That’s right. We just don’t want no damn coaching questions. What we want is answers. What we want is coaching answers. The problem is that you just don’t get answers without questions. It’s as simple as that. Got it?!

No Answers without no Questions.

Now don’t go and over think this one, Sparky. You can make a statement, but just don’t have an answers without a questions first. The good news is that you are the Coach and you are the one who gets to ask the questions. Yes! You are the one who gets the answers that are needed because you are the one who gets to ask the questions. Fair enough?

So of all the Questions, what Are the best Coaching Questions?

The best coaching questions are the ones that your client can’t articulate, but which they have been secretly praying for someone to ask. Great! So now what can you do? Glad you asked. Here is how I discover those critical coaching questions. First, I cast a broad net. First, I ask open ended questions. By doing this I open the net wide and haul in everything and anything. Some of which is important and some of which just doesn’t make any difference at all. Then I sort through my catch, judging the value of each item by asking closed ended questions. By using this approach, I get the client to first share everything. Then I am able to sort the items and determine what, in the eyes of my client, are the most important items. Once they are able to bare their souls and layout side by side their beliefs, they can easily judge these ideas. Thus they tell you what is most important to them.

It’s all inside Your Clients Head, and You Are the One with the Key

The key of course is the ability to ask the right questions. Otherwise, it is all locked up there in your client’s head. So practice asking your coaching questions. Practice asking, and practice listening. Practice observing, as well. Your client my not answer your question in words. But “listen” at a higher level, by asking questions, upon questions, until your client trusts you and is fully in touch with their own reality and themselves. In that moment, you can ask and you will learn what it is that your client has secretly been crying out to share.

Dave Iuppa
JTS Advisors Strategy and Accountability Coach

Technorati Tags: Become a Life Coach, Coaching Questions

With all their secrets hidden inside of your client’s head, there are an infinite number of coaching questions that one might ask to begin a coaching relationship. But there are three magical questions that will give the coach what they need to know to begin to coach successfully.

Here They Are, Simple as 1 – 2 – 3

The first question is “Please share with me what you would normally share when you are letting someone get to know you?” The second question is “If you had a magic wand, what three things are most critical to change or improve in your life, right now?” And finally, what would you have to believe to really own that outcome, and achieve your goals?” Simple enough, but just make sure you are listening and taking notes, because your client may be lying and not even know it.

The Answer Is the Answer, True or Not

Your first assumption should be that your client’s answers to these three coaching questions are simple, straight-forward and true. But then you should double check every aspect of each question for consistency. If you find even the slightest inconsistency, jump on it. Determine the what, the why and the how of each. Ask why they see those contradictory elements as true. Then dig some more to understand why they feel that is OK. Once you have all the answers and have uncovered any inconsistencies, and why they don’t bother them, then you are ready to move on.

Responding to the Answers to the Three Magical Coaching Questions

At this point, the coach knows how their client sees them self. They also know what they are most highly motivated to change or improve in their lives, and what they need to believe to make that possible. Armed with these answers, the coach is able to crystallize goals, layout plans, determine limiting beliefs, and hold the client accountable for their commitments and to the achievement of their plans. Not bad for three simple coaching questions.

Dave Iuppa
JTS Advisors Strategy and Accountability Coach

Technorati Tags: Become a Life Coach, Coaching Questions

One of the most controversial coaching questions is whether coaching can help people reach their goals of being happy? A better coaching question is what is happiness and how do you achieve it. According to Stephen P. Robbins PhD’s book, “The Truth about Managing People and Nothing but the Truth,” there is a happiness gene. Robbins goes on to say that 80 percent of people’s differences in happiness are attributable to their genes.

Is Happiness Genetically Determined?

Some people are just naturally more friendly, positive, and happy than others. Robbins advocates that based on research it is important to focus on hiring people with positive dispositions rather than spending dollars on training staff to “motivate” and shape behavior. It’s an uphill battle and most programs don’t change behavior. It’s an uphill battle for coaches. My mentor told me that it’s easier to ride stallions than to drag nags.

The Best Answer May Be Asking Your Clients Coaching Questions

I tell potential clients that I don’t coach everyone. Not everyone is motivated enough, determined enough, or even interested in reaching their goals. One of the coaching questions I use is to ask potential clients if they want me to be their coach. I don’t let them get by with answers like, “Sure, but…” It’s a yes or no question and it separates the people who are not really committed. I can take someone to a place of significant emotional pain visualizing what will happen if they don’t take immediate action and have them realize during a call that as bad as it may be, they don’t really want to change. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. The same with coaching. It’s ok, because there are plenty of people who are ready to go right now.

To learn more about how to generate an endless wave of high paying coaching clients, get your FREE Instant Access to our “Life Coaching Business Blueprint” video toolkit when you go HERE

Colette Seymann
JTS Advisors Designated Accountability Coach

Technorati Tags: Become a Life Coach, Coaching Questions

Coaching questions are your stock and trade in the coaching profession. Unless you are more the consultant type of coach, you probably spend much of your session time asking questions. There are questions about goals, about challenges, about wins, about commitments kept or broken. You name it, a coach has questions. But what do you do when your client runs into a thought roadblock and just doesn’t have an answer? Here are some mind-benders that just might open up the roadblock.

A Coaching Question That Turns The Problem On Its Head

You may have a client who comes to a session in the throes of a miserable day or a distressing experience. Even with all your skills in getting someone to change her state, you have failed to do so. What can make the moaning and groaning stop and turn the problem around? Ask your client “What’s great about having this problem?” It’s a mind-bending question for someone who isn’t used to thinking that way. If she is willing to focus on answering the question, her state will change and she will begin to see options and interpretations that your previous coaching questions didn’t elicit.

Coaching Questions That Come At A Problem Backwards

There are two coaching questions that essentially ask the same thing, but in slightly different ways. These are “What are you willing to give up in order to resolve this problem?” and “What are you willing to stop doing in order to have what you want?” Both of these questions come at a seemingly unsolvable problem from a perspective your client is unlikely to have considered. And you both might be surprised at the answers, which could be anything from giving up TV watching to giving up the security of a steady job.

The Best Question Of All

My absolute favorite coaching question is this one: “If you did know, what would the answer be?” It doesn’t matter what the subject is—a feeling, a goal, a memory, whatever. The human brain is designed to answer questions that are posed to it, and it will find its best possible answer. Then you have something to work with.

Compile your own list of favorite coaching questions. I hope some of these are useful additions.

Give this strategy a try and see for yourself that it works. If you liked this coaching tip, leave a comment or use the handy bookmark buttons below to share it with others on Facebook, Twitter, Digg, etc. Thanks!

Dorine G. Kramer
JTS Advisors Strategy and Accountability Coach

Technorati Tags: Become a Life Coach, Coaching Questions

What coaching questions can you ask yourself when you first become a life coach and are broke? If you’re like most, when you become a life coach, you start with no paying clients. You may be experiencing some financial stress at this time. You want to transition to coaching full time, but may feel like that is not possible because you have too many bills to pay. What coaching questions can you ask yourself to attract paying clients when you become a life coach?

When in stress and anxiety about finances when you become a life coach, most of the time, it is not something that is happening today. It is this future someday, like being able to make your mortgage payment in 30 days. How do you think carrying that stress and anxiety is going to affect your free sessions and your enrollment results? The impact would probably be negative and reinforce stress with poor enrollment results. When you feel this fear and anxiety, ask yourself these coaching questions.

Coaching Questions #1 To Create Money When You Become A Life Coach: “Is What I’m Worried About Something That Is Going To Happen Today?”

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Most of the time from my experience, when you become a life coach, the answer to coaching questions of this sort is, “No.” Usually, life coaches start part time and have another job to cover their basic bills. If that’s true to your situation and the answer is no, then decide to let the worry go. Now that you’ve let it go, you’re operating from a “clean slate” or fresh start mentally, and you can continue to ask yourself other coaching questions to help you overcome your anxiety.

Coaching Questions #2 To Create Money When You Become A Life Coach: “What Do I Need To Focus On To Create Money?”

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Whatever answers you get to these coaching questions, write them down. Your mind will tell you what you need to focus on to create money when you first become a life coach. Now focus on what you need to do that will directly lead to paying clients. If you don’t have the money in 30 days to make your mortgage payment, then we’ll deal with it at that time. You need to focus ALL of your energy on generating leads, setting free sessions and running free sessions. Focusing on this will ensure you will be able to achieve financial freedom when you become a life coach.

Kris Thompson
JTS Advisors Strategy Coach

Technorati Tags: Become a Life Coach, Coaching Questions