Vol 5 - Coaching : Effective Coaching Techniques Series

The Six-Question Process: Helping Executives Become Better Coaches

by Marshall Goldsmith

The Six-Question process for coaching is an approach that I have seen work consistently well with executives. This process has produced measurable change in effectiveness (as evaluated by direct reports) with three CEOs that I have personally coached. These CEOs were in totally different industries and worked with very different types of people. One CEO went from an 8 percentile to a 98 percentile score (in four years) doing nothing more than this process. Even better, he found that he actually spent less time with this direct reports the year he was rated a "98" than the year he was rated an "8"! This process has also been shown to produce positive results in the summary 360∞ feedback reports from executive teams.

In using the Six Question process, it is generally recommended that the executive have a one-on-one dialogue with each direct report approximately once each quarter. In most cases the initial dialogues may take more time, but the process generally lasts about 30 minutes after the first couple of sessions. The "rules" of the process are very simple. Both parties are asked to:

1) make each question a dialogue, not a dictate,

2) focus on the future, not the past and

3) listen to the other person’s ideas, try to implement what they can and not try to "prove" the other person is wrong.


1. Where are we going?

The first question deals with the "big picture". The executive outlines where the larger organization is going in terms of vision, goals and priorities. The executive then asks the direct reports where they think the larger organization should be going. By involving direct reports in this ongoing dialogue, executives can build alignment and commitment to the larger organizational vision.

It is important to note that the Six-Question approach does not assume that the executive will agree with every direct report on every issue. This will not (and should not) be the case. Leadership is not a "popularity contest". Sometimes direct reports (like all humans) may have bad ideas. In some cases the executive may choose to say, "In this case, I disagree." It is important that executives focus on understanding disagreements and respecting differences of opinion. It is also important that executives need to only "win the big ones" and that they can "let go" on minor issues that may be more important to their direct reports than to them.

2. Where are you going?

Question two deals with the direct reports’ vision, goals and priorities for their part of the organization. Direct reports discuss where their part of the organization is going. Executives give their view on where they think this part of the organization should be going. By the end of this discussion two types of alignment should have been achieved:

1) the vision, goals and priorities of the direct reports’ parts of the organization should be aligned with the executives’ vision of the larger organization and

2) the individual goals and priorities of executives and direct reports should be aligned.

3. What is going well?

One key element of effective coaching is providing positive recognition for achievement. Executives begin this part of the dialogue with an assessment of what the direct reports and their organizations are doing well. Then executives ask their direct reports a question that is seldom asked, "What do you think that you and your part of the organization are doing well?" By asking this question executives may learn about "good news" that may have otherwise been missed.

In the past five years, I have asked hundreds of executives the question, "Do you feel as busy or busier today than your have felt in your entire life?" About 80% of the executives that I have asked have said yes. A major reason that executives fail to give deserved recognition to direct reports is not maliciousness; it is ignorance. Many executives are so busy that they don’t know all the good things that the people who report to them are doing.

Direct reports may feel under-appreciated because executives don’t recognize their achievements. In many cases, the executives would recognize these achievements if they only understood what they were! By asking, "What are you doing well?" executives have a great opportunity to understand positive aspects of performance that they could have otherwise missed. This process has been shown to consistently improve direct reports’ feedback on the item, "Provides positive recognition for achievement."

4. What are key suggestions for improvement?

Executives begin this part of the dialogue by giving direct reports constructive suggestions for the future. These suggestions should be limited to key "opportunities for improvement". The average human cannot remember eight unrelated words on a piece of paper! Giving too many suggestions is almost as bad as giving none. Direct reports should listen to the suggestions with a focus on understanding, not judging what is being said. Executives should come across as "trying to help" not "playing God".

Next, executives should ask another (seldom-asked) great coaching question, "If you were your own coach, what suggestions would you have for yourself?" By listening to their direct reports, executives may learn that their original coaching suggestions need to be modified. Executives may end up saying, "Now that I have heard your ideas, let me change my suggestions. I think the areas that you are discussing are more important than the ones that I mentioned."

5. How can I help?

As you have gathered from this article, a key to effective coaching is asking the right questions. One of the greatest coaching questions an executive can ask is, "How can I help?" Executives can begin by listening to their direct reports’ suggestions on how they can become more helpful. They can also participate in the dialogue by suggesting approaches and then asking, "Do you feel this approach will help you become more effective?"

In some cases executives who receive poor feedback as coaches attack the problem by simply spending more time coaching. This can do more harm than good. The key to improvement is not to do more coaching. The key is to provide coaching to the right people on the right topics. In some cases less coaching in some areas may be what is needed! By asking executives can make the most effective use of their limited time.

6. What suggestions do you have for me?

Extensive research on the impact of direct report feedback and follow-up on leadership effectiveness has shown a clear, undeniable pattern. Leaders that ask for suggestions from direct reports, focus on improving 1-2 key behaviors and follow-up on a quarterly basis are almost always seen as dramatically increasing in leadership effectiveness . By asking, "What suggestions do you have for me?" executives change the dynamics of the coaching process. Traditional coaching is sometimes thought of as a one-way monologue that focuses on, "Let me tell you what you can do to improve." The Six-Question approach creates a two-way dialogue that focuses on, "Let’s try to help each other." Direct reports are much more willing to be coached by executives, if the executives are willing to be coached by them!

Dr. Marshall Goldsmith's 24 books include "What Got You Here Won't Get You There" - a New York Times best-seller, Wall Street Journal #1 business book and Harold Longman Award winner for Business Book of the Year. His latest book "Succession: Are You Ready?" - is the newest edition to the Harvard Business 'Memo to the CEO' series.

Vol 4 - Coaching : Effective Questioning Techniques Series

Here is a framework for asking the right questions at the right time to create clarity and agreement around issues and to empower your direct reports.

Ask the right kind of questions

The word "empower" gets bandied about so much that one could be forgiven for overlooking what it actually means: to imbue someone with power, to instil in the individual a sense of his own strength and efficacy.

"When the boss asks for a subordinate's ideas, he sends the message that they are good — perhaps better than his. The individual gains confidence and becomes more competent," says Michael J. Marquardt, author of Leading with Questions: How Leaders Find the Right Solutions by Knowing What to Ask (John Wiley & Sons, 2005).

The most effective and empowering questions create value in one or more of the following ways:

1. They create clarity: "Can you explain more about this situation?"

2. They construct better working relations: Instead of "Did you make your sales goal?" ask, "How have sales been going?"

3. They help people think analytically and critically: "What are the consequences of going this route?"

4. They inspire people to reflect and see things in fresh, unpredictable ways: "Why did this work?"

5. They encourage breakthrough thinking: "Can that be done in any other way?"

6. They challenge assumptions: "What do you think you will lose if you start sharing responsibility for the implementation process?"

7. They create ownership of solutions: "Based on your experience, what do you suggest we do here?"

Just as important, it is up to you as the leader to model the question-asking approach so that your team, in turn, will employ it with their own reports. For example, you can track how well the team is working together by asking questions like:

· We've been working together for three hours today; what did we do best as a team?

· What enabled us to be successful in coming up with an innovative strategy?

· How can we ask better questions?

· How can we apply what we are learning to other parts of our work?

· What leadership skills helped us succeed today?

What not to ask

Marquardt points out that, contrary to the business truism "There are no bad questions," several types of questions can have a negative effect on subordinates.

Questions focused on why a person did not or cannot succeed force subordinates to take a defensive or reactive stance and strip them of their power. Such questions shut down opportunities for success and do not allow people to clarify misunderstandings or achieve goals. These questions include:

· Why are you behind schedule?

· What's the problem with this project?

· Who isn't keeping up?

· Don't you know any better than that?

Leading questions seek a specific answer, one that puts the person being asked the question in a negative light, pushes through the questioner's agenda, or exerts social pressure to force agreement. Among their many downsides, leading questions such as the following inhibit direct reports from answering candidly and stifle honest discussion:

· You wanted to do it by yourself, didn't you?

· Don't you agree that John is the problem here?

· Everyone else on the team thinks John is the problem. What about you?

While closed questions, which require specific answers, can be a good way to open and close a conversation, a whole string of them in a row, such as the following, will make subordinates feel they are being interrogated:

· Is this a good time to talk?

· What time is the meeting?

· How many people are coming?

· Who else will be there?

· When will the report be ready?

Source : http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org./

Vol 3 - Coaching : Effective Questioning Techniques Series

Effective questions are questions that are powerful and thought provoking. Effective questions are open-ended and not leading questions. They are not "why" questions, but rather "what" or "how" questions. "Why" questions are good for soliciting information, but can make people defensive so be thoughtful in your use of them. When asking effective questions, it is important to wait for the answer and not provide the answer.

When working with people to solve a problem, it is not enough to tell them what the problem is. They need to find out or understand it for themselves. You help them do this by asking them thought provoking questions. Rather than make assumptions find out what the person you are talking to knows about the problem.

For example: "What do you think the problem is?"

Behind effective questioning is also the ability to listen to the answer and suspend judgment. This means being intent on understanding what the person who is talking is really saying. What is behind their words? Let go of your opinions so that they don't block you from learning more information. Pay attention to your gut for additional information.

Powerful Questions

The following are examples of typical questions. These questions can help you improve your communication and understanding of the staff member.

1. Identification of issue:

These questions can be used in client interviews and meetings, settlement negotiations and to work with others in solving problems.

- What seems to be the trouble?

- What do you make of _________?

- How do you feel about _____________?

- What concerns you the most about _____________?

- What seems to be the problem?

- What seems to be your main obstacle?

- What is holding you back from _________________?

- What do you think about doing X this way?

2. Further information:

These questions can be used in depositions and to find out what someone has already done to resolve a work problem.

- What do you mean by __________?

- Tell me more about _______________

- What else?

- What other ways did you try so far?

- What will you have to do to get the job done?

3. Outcomes:

These questions can be used in settlement negotiations or while working with staff to plan how to do something.

- How do you want ____________ to turn out?

- What do you want?

- What is your desired outcome?

- What benefits would you like to get out of X?

- What do you propose?

- What is your plan?

- If you do this, how will it affect ________ ?

- What else do you need to consider?

4. Taking Action:

These questions can be used in working with staff.

- What will you do?

- When will you do it?

- How will I know you did it?

- What are your next steps?

source : http://www.coachingforchange.com/

Vol 2 - Coaching : Effective Questioning Techniques Series

Questions to clarify outcomes

What would you rather have?

What would you like instead?

How can you turn that problem into a goal?

What can you do to influence this?

What will it look like, sound like, feel like… when you have…?

If you could have this right now, on a plate, would you take it?

What might be the undesirable or negative consequences of achieving this goal?

What's your first step? Next step? Final step?

What resources do you need to support you in this?

What would you like to do differently?

What would you like to see?

Where do you see yourself?

Where would you like to be?

How would you like to feel …?

What is your desired outcome?

What results do you want?

What timescale are we looking at?

What's an appropriate deadline?

What are the milestones we can track along the way?

On a scale of 1 to 10, how compelled are you to do this?

Questions to aid moving from current reality to desired reality.

Has this happened to you (or to someone you know) before? What did you (or they) do to overcome it?

Has there ever been a time when…. What was it like

How would you sell your idea (if you can't, is it the right one?)

What tools do you know about that you haven't used yet? Which will you try?

What tools do you need to help you?

How can we turn this around?

In what way would you like to change the way you operate?

What could you change/do to make the situation more positive?

What current tools have you used? Which worked? Which didn't? Why?

What do you think could be done to alter the situation?

How can you change the situation?

How could you get tools within the organisation to help you?

How do you see yourself getting your desired outcome?

How will you achieve…?

What have you tried so far?

What is stopping you achieving your goal?

What needs to happen for ….?

What will enable you to achieve X, and how will you feel once you have?

What will feel, seem or look different if you achieve X?

What will your life be like when you are able to ….?

What would make the biggest difference to the way you work?

What would you like to be able to do as a result of being here?

How do you consider that we can achieve this objective?

How could you turn this around immediately, and enjoy the process?

Who already does this really well? (benchmark excellence)

How did (company xyz) crack this problem when they had it?

What research could you do that would give you more ideas?

Questions to challenge the way coachee perceives the situation.

Does the problem really lie in the task, or the way you feel about the task?

What assumptions are you making that may be questionable?

What "rules" are you using that could be challenged?

What are resources you haven't used before, that you could try?

How would you deal with it if you were a man? (or woman, or child of 7, or a wise guru, or managingdirector, the Pope, etc. etc.)

What would (insert name of coachee's hero) do in this situation?

What would you do if your bonus depended on the satisfactory resolution of this problem? (variations: or your job, or your life!)

What would the best manager in your company do?

How will your team react to the change in your skills and how will that make you feel?

What would you try now if you knew that you could not fail?

What would you do now if you were already the person you know you have the potential of becoming?

What's the positive intention of this?

source : http://www.evancarmichael.com/

Vol 1 - Coaching: Effective Questioning Techniques Series

As we know, coaching is now one of the key concepts in leadership and management. It is one of the most powerful ways to improve employee performance and it happens primarily in conversation. One of the essential skills required for effective coaching conversations is effective questioning.

Questioning is relevant to every aspect of coaching : establishing a coaching relationship, negotiating a coaching agreement, setting stretch goals, creating action plans, engaging motivation, reflecting on learning, and structuring accountability.

Therefore, in order to encourage you, the leaders of Sime Darby Motor Group (NZ) Limited, to use coaching as one of your leadership tools we are pleased to bring you the Effective Questioning Techniques Series. These will help you to coach your employees effectively in workplace.

Coaching is a skill; it is not just about following a recipe. We need to practise in order to acquire the skills. Practise makes perfect! The examples provided here are intended as a guide and as reference tips to help you become a more effective coach.

This series will focus on asking the right question, at the right time, and with the right intent.

Happy Coaching !!!

"It is not the answer that enlightens, but the question." -- Decouvertes

How do we uncover internal drive?

These questions will assist your employees in uncovering what internally motivates them based on their beliefs and values so they can access their own energy to achieve it. You are also uncovering the style of management they best respond to. Moreover you are setting up the expectations on both sides as to what to expect from one another. It certainly beats using your energy to push or stimulate interest or action based on your assumptions or beliefs based on what may work for you.

If you rely on pushing to get someone into action, they won't move unless you're there to push. It's more effective to help them articulate what they want so they can begin to self-motivate.
The real benefit of getting this is that empowering people by tapping into their internal drive does not drain your energy. Pushing for results is exhausting.

1. What do you want to be doing that you aren't currently doing?

2. What areas do you want to strengthen, improve, or develop?

3. What is most important to you in your life and career? (What does a successful career or life look like?)

4. What are the three most important things you would like to accomplish right now?

5. What is your action plan to achieve those goals?

6. What do you need that's preventing you from reaching those goals?

7. How can I best support you to achieve these goals? (Uncover how each employee wants to be managed and supported.)

8. How can I best manage you and hold you accountable for the results you are looking to achieve?

9. How can I hold you accountable in a way that will sound supportive and won't come across as negative or micromanaging?

10. How do you want me to approach you if you don't follow through with the commitments you make? How do you want me to handle it? What would be a good way to bring this up with you so that you will be open to hearing it?

Source : http://www.allbusiness.com/

Leadership Tips

1. Fix the problem, not the blame.

It is far more productive, and less expensive, to figure out what to do to fix a problem that has come up than it is to waste time trying to decide who's fault it was.

2: Tell people what you want, not how to do it.

You will find people more responsive and less defensive if you can give them guidance not instructions. You will also see more initiative, more innovation, and more of an ownership attitude from them develop over time.

3. Get out of your office.

Management By Walking Around (MBWA) does work. You make yourself more approachable. You get information first-hand. You find out what's really happening.



4. Delegate the easy stuff.

The things you do well are the things to delegate. Hold on to those that are challenging and difficult. That is how you will grow.

5. Don't get caught up in 'looking good'.

Work happily together. Don't try to act big. Don't try to get into the good graces of important people, but enjoy the company of ordinary folks. And don't think you know it all. Never pay back evil for evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honest clear through.

6. 'Quality' is just conformance to requirements.

You get the behavior you critique for, so set your standards and then require conformance to them. Quality will come from that effort, not from slogans, posters, or even threats.



7. Practice what you preach.

To lead, you have to lead by example. Don't expect your people to work unpaid overtime if you leave early every day. Don't book youself into a four star hotel on business trips and expect your employees to stay in the motel off the freeway.

8. Leaders create change.

If you lead, you will cause changes. Be prepared for them and their impact on people within, and outside, your group. If you are not making changes, you are not leading.

9. Don't Limit Yourself.

The difference between leaders and managers is that leaders do not set limits on themselves. There are enough people trying to limit what you can do. Don't be one of them.

10. Learn from the mistakes of others.

You can't live long enough to make them all yourself.



11. Set S.M.A.R.T.S Goals.

Goals you set for yourself, or others, should be Specific, Measurable, Achieveable, Realistic, Time-based and Stretch.

12. Anyone can steer the ship in calm waters.

What will set you apart in your career is how you perform during the tough times. Don't become complacent and relax just because things are going well. Plan ahead for the downturn.

13. You Can't Listen With Your Mouth Open.

Your associates, your employees, your suppliers, your customers all have something of value in what they have to say. Listen to the people around you. You will never learn what it is if you drown them out by talking all the time. Remember, the only thing that can come out of your mouth is something you already know. Shut up and learn.



14. You have to make a difference.

The group you manage has to be more effective, more productive with you there than they would be if you were not. If they are as productive without you, there is no business sense in keeping you on the payroll.

15. Train Your Staff.

The key to your business success is the productivity of your staff. The key to staff productivity is their perception of their immediate Leader. Invest in training for your staff. It will pay off.

Source : http://management.about.com

Principles from ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’ – Dale Carnegie’s Golden Book

Leadership is influence.

- John C. Maxwell

Six Ways to Make People Like You

1. Become genuinely interested in other people.

2. Smile.

3. Remember that a man's Name is to him the sweetest and most important sound in any language.

4. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.

5. Talk in the terms of the other man's interest.

6. Make the other person feel important and do it sincerely.

Twelve Ways to Win People to Your Way of Thinking

1. Avoid arguments.

2. Show respect for the other person's opinions. Never tell someone they are wrong.

3. If you're wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.

4. Begin in a friendly way.

5. Start with questions the other person will answer yes to.

6. Let the other person do the talking.

7. Let the other person feel the idea is his/hers.

8. Try honestly to see things from the other person's point of view.

9. Sympathize with the other person.

10. Appeal to noble motives.

11. Dramatize your ideas.

12. Throw down a challenge.

Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment

1. Begin with praise and honest appreciation.

2. Call attention to other people's mistakes indirectly.

3. Talk about your own mistakes first.

4. Ask questions instead of directly giving orders.

5. Let the other person save face.

6. Praise every improvement.

7. Give them a fine reputation to live up to.

8. Encourage them by making their faults seem easy to correct.

9. Make the other person happy about doing what you suggest.

We firmly believe that how people live, how they think,

and how they act and react to life’s situations

can be positively influenced.

Byron & Catherine Pulsifer