<aside> <img src="/icons/info-alternate_yellow.svg" alt="/icons/info-alternate_yellow.svg" width="40px" /> This page is part of The Toolbox by Danny Smith.

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Coaching is an incredibly useful skill to have, but unless you’ve taken the time to properly study and practice as a coach, it can be quite hard to apply any knowledge you have to coaching conversations at work. Even then, the inherent power dynamic between managers and managed can make it hard for leaders to apply coaching techniques to work conversations.

Which is why I often find myself reaching for the seven essential questions which Michael Bungay Stanier outlines is his book The Coaching Habit. They’re easy to understand and use at work.

Before we get to the questions…

There are a few fundamental prerequisites to any useful coaching conversation, and some general advice on using these questions. First, as a coach you must…

1. Be really good at listening. Properly listening and hearing what your coachee is saying.
2. Want to understand and help your coachee, and believe they want the same. This means being curious, open-minded and empathetic.

When you’re using the questions below, you should also follow these guidelines:

• Ask one question at a time.
• If you know what question to ask, just ask it. Be brave.
• Banish “have you considered” or “what about”. They are suggestions not questions.
• Favour “What...” not “why” questions.
• Embrace (uncomfortable) silence