Six Powerful Group Coaching Questions to Open a Session

"Questions are the backbone of any coaching conversation" is what I write in From One to Many: Best Practices of Team and Group Coaching.  As coaches, we can never have enough questions.

Today marks the start of a new series for me here at the Group Coaching Ins and Outs blog around powerful questions. On a regular basis I'll be spotlighting questions you may want to consider incorporating into your group or team coaching conversations.   They will also be applicable to the individual coaching conversation as well.

As I was saying recently in a Mentor Coaching Group I host for those working towards, or renewing their ICF credential, we can never have enough questions to draw on. The same holds true for the realm of group and team coaching. AS with any communication, make sure you adapt it for the needs, style and language of the people you are working with (Refer to ICF Coaching Competency of Direct Communication).

Today I wanted to put  a focus on some possible questions you may want to use in a start up of a group coaching conversation:

1. What do you uniquely bring to the group?
2. What are you hoping to get out of our conversation today?
3. What's your intention for this conversation?
4. What progress have you made on your #1 commitment from last week (this #1 commitment will change from person to person)
5. How engaged do you plan to be today? What risks are you ready to take? (Note these two questions I trace back originally to Peter Block in his excellent book - Flawless Consulting. I usually use these as an individual reflection question, and don't necessarily have people share their responses)
6. How will you know we've been successful today in this conversation (or how will you know we've been successful with our coaching overall)?


As in individual coaching, less is more. It is unlikely that you would ever use all of these questions at the start of the same session AND they are great to pull from in different touchpoints.

What are some of your favorite powerful questions? As always, please feel free to comment below.

Best wishes,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, CPT, PCC
Group Coaching Essentials | Potentials Realized  
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (Jossey-Bass, 2013)
Upcoming programs include: Mentor Coaching Group for ACC Renewals and ACC/PCC portfolio (Thurs 12 - 1 pm ET starting May 14) and the Advanced Group Coaching Practicum (10 CCes) - Thursdays 1015 -1130 am ET starting May 28th - July 23
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