Enter
- Given we have 10 minutes, how can I be the most helpful in your thinking?
- What do you want to accomplish by the end of our 10-minute conversation?
- I’m here to be your thinking partner for the next 10 minutes. What would you like to focus on?
- We have about 10 minutes together to focus on what you want. What would be the best use of our time?
Exit
- What will be your first step?
- What has been most helpful in our time together?
- Of all we have talked about, what was of greatest value?
- What do you now understand that was not as clear when we began our conversation?
- In the beginning, your goal was to _____. How did we do?
Coaching frame
Enter the conversation
Trust connection
Trust and safety from beginning to end of the conversation:
Trust in the spoken and unspoken behaviors of the coach that communicate to the client that they are in a safe and respected place. Trust and safety permeate throughout the conversation.
- A smile and a caring opening comment: "How are you?"
- A value statement or "status" comment you see in the person. Two examples:
- "It's always a pleasure to spend time with such a thoughtful leader."
- "The team was celebrating your data reports. Your interpretations are so valued."
Beginning the conversation—topic focused:
- What is the most important for you to address in the conversation?
- What would you like to focus on in this conversation?
- Given we have about 15 minutes, what's most important for you to accomplish?
- In the time that we have, what's most important for you to think through?
- What have you brought to this conversation that is most important to focus on?
- What goal do you have for this conversation?
Outcome
- By the time we end our conversation, what do you want as an outcome on this conversation?
- What do you want to accomplish by the end of our session?
- What would you like to walk away with by the time we end today?
Success measures
- What will be indicate you've achieved your goal (as an outcome of this meeting)?
- What will signal you've been successful in this session?
- You said you wanted ___ as an outcome of this conversation. How will you know when you have arrived at the outcome?
- What would give you an indication that this session has been successful?
- What are some concrete indicators to measure how successful we were at meeting your session goal?
Why important
- What is important to you about this topic?
- What makes this outcome important to you?
- What is most meaningful to you about accomplishing the goal of our conversation?
- What needs to be addressed to achieve the goal?
- What needs to be addressed in this conversation for you to accomplish your outcome or goal?
- What might get in the way of you achieving your session outcome or goal?
- What's kept you from achieving this goal?
Exiting the Conversation
- As we move into the last portion of our time today, where are you in relation to your session outcome and measure of success? How did we do?
- What did you learn the most about concerning your goal/situation in this conversation?
- How will you take this learning forward (your next steps) beyond this conversation?
- What might get in the way of you moving forward with your desired outcome?
- Who or what resource might be of support to you with the actions you desire to take?
- It has been an honor to serve as your coach today. You demonstrated courage and determination to accomplish your goal.
- What, if anything, would you like to share or do before we close our time together?