Open questions for partnering with your client

You have probably read my rants on “open and closed questions” in coaching. Many coaches and coach trainers have a strong preference for asking only open questions, ignoring the fact that if you want your client to take a decision, there is no way around a closed question or a either/or question:

- Do you want to explore this topic further?

- Are you happy to close the session now?

- Would you like to focus on topic A, B or C?

However, closed questions and either/or questions are not the only way to partner with the client. I thought that it might be helpful for you to explore the other ways in which partnering can happen.

“How” questions are a good way to co-construct the coaching process with your client:

- How would you like to start our session?

- How do you normally think about issues like this?

- How would you like to go about this session?

- How would you like me to support you in this session as your coach?

“What” questions can also be used for partnering:

- What would you like to start with?

- What would you like to discuss?

- What is the best way I can support you?

Even “Where” questions:

- Where would you like to start?

- Where would you like to go next?

As you can see, the open partnering questions ask the client about the coaching / thinking process they prefer, the sequence of the coaching, the topic they would like to choose or the way the coach might support the client best. If you remember to collaborate with your client when you have an idea on where the coaching process should go next, these questions will probably come easy. You notice that you want to invite the client to think about their resources, for example. Instead of just asking a resource activating question (e.g., “What have you already done that works”), you could remember to offer the direction instead: “I was thinking to ask you about what you have done that already works, where would you like to focus on next?” or something like that. The open partnering questions also come in very handy if you have no clue what to do next 😊.

If you would like to discuss these or other coaching questions, learn about our classes or just hang out with a bunch of friendly colleagues, why not join us for one of our free coaching meetups and exchanges?

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