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41 Power Questions to Improve Your Client’s Results


In my early years as a new coach, I sometimes struggled with knowing which questions to ask my clients.  In those days, power questions were not part of my arsenal.  Often I would find myself praying silently in sessions, “Lord, please tell me what to ask or say next.”

That is a perfectly legitimate request to make of God. He wants to be involved and help you in your sessions. If you are a coach or a coach in training, maybe it has been your prayer as well. If this is the case, God wants you to have sound skills when you enter a coaching session, so you can deliver your services with excellence.

This is why I created the 10 Christian Coaching Proficiencies, which once mastered, make you an extraordinary coach.  All are based on scripture and formed for practical use in our day-to-day life.  You will find these in all of our (CCLC) Christian Life Coach certification course options, both Premier and online.

Today I am specifically talking about becoming more prepared and better skilled to ask powerful questions.  As you and your client are seeking God’s perfect will, these questions will expand your client’s view of what is possible.

The power questions prepare us to become more than we imagined possible. God is always willing to help us and when we acquire a greater vision and grow into it, we can serve in far greater ways.

"Regardless of the issue your client presents with, your first step is to gain as much clarity about the situation as possible."

Let’s face it, some coaching topics are difficult, especially if we have no first-hand experience. Yet a good coach should be able to coach on just about any topic. My goal was to become the BEST coach possible and I want this for you too.

Regardless of the issue your client presents with, your first step is to gain as much clarity about the situation as possible. In this process of asking clarifying questions, your client will gain clarity on their own situation. Helping the client to clarify a matter usually leads to their own discovery for the best solution.

It’s interesting that sometimes when I mentor other coaches, they have trouble seeing their own solutions, yet are able to deliver extraordinary coaching sessions to their clients. This just proves again that coaches need coaches, because there are times we just can’t see things objectively when it’s our own situation.

I recently suggested to a colleague that when a particular situation presents itself, they reframe it as though it was their client’s situation. Then consider what they would ask their client. Suddenly the matter became much clearer and the answer was obvious.

Here are 40 power questions to help your clients and get you thinking about your own situation as well:

1. What has been your progress since we last spoke?

2. How can you turn this around and have better results next time?

3. How have you grown through this situation?

4. I am curious. May I ask you a few questions?

5. Is this something you want to be coached on or are you just sharing?

6. What could you be happy about if you chose to be?

7. What did you learn?

8. On a scale of 1-10, how honest have you been with yourself?

9. What is stopping you?

10. If you changed what you believe about this, what else could be possible?

11. Do you mind if I offer an observation?

12. Is this a decision or a dream?

13. What is the meaning you are giving to what was said?

14. Will this choice move you closer to your goal or keep you stuck?

15. Which of your core values, does this goal express?

16. Do you find this exhilarating or exhausting?

17. Is that the story you tell yourself or is it the truth?

18. Is this your perception of the situation or is it a fact?

19. Who wouldn’t like it if you succeeded?

20. Your opinion and mine don’t really matter. How do you think God views this?

21. If this obstacle did not exist, what could you do?

22. If you don’t change this, what will it cost you over time?

23. What will you have to give up in order to make room for this goal?

24. How can you get more done with less effort?

25. What one thing if changed, would make the greatest difference right now?

26. How can you solve this so it never happens again?

27. What is the emotional cost vs. the financial cost?

28. How will you know when you have succeeded in this?

29. If you approached this with courage, how could it change your outcome?

30. Will achieving this goal bring lasting fulfillment or temporary pleasure?

31. Why do you want this?

32. What are you willing to commit to here?

33. Who do you need to become to succeed with this?

34. Are you approaching this with your head or your heart?

35. If fear was not an issue, what would you do?

36. Is this the best outcome you can imagine or is there something even greater?

37. Is this your plan or God’s plan?

38. Is this an assumption or a fact?

39. What are you willing to do / stop doing to make your goal a reality?

40. Should this task be delegated or should you work harder?

41. How can you enjoy the process of solving this matter?

Print out this list of 40 power questions and keep them nearby.

You will find over time, more great questions will occur to you spontaneously as you listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Leelo Bush PhD, Founder and Director of Training at the Professional Christian Coaching & Counseling Academy PCCCA

Leelo Bush, PhD

Please share your comments or questions in the section provided below. My readers and I would love to hear from you.​

© 2015 Leelo Bush PhD. All rights reserved.

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