Powerful Questions

Powerful questions are provocative queries that put a halt to evasion and confusion. By asking
the powerful question, the coach invites the client to clarity, action, and discovery at a whole
new level. As you can see from the following examples, these generally are open-ended
questions that create greater possibility for expanded learning and fresh perspective.

Anticipation Evaluation For Instance

What is possible? What is the opportunity here? If you could do it over again,
What if it works out exactly as What is the challenge? what would you do
you want it to? How does this fit with your differently?
What is the dream? plans/way of life/values? If it had been you, what would
What do you think that means? you have done?
What is exciting to you about
this? What is your assessment? How else could a person
handle this?
What is the urge? What does
your intuition tell you? Example If you could do anything you
What is an example? wanted, what would you do?
Assessment For instance?
Fun as Perspective
What do you make of it? Like what?
What does fun mean to you?
What do you think is best? Such as?
What was humorous about
How does it look to you? What would it look like? the situation?
How do you feel about it?
Exploration How can you make this more
What resonates for you? fun?
What is here that you want to
Clarification explore? How do you want it to be?
What do you mean? What part of the situation have If you were to teach people
you not yet explored? how to have fun, what would
What does it feel like? you say?
What is the part that is not yet What other angles can you
clear? think of? History
Can you say more? What is just one more What caused it?
possibility?
What do you want? What led up to it?
What are your other options?
What have you tried so far?
Elaboration
What do you make of it all?
Can you tell me more?
What else?
What other ideas/thoughts/
feelings do you have about it?

continued >>

Co-Active Coaching (3rd ed.) © 2011 by Henry Kimsey-House, Karen Kimsey-House and Phillip Sandahl. Permission is hereby
granted to reproduce this page for client use. Duplication for any other use, including resale, is a violation of copyright law.
Powerful Questions, continued
>> page 2

Implementation If you got it, what would you What resources are available
What is the action plan? have? to you?
What will you have to do to get How will you know you have
reached it? Starting the Session
the job done?
What would it look like? What’s occurred since we last
What support do you need to spoke?
accomplish it?
Perspective What would you like to talk
What will you do? about?
When you are ninety-five years
When will you do it? old, what will you want to say What’s new/the latest/the
about your life? update?
Integration
What will you think about this How was your week?
What will you take away from
five years from now? Where are you right now?
this?
How does this relate to your life
How do you explain this to Substance
purpose?
yourself?
In the bigger scheme of things, What seems to be the
What was the lesson? trouble?
how important is this?
How can you make sure you What seems to be the main
So what?
remember what you have obstacle?
learned? Planning What is stopping you?
How would you pull all this What do you plan to do about it?
together? What concerns you the most
What is your game plan? about . . . ?
Learning What kind of plan do you need to What do you want?
If your life depended on taking create?
action, what would you do? How do you suppose you could Summary
If you had free choice in the improve the situation? What is your conclusion?
matter, what would you do? Now what? How is this working?
If the same thing came up again, How would you describe this?
what would you do? Predictions
What do you think this all
If we could wipe the slate clean, How do you suppose it will all amounts to?
what would you do? work out?
How would you summarize the
If you had it to do over again, What will that get you? effort so far?
what would you do? Where will this lead?
What are the chances of Taking Action
Options success? What action will you take?
What are the possibilities? What is your prediction? And after that?
If you had your choice, what What will you do? When?
would you do? Resources Is this a time for action? What
What are possible solutions? What resources do you need to action?
What will happen if you do, and help you decide? Where do you go from here?
what will happen if you don’t? What do you know about it now? When will you do that?
What options can you create? How do you suppose you can What are your next steps? By
find out more about it? what date or time will you
Outcomes What kind of picture do you have complete these steps?
What do you want? right now?
What is your desired outcome?

Co-Active Coaching (3rd ed.) © 2011 by Henry Kimsey-House, Karen Kimsey-House and Phillip Sandahl. Permission is hereby
granted to reproduce this page for client use. Duplication for any other use, including resale, is a violation of copyright law.