Coaching is all about asking questions, and as a leadership development coach, inquiry is the key. Leadership development coaching entails asking the right questions of your clients in order for them to find the right answers. Don’t tell, ask!
As a leadership development coach, your inquiry can fall into three principal categories. Here are the categories and the questions that are most likely to generate critical thought and personal reflection in your client while encouraging them to find their own answers and solutions. If you ask, they will discover!
20 Questions a Leadership Development Coach Must Ask
Purpose
- Why are you interested in developing and enhancing your leadership skills?
- How will improving your leadership skills help you achieve your goals and dreams?
- What are your motivations to improve your leadership skills?
- Are you seeking to change roles, jobs, or careers, or do you want to become a better leader in your current role?
- Are you completely committed to change and inspired to improve and determined to further your development as a leader?
What?
- In your mind, what skills does a great leader possess?
- What leadership attributes are important in your current job or in the position to which you aspire?
- What are your greatest strengths as a leader?
- What areas do you feel you need the most improvement as a leader?
- What are the two most important areas to work on; areas that will provide you with the best opportunity to reach your aspirations?
How?
- How will you make any changes and attempt to apply your new skills to your position or job?
- How will you react to any criticism that your new leadership skills creates?
- How will you know if your newly learned leadership skills have brought about positive change?
- How will you determine if working with a leadership development coach has been beneficial for you?
Commitment
- Will you be committed to finding resources to further your knowledge of leadership skills?
- Will you continue to work with a coach once you feel comfortable that you have elevated your leadership skills to a new level, or do you feel that continued coaching would not be useful?
- Will you be able to effectively and objectively measure the success of your new skills?
- Will you be likely to pursue knowledge of leadership competencies through books, DVDs, seminars, and workshops?
- Are you truly committed to becoming the best leader you can be and willing to work hard to get there?
- Do you feel you have the capability to move mountains and motivate others to achieve goals?
As a leadership development coach, your raison d’etre is to ask pertinent questions that will inspire and motivate your clients to seek their own solutions. You are a facilitator and a motivator. You don’t have the answer, you help them form their own solutions. Remember, don’t ask, tell!
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Fred Philips
Business Coach
Writing Team, Coaches Training Blog Community
I liked that you talked about asking what the strengths are best for a leader. It is good to know that you can learn for what other types of leaders are good. After all, a good leader will have to lead a bunch of other people.