Slides: Asking Questions

Steve Elzinga

According to the book Jesus is the Question, the Bible records Jesus asking 307 questions.

Ask, don’t tell.

Great coaching questions:

Helping the client figure out what they want to do (decision)

What area in your life are you most interested in doing something different or new?

Where in your life are you experiencing the most frustration, anger, joy, excitement, boredom, fun, disappointment, encouragement and/or hope?

What area of you life would you like to see some improvement?

What are  the pressure points in your life?

Where is life difficult right now?

What do you want more of in your life? What do you want less of?

What is your biggest energy drain? Your second biggest?

Can you name five minor annoyances that sap your energy and drag you down?

If you wanted to change some situation you find yourself in what could you do differently?

What area of your life has God been speaking to you the most about in the last 6 week?

What would need to change to take your personal life, work or ministry to a whole new level?

What in your life are you most motivated to change?

What is the most important thing we could talk about today in order to move you toward your goal?

Help client figure out how to do what they want to do (plan)

What step do you want to start with this week in order to try and reach your goal?

What step would you be most excited about starting with in order to reach your goal?

What could you do this week that would really get you going in terms of making some of the changes you want in your life, your work, your marriage, your family …?

Help client figure out how to do what they want to do (plan)

What is the one thing that you could do this week that would help you become positive about the changes you want to see?

If you were to break down your goal into the many steps that it would take to achieve it what would they be?

How are you going to make your desire a reality? Where are you going to start?

Help client do what they plan to do (management)

You said you were going to do this step before our next meeting. How did it go? What did you like? What did you not like? What did you learn? What would you like to do next?

Help client do what they plan to do (management)

(If the client failed to try the step they said they were going to do) What obstacles were in the way of doing the step you intended to do? Is there anything you can do to remove those obstacles? Do you want to try again? Do you want to start with a different step in your plan? Do you want to make a new plan? 

General questions 

Could you say more about that?

It sounds like this is really important to you. Why do you think that is?

What could you do that would really motivate you to make the changes you want to make?

'If' questions 

If you could change something about your life …?

If you were to pursue this goal where ...?

If time and money were not object ...?

If you knew you couldn’t fail ...?

If you wanted a sure win ...?

If you could see your future what would it look like?