Coaching Questions
Powerful Coaching Questions for Active Listening
Great coaching starts with great questions. Here are powerful, open-ended questions you can use when coaching someone through active listening. These questions are designed to help your client explore their situation, challenge assumptions, and discover their own path forward.
Opening Questions
- “What would you like to explore about active listening today?”
- “What does an ideal outcome look like for you regarding active listening?”
- “On a scale of 1-10, where are you right now with active listening? What would one point higher look like?”
Deepening Questions
- “What's the real challenge here for you?”
- “What assumptions are you making about active listening?”
- “What would you do if you weren't afraid?”
- “What's the story you're telling yourself about this?”
Action Questions
- “What's one small step you could take this week?”
- “What support do you need to move forward with active listening?”
- “How will you hold yourself accountable?”
Practice These Questions with AI
Reading questions is one thing. Using them naturally in a real coaching conversation is another.
CoachTrainer.AI lets you practice coaching clients dealing with active listening — get instant feedback on your questioning technique and all 8 ICF competencies.