What are the most common mistakes to avoid when using questioning skills for goal setting?

1 Asking closed questions

Closed questions are those that can be answered with a simple yes or no, or a short factual response. They are useful for checking understanding, confirming agreement, or clarifying details, but they are not very effective for stimulating deeper thinking, generating ideas, or exploring possibilities. When you ask closed questions, you limit the scope of your coachee's responses, and you may miss out on valuable insights or opportunities. Instead, use open questions that start with words like what, how, why, where, when, or who, and that invite your coachee to elaborate, explain, or reflect on their situation, goals, and actions.

2 Asking leading questions

Leading questions are those that suggest or imply a certain answer, or that reflect your own opinions, assumptions, or preferences. They are often disguised as open questions, but they are actually closed in nature. For example, "Don't you think you should focus on improving your communication skills?" or "How do you plan to achieve this unrealistic goal?" When you ask leading questions, you risk influencing your coachee's choices, imposing your own agenda, or creating resistance or defensiveness. Instead, use neutral questions that allow your coachee to express their own views, feelings, and preferences, and that respect their autonomy and ownership of their goals.

3 Asking multiple questions

Multiple questions are those that combine two or more questions into one, or that follow each other in rapid succession without giving your coachee time to answer. For example, "What are your main goals for this quarter, and how confident are you in achieving them, and what support do you need from me?" or "How did you do on that project? What feedback did you get? What did you learn?" When you ask multiple questions, you confuse your coachee, overload them with information, and interrupt their flow of thought. Instead, use single questions that focus on one topic at a time, and that give your coachee enough space and time to respond fully and thoughtfully.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?