What are some effective coaching questions that encourage critical thinking?

As a business coach and real estate executive I have found that structured self reflection can be incredibly useful in opening the possibilities of truth and alternative perspectives. As a written exercise (important to visually out your inner monologue) I use the following for client / personal reflection: 1. How have I been complicit in creating the conditions I do not want? 2. What am I not saying that needs to be said? 3. What am I saying that’s not being heard? 4. What’s being said that I’m not hearing? These questions can be brutal but place a focus on you as the agent of insight and change.

And for each of these questions, it's worth asking "and what else" a few times before moving on. They may not even be aware of underlying motivations or deeper goals and knowing them might result in a different path or help remove roadblocks. Take the time and allow silence to be your friend as you dig deeper.

Often, leaders rely heavily on logic and reasoning when considering a topic. Two powerful questions can shift their perspective and lead to breakthroughs. 1. Gut Feeling Exploration: Ask the leader, "If you were to set aside all logical reasoning momentarily and just follow your gut instincts, what action would you take?” 2. Heart-Centered Decision Making: Let them take a deep breath and think about something they are passionate about, ask, "If you were to follow your heart in this matter, what would your course of action be?" In this way, leaders can balance logical reasoning, instinctive gut feelings, and emotional considerations, leading to a more rounded and insightful decision-making process, which is essential in leadership roles

Coaching plays a vital role in triggering critical thinking by encouraging individuals to explore, analyze, and generate insights on their own.Resonating on my personal experience below questions are designed to prompt thoughtful reflection and encourage individuals to analyze situations more deeply. 1-What possibilities do you see in this situation? 2-How might others perceive this issue differently? 3-What assumptions are you making, and are they limiting your perspective? 4-What potential obstacles can you anticipate, and how might you overcome them? 5-In what ways can you approach this problem from a different angle?

An important key to goal setting is asking the question: “how would you like it to be?”. These seven words enable the person being coached to move from the current state to the desired future state. Creating a goal once this desired future state is clear - in turn - helps the client to buy in to the goal. Remember those 7 words - and if you want to create even greater buy-in - change just one of those words and ask “how would you LOVE it to be?”

What do you want ? What do you really want ? Why do you want it ? Why do you really want it ? Whats getting in the way of what you want ? How are you getting in your own way of getting what you really want ? How can you overcome the obstacles in your way ? How can you move out of your own way ? How can i as your coach help you in this journey ? How can you as my coachee help me help you in this journey ? These are damn powerful if used at the right time in the right manner

I don't ask for absolutes too often. Instead, I ask "how is this evidenced?" Awkward phrasing, I know. But it lets us explore perspectives and gather evidence for the problem. We can also explore the "experience" of the problem.

Es la etapa de la confrontación. Se da en el momento en el que yo como coach trato de curiosear, trato de ponerme en los zapatos de la persona, trato de entender genuinamente qué pasa, a qué se refiere. Es una situación increíble porque dejas de ser tú para ser tu coachee, estás en su mapa y por ahí no sabes guiarte. Eso provoca la segunda transformación, reflexión y entendimiento, comprensión de su mapa por él mismo.

Limiting beliefs can often get in the way of setting meaningful goals. Sometimes we 'sandbag' our goals, setting lower targets because we're afraid to truly put ourselves out there, risk failure, or we doubt our abilities or even how much we deserve to play at a higher level. When working with clients to understand their beliefs, coaches and leaders can ask the following question to loosen a limiting belief's grip on a client, "do you have all of the evidence you need to know this is true?" and if not - than you must as least consider another possibility to be true. Beliefs can be swayed, even changed, in the face of evidence.

I use 5 questions in a conversational form: 1. What is your current status overall? How you feeling? 2. What is your challenge or challenges at the moment? 3. What have you done to address those challenges? 4. Why do you think that didnt work? 5. Where do you want to go from here once we work all this out? This allows them to dig deep, explain and, probably for the first time, articulate their situation verbally. This is a very powerful way to build massive rapport. 3.

"How will your boss solve for this? How about your spouse? How would Einstein tackle this issue" This question invites the coachee to step out of their typical perspective, stretch their thoughts and imagination into a prescribed different view, and reach for an enlightened option. As a coach, I ask this gently, and hold the space for it firmly. If the person says, "I don't know what my boss would say." I reply something along the lines of, "Just imagine that you're in a parallel dimension where you DO know what she'd say. Now, what does your boss say." As we suspend disbelief together, new ideas come online naturally. The trick is to support the other to reach beyond their reflexive responses.

This is where the coach steps in and coaches! Dont lead, accompany the client along their journey, acting as the bumpers like in a pinball game. (did I just show my age!)

I like to 'set the stage' for idea generation for clients by declaring that there are always more options available to them than they see. Through mental priming, visualization exercises, or even a pep talk, coaches can help their clients elevate their mental and emotional state, and choose their focus, to be able to see more possibilities when it comes to setting goals or creating strategies for their attainment. The better state we operate from, the better options we have at our disposal.

La etapa de las opciones es increíble porque descubre sus límites reales, que le gustaría, que no, que cree que puede y que no. Las opciones dan miedo a la vez que son liberadoras. A veces son catalizadores de progreso pero a veces no, a veces sirven para retroceder por temores no superados. Es una etapa muy rica para la persona, se abre un mundo de posibilidades que nunca antes había visto. Se produce la tercera transformación, soy capaz y es posible.

Is the juice worth the squeeze? It's worth remembering we have options to solve problems and achieve our goals. Which means the key is picking the right path. The right path allows us to "deliver value," or as I like to suggest, where the "juice is worth the squeeze." You'll know the more informal language I prefer; it shifts the way we think... and I like the results.

Es la etapa del impacto, de la sostenibilidad. Las consecuencias tanto en el coachee como en los demás. Es retador sobre todo cuando se indaga sobre la consecuencia de no hacerlo, de no entrar en acción. Vuelve a ser un freno si no se ha ido asentando bien el proceso. En general, el coachee llega preparado y lleno de energía a desarrollar su plan de acción sabiendo los costes tanto de hacerlo como de no hacerlo. Es la transformación del "doer".

Yo concretaría con preguntas como: ?Cómo crees que tus habilidades actuales pueden contribuir de manera significativa a la resolución de los desafíos en tu equipo? ?En qué medida consideras que tus suposiciones pueden estar influyendo en tu percepción de la situación actual en el trabajo??Qué opciones alternativas has explorado hasta ahora y cómo evalúas su efectividad para abordar el problema que estás enfrentando? ?Cómo podrías ver esta situación desde la perspectiva de tus colegas para obtener una comprensión más completa? ?Cuáles son los posibles obstáculos que podrían surgir al implementar tu estrategia y cómo planeas superarlos? ?Cómo puedes aprovechar las fortalezas individuales de tu equipo para lograr un resultado más exitoso?

Pour envisager les conséquences des options ou des décisions, rien ne vaut la question : Et alors ? Et alors ? Et alors ? Répétée à plusieurs reprises, elle permet d'envisager en profondeur les avantages et les inconvénients des différents options dans le court, le moyen et le long terme. Pour activer la créativité du cerveau gauche et sortir du mode enfermant du raisonnement, il est intéressant d'envisager le scenario du pire. En prenant cette décision, quel serait votre pire cauchemar ? Cette question puissante lève les résistances et donne confiance au coaché pour passer à l'action.

I like to do two things here: 1. Make it visual (map it out) 2. Start with a simpler question For me, this breaks down into a simpler first question, "What's at stake?" Stakes are a proxy for value, and that's important if we need to get things done. If we do nothing (or don't follow this path), what happens? Or If we take this action (follow this path), what can we do as a result? Then we can map it out... and that's where the real insights pop.

Understanding and responding to decision consequences is vital. I guide individuals to assess short and long-term effects by asking, 'What are the likely consequences of each option?' We evaluate impact on personal and professional realms, emphasizing accountability and decision alignment with values. Considering consequences of inaction is key. What opportunities might be missed? This prompts a holistic evaluation, empowering individuals to make choices aligned with aspirations. In responding to consequences, a proactive mindset is fostered. We develop contingency plans for challenges, ensuring preparedness. This approach, rooted in awareness & strategic thinking, empowers individuals to make decisions for long-term success and fulfillment

My favorite question to check assumptions is "For this to work, what has to be true?" It's a powerful way to reframe the situation. Often, we discover we didn't consider key people or other considerations. Then we can adjust accordingly.

Profundizar en los sesgos, en las creencias suele ser muy estresante. Pone en evidencia esa parte que se cree de la propia identidad. Uno suele creer ser sus creencias. Separarte de ellas es doloroso y tiendes a engancharte a otras. El truco es pivotar entre creencias y empezar a no dar nada por sentado. Si lo practicas y lo aprendes ganarás algo fundamental, la libertad de tus decisiones. Es una etapa que está presente en todo el proceso por que los patrones suelen estar muy arraigados.

Naming and challenging assumptions is essential to the coaching process and support’s clients in seeing beyond their own paradigm(s). How might you be wrong? What if you were 1% wrong?

In decision-making, uncovering assumptions is pivotal for clarity and effective critical thinking. I guide individuals to explore underlying beliefs by asking questions like 'What assumptions are influencing your perspective?' This prompts a conscious reflection on potential biases and helps in aligning decisions with facts. Tips: Question Assumptions Directly: Encourage individuals to question their own assumptions & those embedded in the decision-making process. Seek Evidence: Advise a search for evidence, ensuring decisions are grounded in facts. Consider Alternatives: explore alternative viewpoints and assumptions, for a more comprehensive understanding. Challenge Comfort Zones: question assumptions that may limit innovative thinking.

In my experience, clients often don’t have the whole picture of their business in terms of longevity, succession planning, impact on their fields or industry. I have found that if I ask them to do two things- first write a storyline about their start to end of their personal career. Then as a management team I ask for the storyline of the business from start to finish without any specific leaders - in other words, the business is the hero and where does it come to a logical conclusion. Often this leads to a clear decision based on lessons that we have worked through over our time together and leaves clients with best for the company practices that aren’t dependent upon leaders but the clear goals and objectives for their clients success

El coaching empresarial implica guiar a individuos o equipos en el entorno laboral para desarrollar su potencial, mejorar habilidades y alcanzar metas, fomentando el pensamiento crítico y la autorreflexión.

Learning arrogance hinders new knowledge or Learning from experiences. Check the Learning appetite by asking : Q1. Are you open to learn from me? Q2. Do we have an unwritten agreement to help each other in the process of Learning? Q3. Are you ready to share your Learning in absolute candor with me? Q4. Would you learn from your mistakes and failures, and move on?

All the questions add depth to understanding the situation, allowing the client to brainstorm and select a course of action solution. Learning from the experience "encourage them to be proactive and improve their skills and knowledge" helps to build confidence and sharpen their critical thinking skills. It's also a roadmap for them to see what works and needs to be improved.

In my experience coaching clients this is probably the step that gets omitted most often and is so crucial to enhancing skills in order to create new behaviors. Failure is inevitable at some point for all of us and spending time to reflect on what we learned from failure and getting curious about what occurred can be tremendously impactful. Whether you experience failure or success, make sure to incorporate reflection time into your schedule with questions such as what did I learn about myself from this instance that I can apply to other areas. How will I recognize my progress and hold myself accountable? What specific steps do I need to take so that I can engrain this skill into my DNA? Take time to reflect to support your success.

Asking "What else?" is the most effective way to learn more about the client and their challenges to get to their goals. Other useful questions to kindle critical thinking are: "What is blocking your progress? "Why do you consider the goal to be important?" "What are the consequences of you not achieving your goal?

I think clients often haven't had the time or space to explore or express any of their thinking, whether critical or not. That's why I'll typically prioritise creating a space and environment for them to think independently (the Thinking Environment). Very often, they are surprised and delighted with how far they can go with their own thinking when they can get a decent run at it without interruption. And that in turn builds the confidence and ability to keep thinking for themselves more and more, identifying and solving their own problems and moving things forward. My opening question? "What do you want to think about, and what are your thoughts?" And then listen, with attention and without interruption, to the response!

1. There are situations when clients say No to almost everything. A question to ask them, then- everytime you say No to something, you say Yes to something else. What are you saying Yes to now? 2. Another short but an useful question is - What else? Follow it up with silence. 3. Another question - What possibility are you scared to explore? 4. Think about the person who you admire the most? What that person would have done in this situation? 5. During action planning- What can come in the way? How will you solve it? Who will be your support? What is that you will do tomorrow? What is a small 60 second micropractise that you will do everyday? 6. For the last session- How will you keep yourself on track? What is your reminder?

What would you like to see happen for you after our coaching? What makes you feel good? What skill do you need to take a leap forward? When you don't know, how do you do it? How can you help me move you forward? If 2 topics: which one will get us closer to the goal? What lies do you usually tell yourself? What do you see but try not to say? What are you trying not to see that you need to see?

Critical thinking is not only about looking at things differently, broaden Understanding of problems & solution directions, but also about decisions making. Question to stimulate Critical thinking: + ‘5 Why’: asking 5x Why’s + ‘How might…?’ + ‘What would happen if…’ + ‘What make you think …?’ + ‘What could be the worst things that can happen?’ + ‘What could be ideal…?’ + ‘What if…?’ + When it will be ideal, how’s that going to look like? + What need to happen to prove that’s …?’ + Which choices would you have …? + Which choice would you chose ideally?’ + What & Who would you need to make it happen? …