ABSTRACT
This chapter considers in detail the various purposes and applications of questioning within coaching conversations. It starts by considering a number of different types of questions, some of which are appropriate for coaching. The chapter focuses on how coaches can use questions strategically and effectively with their coachees. In coaching-related training, it is often suggested that there are four types of questions worth learning (open questions, closed questions, leading questions, and multiple questions). Clarification questions are usually closed questions that give the coach an opportunity to check his or her own understanding of what has been shared. The phrase "multiple questions" refers to the situations in which a person asks a number of questions consecutively without allowing the other person to respond in between. This is unhelpful in coaching conversations as multiple questions can overload the coachee and lead to some important questions remaining unanswered.
