The Power of Asking the Right Questions
Coaching is not about providing answers—it’s about helping individuals uncover their own insights. The International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching as a thought-provoking and creative process that empowers individuals to maximize their potential. One of the core competencies in the ICF coaching framework is powerful questioning—the ability to ask thought-provoking questions that lead to deeper reflection and clarity.
In my experience, I’ve seen how the right questions can unlock new perspectives and drive growth. Let me share an example of how this played out at work.
A Coaching Conversation at Work
Harish, a mid-level manager at my company, approached me one day, looking discouraged. He said, “I feel stuck in my career. My last promotion was five years ago, and I’m not motivated anymore. I don’t know what to do next.”
Applying the coaching approach, I asked, “What part of your work do you enjoy the most?”
After a moment of thought, he replied, “I would love to lead a team working on something creative, innovative, or strategic. But right now, I spend most of my time managing reports and meetings.”
I then asked, “What’s stopping you from pursuing that?”
He admitted, “Fear of failure. I’ve been in operations for so long that stepping into something new feels risky.”
So, I followed up with, “What’s one small step you can take toward this goal?”
He reflected and said, “I could talk to my manager about opportunities in strategy or innovation and explore courses to build my skills.”
Though Harish initially spoke about a promotion, he realized that what he truly wanted was a shift from routine tasks to more creative and strategic work. This conversation illustrates how coaching—through powerful questioning—helps individuals gain clarity, challenge limiting beliefs, and take action.
Coaching as a Transformational Process
The ICF coaching framework emphasizes that coaching is a structured process that follows key principles:
- Creating Awareness: Encouraging self-reflection to uncover challenges and possibilities.
- Exploring Possibilities: Helping individuals generate options instead of providing solutions.
- Commitment to Action: Supporting clients in defining actionable steps toward their goals.
By applying this approach, coaching shifts conversations from problem-focused to solution-focused, leading to meaningful progress.
- Coaching: Demonstrates the power of questioning in a coaching conversation.
- Coaches: Highlights a key coaching competency—powerful questioning—as defined by ICF.
- Community: Encourages coaching conversations at work to foster professional growth.
Coaching isn’t about giving advice—it’s about guiding people to discover their own insights and take ownership of their growth. By mastering the art of questioning, we can help individuals move forward with confidence and clarity.
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Arumugam Srinivasan
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