Asking questions

In my coaching training, I was struck by the role of the question as a tool for exploration rather than as a path toward a specific answer.

In coaching, we work less with solutions and more with space. Often, that space begins with a well-placed question that is open, respectful, and curious. This reminds me of the Socratic method: the art of asking questions that help surface what is already present, yet not fully articulated.

In my work as a teacher, mentor, and facilitator, I have long used questions to support learning. In coaching, the intention differs: there is no content to deliver and no insight to provide in advance. The coachee leads, and the question helps create the conditions for new perspectives to emerge.

I am aware of how demanding this can be. It involves resisting the impulse to offer ideas, trusting the process, and staying with uncertainty.

This is a practice I continue to develop, one question at a time.