6 Types of coaching questions: G. R. E. A. S. E.
- Goals,
- Responsibility,
- Explore,
- Action,
- Situation,
- Engage Responsibly with Life
A note on what we are exploring in each of these question categories:
Set goals
This is where almost all coaching conversations begin. The simplest form of the question is “What do you want?”
If the other person doesn’t know what they want, or is not clear exactly what it is that they want, then we will spend time here getting clarity on what is the desired future state.
As I mention in the video, “what do you want?” can be such a big question that people get very stuck. The question “In 3-5 years, what needs to change for you to be personally and professionally fulfilled?” from Dan Sullivan of Strategic Coach, I find is a more nuanced question that allows people to begin to explore what they want.
Understand the situation
Where are we now? What is going on? What are the facts today? What is going well? What is not going well? Who is involved?
Explore options
What options do you have?
Often a coachee sees only one or two choices or paths. An important part of the role of the coach is to explore and find that there are many options.
Provoke action
What are you going to do? Who do you want help from? What conversation will you need to have? How will you begin that conversation?
Raise awareness
What are you good at? What are you not good at? What does the organisation/client/boss value?
Personality tests such as OCEAN (the big 5 personality traits), DISC profiles, Myers-Briggs, Enneagram, Belbin, Kolbe – all are great tools to help people raise awareness of their own way of being as compared to others.
Assume responsibility
What are you waiting for? Who is going to step in and fix this?
In the Odyssey, the gods ask Telemachus the question “What are you willing to change to make things better?” This is the ultimate stand up and take responsibility question.