The eight questions that can transform the power of coaching

Today, the importance of coaching as part of a leader’s responsibilities is widely appreciated. The best leaders act as coaches for their teams, creating the spaces, environments and cultures in which individuals can afford to experiment, make breakthroughs, and declare authentic commitments and future possibilities.

But, as we’ve explored in recent blogs, there is always a balance between coaching and direct instruction. When it comes to procedures or instructions that must be followed, clarity is critical and coaching may not be the way to go. But how can leaders get the balance right and be better coaches to their teams?

In this blog, Ric Bulzis, distils a set of eight questions that have emerged from his work with leaders across sectors and organisations big and small. Each can be used to open conversations for possibility with direct reports, and provide a valuable entry point for self-enquiry that can improve leadership abilities.

1. 1. What would you really want if there were no limits?

People self-limit all the time. Constrained by the unseen contexts of their role, the organisation, expectations of the team and the leader, they opt for what they think they can have, rather than what they really want. This narrows their thinking and limits possibilities and creativity.

It’s the role of a coach and a leader to unearth the deep commitments, hidden assumptions, background commitments, and limitations within their teams. By asking direct reports what they would do if unshackled, it’s possible to expand possibilities while also establishing a safe environment in which honesty and authenticity are prized above all else.

2. 2. What needs to change for you to be successful?

A great follow-up to the first question, this allows a leader and coach to understand background commitments and assumptions that are preventing individuals from achieving their goals.

Amidst concerns around resources and expertise will lurk what we refer to as “rackets”. These are the behaviours, assumptions or other commitments that have a present-day payoff for the individual, but which undermine commitment to future possibilities. For example, “I need a better plan,” may in fact be a racket. The payoff of is security, but the cost is taking a risky step that could prove game-changing.

The skill in coaching this question is not providing solutions, but probing and leading the individual to spot their own rackets and perceive new opportunities to break free of them.

3. 3. What do you need to learn or explore?

A coach is someone whose conversation has a direct impact on the team's performance. Their role is to encourage individuals to explore and grow. Use this question to re-direct those who are overly wedded to a plan or a specific course of action. Use it to inspire, ignite imagination and a willingness to experiment. Deployed at the right point it can initiate new thinking and expand possibilities.

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5. 4. What unpopular action might lead to progress?

No one particularly likes to point out where things are coming apart or where actions are not producing intended results. But identifying breakdowns is essential to making breakthroughs.

By asking directly what the unpopular action would be, leader-coaches can guide their reports to be better and bolder at calling these out. Helping individuals to not only be aware of potential breakdowns, but to actively seek them out as ways of accelerating progress is one of the most powerful aspects of coaching.

5. 5. If you could give one piece of straight feedback, what would it be and what’s stopping you giving it?

Most of us will have feedback we’d like to give to colleagues – so what’s stopping us? Once again assumptions, rackets and background commitments could be the answer. We are less good at giving ourselves honest feedback but, having explored why we’d not speak straight with someone else, it becomes easier to ask the same question of ourselves. 

6. 6. Could you tell me what I’m committed to as a leader of this team?

As with other questions this must be asked from an authentic desire to really understand. What’s important for any leader is to listen not for playback of what you’ve said you are committed to, nor even for what your team thinks you should be committed to, but for a real resonance with your true commitment.

Not only will this identify where your own background commitments are but identify the truly shared commitments that drive success. The natural gaps in understanding of commitments are opportunities to create breakthroughs.

7. 7. How ‘at stake’ are you for your team’s success right now?

Part of leadership is shouldering responsibility to shield the team and allowing them to play all out without fear of consequence. Putting yourself fully at stake – not just in terms of recognition, role and job security, but fundamentally, psychologically fully investing in a future possibility, not only frees your team to go all out to deliver it but frees you as leader to completely dedicate to success. Asking this question in these terms not only creates a clearing for radical, breakthrough thinking, but creates real energy and vitality in a team.

8. 8. What are other possible interpretations here?

This final question can be one of the most useful, but also most dangerous. Stepping away from interpretation, putting aside assumptions and judgements, and focusing on facts is core to the breakdown process. So, asking direct reports to consider alternative interpretations might seem counter intuitive.

But the mental act of considering alternative points of view is also a powerful approach to create new options, opportunities and alternative ways forward. Leaders should never use this question to quash or dismiss the concerns of their team members nor to reinforce their own righteousness. However, well handled, this approach can help individuals move past anxiousness about situations or seemingly insurmountable problems and to re-engage with alternative solutions.

To be effective today’s leaders must become skilful coaches. The eight questions highlighted can start that journey, but continual investment in environments and cultures that support open, honest and safe communication are the essential foundations on which they can build.

Looking to make coaching work?  Get in touch to explore how we can help you ignite your ambitions.