To do this, we need to move past the surface issues and get to the real root causes of the issues. Here are some questions to help you do that. (Note, since there are many different kinds of coaches, we’ve tried to include fairly generic questions that can be switched from one coaching topic to another, but not all of these questions will be easily "transferable" and you might need to do some customization to make them work.

Question 1: "Tell me about the result that occurs when you perform that activity… and tell me about how you would prefer it to be."

This question is good for a number of different coaching topics and industries. This question helps to explore the gap between intention and result. Your job, then, is to identify the elements in the gap and help your client to solve them. An example of use might be when someone asks you to help them improve their sales because they can’t convert their prospects.

Question 2: "Talk me through a typical process with particular emphasis on what you’re thinking about during that time."

This question might seem a little more like a psychologist’s question but the purpose here is to help you identify incorrect thinking (or distraction or procrastination) during various activities. You might need to work with the person to actually perform the activity. An example of use might be someone who comes to you because they have procrastination issues or are pulled in many different directions.

Question 3: (Part A) "In a perfect world, what would your business look like?" (Part b) "How would this activity impact it?"

The "part A" of this question prompts your client to think revisit their long term vision for the company (or begin to articulate it if they have not done so in a while). The "part B" of this question is much more specific to the project or situation you are coaching them through. It ties your client’s current coached activity to their long-term vision (or highlights if there is not a fit).

Question 4: "Put yourself in your customer’s shoes for a moment and describe how they perceive this aspect of your business."

This question, which is for business-related coaches, obviously, prompts a client to get out of their own narrow mindset that has probably shaped their thinking for too long and to start thinking about their customers. This is also a good question to ask about vendors and employees, too, if that is the area you are coaching them on.

Question 5: "If you were to suddenly receive unlimited funds and time but could ONLY apply it to this situation, what would you do?"

This question helps you to prompt your clients to think about where they should be really investing their resources in a given situation. For example, business owners on a budget might not always invest in the right things or the best things because they focus on the cheapest option. This question helps to draw out what they feel the better investment is.

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