I have had the great fortune to be a fellow for Dave Stachowiak and recently assisted him with his Coaching for Leaders Academy. During this incredible experience, I met inspiring leaders and gained valuable new skills—one of which I’d like to share with you.
A core focus of the Academy is fostering clarity and accountability to drive ideas and actions forward. As a cohort, we support one another by challenging each other’s thinking and broadening possibilities. Without this collective effort, our ideas run the risk of becoming narrowed and constrained. To counter this, we join forces to nurture our imagination and innovation.
How often have you struggled to solve a problem, only to later discover that the best solution came as an offshoot of someone else’s comment or experience? Great thinking rarely happens in isolation.
Excellence demands a thought partner.
A Process for Thoughtful Exploration
Here’s an impactful exercise we used:
Each cohort member had 30 minutes of "member focus" time. The structure was as follows:
1. Presenting the Challenge (5 minutes): The individual set the stage by outlining their challenge or problem.
2. Clarifying Questions (10 minutes): The cohort asked only clarifying questions—no solutions, no advice. (This part is harder than it seems! It’s tempting to jump into “solution mode.”) Thoughtful questioning surfaces assumptions, reveals blind spots, and fosters clarity.
3. Sharing Advice (10 minutes): After thoroughly exploring the issue, we shared advice—offering relevant experiences, lessons learned, or wisdom gained.
This beautifully structured process promoted deeper discovery and led to solutions that might otherwise remain hidden.
A Challenge for You:
As you work with your team and support their growth, remember to:
Stay curious longer. Resist the urge to jump to solutions too quickly.
Ask clarifying questions. Challenge assumptions and explore perspectives by remaining in question mode longer than what may feel natural.
Observe the impact. Notice how the conversation evolves as you uncover deeper clarity. Does the other person gain new insights? Does the focus shift as understanding deepens?
Additional Resource
For further refinement of this technique, I highly recommend The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier. This resource offers practical strategies to embrace curiosity, leverage silence, and draw out valuable insights from others.
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