Powerful questions are open-ended questions that invite introspection, present additional solutions, and lead to creativity and insight. Coaches use them to allow clients to explore a topic more deeply. The answer leads to learning for the client. It has been said, “the more powerful questions the coach asks, the better the coaching”. Try using them, especially in sequence. They work. They can also make you feel smarter.
Powerful questions best begin with what, how and when. Why also works, but often not as well. What follows is a list of the most basic powerful questions.
What do you want? What does that look like? Feel like? What does that mean? What else? What will you do? When? What’s important about that? What are the possibilities? What’s really going on? What are you afraid of? What’s the worst that could happen? What did you learn? What’s next?
