could react defensively, for example Why did you do that? These questions will form a barrier between the trainer and the client. So it’s much better to switch to a “what” question, for example What were the consequences of this action? Prayed What made you decide to take this action? However, when used to test or increase motivation, why questions can be very effective. For example, when someone talks about her goal and you want to help her turn it into a strong and compelling reason to follow her dream, ask: Why do you want this so much?

How

This word could help people to take action, thinking about the steps they will need to take to make their dreams come true. Asking a question like: How will you do to achieve your goal? It will help clients think about the actions they need to take next. Another powerful question of what it would be like to ask: How will you know when you have reached your goal? This question will help clients to be very clear about what needs to happen and what specific elements are required. This will make it easier for them to recognize when they have achieved their goal.

Who

This word can be used to achieve two main results. First, it can help people find out who they can ask for support or who could help them reach their goals. Second, a question of who could help clients realize their own responsibility in achieving their goals. This question, Whose responsibility is this? it can help clients really take ownership of what needs to be done. This could be a powerful experience for clients when they really take ownership of their life goals.

yew

This word is used to help clients see possibilities and unlock their creativity, e.g. if you did this, what would happen? If you knew the answer, what would you say? If a miracle happened and everything was the way you would like it to be, what would your life be like?

When

After someone has decided on their plan of action, this word is probably the most effective word that could be used. This word transforms dreams into goals. The word “when” can turn an idea into a specific action. When someone has made plans and seems excited about it, just ask: When are you going to do this?

Where

Although this question doesn’t get much use, it could be a real gem, especially when asking not to determine a specific place, but rather a direction or consequence. For example, asking someone: Where will this lead? It could help them realize the consequences or possibilities of their actions and it could motivate them to take action as soon as possible. So if you asked this question after someone said they would clean up their yard, you might respond with the following answers: I will no longer be ashamed of having friends at home; I can even invite my neighbors… I think we could actually become good friends… This question could generate many possibilities and subsequent excitement about the future.

These seven words are powerful, they could change your practice, and they could help change people’s lives. So use them with precision and care and see how they will help people unlock their incredible potential.