Coach for Growth
When someone brings you a problem, it is tempting to offer your solution immediately. Sometimes direct instruction is exactly what the situation requires. At other times, a few questions can help the person develop their own judgment.
Start by understanding the outcome they need. Ask what they have tried, what they have learned, and where they are stuck. Let them finish before introducing your own experience.
Explore the available options together. Which choice seems most workable? What might make it difficult? What information or support would help? Offer guidance where it is needed while leaving room for the person to think.
Close with a clear next step and a time to follow up. In the next conversation, ask what happened and what they would carry into a similar situation. The aim is to help the person become more capable of handling future decisions.
Try this week
In one conversation this week, ask “What options have you considered?” before offering your own recommendation.
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