Scripts & Powerful Questions — Reference

Short opening scripts

Invite to explore: “I’d like to understand how that went and see how I can help. Do you have 15 minutes now?”

Redirect from giving orders to coaching: “I can suggest an approach, but I’d like to hear your thinking first — what ideas do you have?”

Sample prompts by situation

Problem solving

• What happened and when did you notice it?
• What do you think is causing this?
• If you could try one experiment this week, what would it be?

Development / Growth

• What skill do you want to develop this quarter?
• What would practicing that look like on a daily basis?
• Who could help you practice or give feedback?

Performance feedback

• When X happened, what were you trying to achieve?
• What would you do differently next time?
• How can I support you to make that change?

10 Powerful questions you can memorize

1. What outcome are you hoping for?
2. What options are you weighing?
3. What might get in the way?
4. What would success look like in one week / one month?
5. What did you learn from the last time you tried this?
6. What would you do if resources were unlimited?
7. Who else needs to be involved?
8. How will you measure progress?
9. What’s the smallest useful step you can take now?
10. How can I help you take that step?

Short role-play scenarios (practice prompts)

Use these to practice with a peer for 10–15 minutes.

• Missed deadline: Coach asks opening questions, explores root causes, and co-designs a mitigation plan.
• Low initiative: Coach explores motivation, context, and small experiments to increase ownership.
• Development conversation: Coach helps create a practice plan with measurable signals and feedback sources.

Keep this reference handy. Over time you’ll find a subset of questions that fit your voice — that’s the point. Coaching is a skill you shape, not a script you memorize.