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A fundamental skill in the coachs toolbox is the ability to ask powerful questions. Powerful questions evoke clarity, introspection, lend to enhanced creativity and help provide solutions. Questions are powerful when they have an impact on the client which causes them to think. These provocative queries spark epiphanies or ah-ha moments within the client which can radically shift their course of action or point of view. Learning to ask powerful questions will help you augment your personal and business communication. The most effective powerful questions begin with What or How, are short and to the point. When questioning, be genuinely curious about the person you are speaking to. Here are some powerful questions that can help you be more effective in many situations. What do you want? What will that give you? What is important about that? What is holding you back? What if you do nothing? What is this costing you? How much control do you have in this situation? What do you need to say no to? How can you make this easy? What options do you have? What will you do? By when? What support do you need to assure success? How will you know you have been successful? What are you learning from this? Traits of Strategic Questions A strategic question (from "Strategic Questioning" by Peavey, in In Context, No. 40): 1. Creates motion -- Gears to "How can we move?" 2. Creates options -- Instead of "Why don't you ..?", asks "Where would you ...?" 3. Digs deeper -- "What needs to be changed?" "What is the meaning of this?" 4. Avoids "why." 5. Avoids "yes" and "no" questions -- These leave the presenter in a passive or uncreative state. 6. Empowers -- "What would you like to do?" 7. Asks the unaskable questions. Some Examples of Powerful Questions to Ask 1. How important is this? 2. Where do you feel stuck? 3. What is the intent of what you're saying? 4. What can we do for you? 5. What do you think the problem is? 6. What's your role in this issue? 7. What have you tried so far? What worked? What didn't? 8. Have you experienced anything like this before? (If so, what did you do?) 9. What can you do for yourself? 10. What do you hope for? 11. What's preventing you from ..." 12. What would you be willing to give up for that? 13. If you could change one thing, what would it be? 14. Imagine a point in the future where your issue is resolved. How did you get there? 15. What would you like us to ask? 16. What have you learned? For information click on BUY Button