How to ask the right types of questions when coaching

Coaching employees in your workforce is a way to improve their growth and development. Coaches who ask the right kinds of questions can improve critical thinking skills in their employees, and help them to consider more aspects of their work.

There are three types of questions to ask, closed-ended, open-ended and behavioral questions.
Closed-ended questions have two possible answers, such as "Do you have all the materials you need?" They are best for the beginning of the interview, to relax a nervous employee, and for when you need to take control of the situation (with an employee who rambles, for example).

Open-ended questions allow for many possible answers, and may start with when, how, in what ways, under what conditions, and many other terms. Examples might be "What do you suggest comes next?" and "How would you analyze this situation's strengths and weaknesses?"

Behavioral questions ask how a person handled a situation in the past, the outcome and what he would change if it occurred again (or what he learned).

When asking open and behavioral questions, it is very helpful if the coach waits a few seconds after the person has finished answering, to allow time for additional responses.

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