Coaching, Mentoring and Managing: A Coach Guidebook

Exercise: Creating Open-Ended Alternatives ....................................................

Earlier we looked at examples of closed-ended questions and

at the open-ended alternatives that would encourage things like

dialogue and mutual respect. Now it’s your turn to provide the

alternatives. Rewrite each of the questions shown here into

questions that accomplish one or more of the five objectives

just discussed.

The ability to ask open-ended questions is vital to your

success as a counselor, a mentor or a coach. Take every

opportunity to ask questions. They let you tap into the unlimited

resources of the people who work for you.

Coaching, Mentoring and Managing

5

Closed-Ended Questions Open-Ended Alternatives

How long are we going to have _______________________________

to put up with this kind of _______________________________

behavior from you? _______________________________

What in the world made you _______________________________

do such a dumb thing? _______________________________

Is this the best you can do? _______________________________

_______________________________

Didn’t I ask you not to _______________________________

do it that way? _______________________________

Everyone else has to suffer _______________________________

because of your mistakes. _______________________________

If you can’t get this right, _______________________________

how can I trust you with _______________________________

more responsibility? _______________________________

You are becoming known _______________________________

as a problem. _______________________________