101 coaching questions to ask your team members

Effective coaching involves asking powerful questions, rather than providing direct solutions or advice.

The purpose of these questions is to encourage self-reflection and learning, which fosters personal growth and development.

Coaching as a management style is based on the idea that the individual has the potential and capability to solve their own problems or improve their own performance, and the role of the coach is to facilitate that process.

As coaching providers, our team is well versed in leading these conversations. We also train managers in coaching skills to develop initiative and confidence in their own teams.

If you’re getting started coaching, here are some interesting questions that could be part of your coaching conversations.

Coaching questions to ask someone who is facing a dilemma

1. "What do you think is the root cause of this dilemma?"

2. "What is it about this situation that makes it particularly challenging for you?"

3. "What options have you considered so far, and what are the pros and cons of each?"

4. "What would the best outcome look like for you in this situation? And the worst?"

5. "What resources or support do you have that could help you manage this situation better?"

6. "What do you fear most about making a decision in this case?"

7. "If you had no constraints, what would you ideally like to do?"

8. "How would you advise a close friend if they were facing the same dilemma?"

9. "What important factors do you think you might be overlooking in your decision-making process?"

10. "What will happen if you do nothing? And how does this compare to the potential outcomes of different decisions?"

Coaching questions to ask someone who is trying to diagnose a problem

1. "How do you define 'success' in the context of this process, and in what ways is it falling short?"

2. "What metrics or indicators are you using to evaluate the performance of this process?"

3. "When did you first notice a problem, and can you identify any changes around that time?"

4. "What parts of the process do you think are working well, despite the overall issues?"

5. "Who are the key stakeholders in this process, and have you gathered their perspectives on what might be going wrong?"

6. "Are there any assumptions that were made in the design or operation of this process that could be contributing to its failure?"

7. "What would this process look like if it were working perfectly?"

8. "Are there any external factors, such as market conditions or organizational changes, that might be impacting the process?"

9. "What steps have you taken so far to try to address the problem, and what were the results of those actions?"

10. "If you could start over and redesign this process from scratch, what would you do differently?"

Coaching questions to ask someone who is feeling overwhelmed or burned out

The right coaching questions can help a stressed-out employee identify the primary causes of their problem and identify sound strategies to protect their mental health.

1. "Can you describe what you're feeling and when you usually feel it?"

2. "What triggers seem to exacerbate your stress or feelings of overwhelm?"

3. "What does a balanced lifestyle look like to you? How does your current lifestyle differ from that ideal?"

4. "What are some activities or practices that have helped you manage stress in the past?"

5. "What boundaries could be set to protect your time and energy better?"

6. "What tasks or responsibilities could potentially be delegated, postponed, or removed to lighten your load?"

7. "Who in your personal or professional network could provide support during this time?"

8. "How do you prioritize your tasks and responsibilities currently, and is there a more effective approach you could adopt?"

9. "How does your physical health and wellness factor into this situation? Are there changes you could make in terms of sleep, nutrition, or exercise?"

10. "Looking ahead, what steps can you take now to prevent future burnout or overwhelm?"

Coaching questions to ask someone who feels ignored and overlooked

1. "Can you describe a specific situation where you felt your influence was lacking? What happened?"

2. "What communication strategies have you tried so far, and how have they worked?"

3. "Who are the individuals you're trying to influence, and what do you know about their needs, values, or communication styles?"

4. "How do you approach disagreements or conflicts when trying to influence others?"

5. "In what ways have you attempted to build trust and rapport with these individuals?"

6. "How are you positioning your ideas or suggestions? Are they aligned with the goals or interests of the people you're trying to influence?"

7. "How do you handle feedback, both giving and receiving, in these situations?"

8. "What would it look like for you to be influential in your interactions with others? What would be different?"

9. "Have you sought any feedback about why your attempts to influence others may not be working?"

10. "What skills or behaviors do you think you could develop to enhance your ability to influence?"

Coaching questions to ask someone who is taking on a new role and new responsibilities

1. "What does success look like for you in this new role, and how does it differ from your previous position?"

2. "What specific challenges have you faced so far in this new role? How have you tried to address them?"

3. "What strengths did you bring from your previous role that you can leverage in your new position?"

4. "What areas do you feel less confident in, or feel need more development?"

5. "How have your relationships with colleagues changed since your promotion, and how are you managing those changes?"

6. "What aspects of your new responsibilities are most daunting to you?"

7. "What resources are available to you in your organization that could help you adjust to your new role?"

8. "How have you been delegating tasks and responsibilities? Is there room for improvement?"

9. "How are you managing your time and setting your priorities in this new role?"

10. "What support do you need to succeed in this role, and how can you go about securing it?"

Coaching questions to ask someone who is in an entrenched conflict with a colleague

1. "Can you describe the nature of the conflict from your perspective?"

2. "How is this conflict affecting your work and your relationship with others on the team?"

3. "What have you tried so far to resolve the conflict, and what were the results?"

4. "How would you describe the perspective of your colleague? What do they want or need, in your understanding?"

5. "What underlying issues or factors do you think might be contributing to this conflict?"

6. "What is your communication style in conflict situations, and how has it worked in this situation?"

7. "What assumptions may you be making about the other person's intentions or motivations that could be examined?"

8. "What would a successful resolution to this conflict look like to you?"

9. "Are there third parties that could provide a neutral perspective or facilitate a resolution?"

10. "How can you ensure this kind of conflict does not happen again in the future?"

Coaching questions to ask a manager who is managing change

1. “What are the key challenges your team is facing due to this change?"

2. "How have you communicated about the change to your team so far, and how have they reacted?"

3. "What support or resources does your team need most during this transition?"

4. "How are you demonstrating leadership in this situation? What messages are you trying to convey?"

5. "What measures are you taking to understand and address the concerns of your team members?"

6. "How are you monitoring the impact of the change on team morale, productivity, and work quality?"

7. "What strategies are you using to keep your team motivated and engaged during this period?"

8. "How are you taking care of your own wellbeing while managing this change?"

9. "What opportunities for learning or growth could this period of change present for your team?"

10. "Looking forward, what steps can you take now to better equip your team to manage future changes?"

Coaching questions to ask someone who is struggling to prioritise effectively

1. "Can you describe a time when you felt very decisive and confident? What was different about that time?"

2. "What are the key factors that make it difficult for you to make a decision?"

3. "How would you prioritize these conflicting tasks if there were no constraints or limitations?"

4. "What kind of outcome would make you feel like you've made the right decision?"

5. "If you were to receive advice from someone you greatly admire, what do you think they would say about your current situation?"

6. "How can you break down these priorities into smaller, more manageable tasks?"

7. "What would inspire you in your current role? What changes can you make to move towards that inspiration?"

8. "What would it look like if you were to take a step back from these conflicting priorities? What other perspectives might emerge?"

9. "What are some of the strengths you possess that can help you navigate through this phase of indecision?"

10. "If you were to look back on this period of your life five years from now, what do you hope you would have learned or accomplished?"

Coaching questions to ask someone who may need to manage difficult conversations or deliver bad news

1. "What are the key factors contributing to this difficult situation, and how are they influencing your decision-making process?"

2. "How do you feel about the potential of making someone unhappy or letting people down? Can you describe your emotions around this?"

3. "If you were an outside observer looking at this situation, what advice would you give to the decision-maker?"

4. "What values are guiding your decision-making in this difficult situation?"

5. "Can you recall a past experience where you had to make a difficult decision that potentially made someone unhappy? What did you learn from that experience?"

6. "How might you communicate your decision in a way that acknowledges the impact it will have on others, yet also expresses the necessity of your choice?"

7. "In what ways can you support those who may feel let down by your decision?"

8. "What would be the potential consequences of not making a decision in this situation?"

9. "What strategies or mechanisms could you put in place to manage the fallout of the decision?"

10. "Once this decision is made and the consequences are dealt with, how would you like to move forward?"

Coaching questions to ask someone who is struggling to improve the performance of a team or team member

1. "Can you tell me more about the specific performance issues you're seeing? How are they impacting the team or project?"

2. "What steps have you already taken to address these performance issues? What were the results?"

3. "In what ways have you communicated your concerns and expectations to the team or individual?"

4. "How have you involved the team or the individual in the problem-solving process?"

5. "What resources or support do you think the team or individual might need to improve their performance?"

6. "Can you share any successful experiences you've had in the past with improving team or individual performance? What strategies worked then?"

7. "What obstacles do you foresee in implementing a performance improvement plan, and how might you overcome them?"

8. "How are you taking care of your own wellbeing and resilience while managing this challenging situation?"

9. "What would success look like for you in this situation? How can we measure improvement?"

10. "What can you learn from this situation that can help you become a better leader?"

Fun coaching questions to ask in any conversation to get to know someone better and learn what makes them tick

1. "Can you share a personal or professional accomplishment that you're particularly proud of? Why does it hold significance for you?"

2. "What's one challenge you've overcome that has significantly shaped your approach to life or work?"

3. "If you could have a conversation with any person, past or present, who would it be and why?"

4. "If you were to write a book about your life or career so far, what would be the title and why?"

5. "What's a dream or aspiration you've had that you haven't shared with many people?"

6. "What's one thing you would like to change about your current situation, and what steps could you take to bring about this change?"

7. "If you could develop a new skill or talent overnight, what would it be and why?"

8. "What does a 'perfect day' look like to you in terms of productivity, relationships, and self-care?"

9. "If you had to choose one value that represents you most, what would it be and why?"

10. "What's a decision you've made in the past that you feel has had the biggest impact on where you are now?"

11. "What's a 'moonshot' goal or dream you have for your personal or professional life? What would it take to make it a reality?"

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