Student Comments on Effective Questioning

students comments on 6-1 and 6-2 questions are added and their post are added in text citations reference page for 6-1 students are David, Carolyn and Demetra 6-2 students are David, nd carolyn

6-1    question  Discuss one strength and one challenge that you faced while applying the skills identified with your individual or couple.

David    I believe that effective questioning can be a strength for a good coach, but it can be a challenge especially if the coach is still trying to learn good questioning techniques. From practice it seems that a good plan and outline of good questions may be helpful, but with coaching I need to be able to ask effective questions based on how my client is responding, so it may not always be the same as my plan and flexibility will be needed. It is helpful to know what type of questions to use or not to use. For example, they should be mostly open ended and not leading questions (Leonard, n. d.,). It is also a good idea to avoid “why” questions that risk making the client defensive. It is better to focus more on “how” or “what” questions. The use of good listening skills combined with powerful and effective questions can be a great plus for a coach to overcome some of the challenges of developing good questioning skills.   Reference

Leonard I. (n. d.) The Art of Effective Questioning: Asking the right question for the desired result. Retrieved from https://www.coachingforchange.com/pub10.html

Carolyn    One of the challenges when talking to others is allowing silences in the conversation. I think we seem to think there needs to be dialog with each person we meet. Learning this skill does take practice for me because I am challenged with trying to figure out what to say while the person is still talking instead of listening closely while they are speaking to be able to glean more information. I am working on this consciously and physically taking control of my own mind to become a better listener not a fixer. As I have learned most of the clients have the answers to their own destiny it just takes someone to point them in the right direction. It is their path and we as coaches are just a helping hand to help them down that path. Because I have been through so much in my life, I can offer guidance to get them on the right track and hopefully moving in a positive direction.

 Hollands, F. (2014), Stop Butting In, Retrieved from

http://www.outshineconsulting.com.au/communication/stop-butting-in/

Demetra      I will need to acquire many skills to more effectively address challenging situations in groups. One of these skills would be confronting. I believe confronting someone within my circle is easy; however, confronting a group member or client can become challenging. I would have to confront the member in a way that will not cause that person to become hostile in the group. Sometimes, I find it difficult to confront someone in the fear of hurting them or being wrong.  My strength is empathy. "Empathy is about connecting with others without judgment or a personal agenda. Someone is a leadership role who does not have the ability to empathize will never be a leader." (Forbes Coaches Council, 2016)

Forbes Coaches Council.  (2016).  10 Coaching Skills Every Leader Should Master.  Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2016/05/12/10-coaching-skills-every-leader-should-master/#44c7f9027253

6-2   question   Were the challenges identified last week still a challenge, or do you have new insights for skills that need further development? Explain.

David    The challenges identified last week are not as great as they are now. We have been given great material to help us overcome many of these challenges as we learn how to deal with them. The article The Art of Effective Questioning: Asking the right question for the desired result, was very helpful and informative to not only give good questioning ideas but explain why they work well and when to use them. The article The 8 Key Skills For Effective Coaching, is also a great source of information to help overcome some of the challenges a coach will face. Because of these and what seems an almost unlimited supply of good information, help with the challenges of coaching is only a website away. I believe with time and learning the challenges will continue to get smaller and less frequent.

carolyn   I feel that the insights I gathered from the readings have helped me see the importance of listening in a new light. My mother always said that God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. As I did deeper into client and coach relationships it is becoming clearer that the client should do all of the talking. Hearing what the client is saying is the key to a successful relationship and helping the client find their own way with guidance. Listening with our ears, eyes and intuition will build a rapport with the client so when we do have something to say the client trusts us enough to listen to what we say and advise.

9 skills of a great organizational coach. (2016). Journal of Accountancy, 221(2), 20–21. Retrieved from https://search-ebscohost-com.lopes.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ofs&AN=112713801&site=eds-live&scope=site