Michael Bungay Stanier

The Coaching Habit

1. IDEA 1

   Coaching means asking more

   Bungay Stanier argues that managers can become better coaches by saying less and asking more. He offers seven short questions to replace the urge to give quick advice. The idea is that people learn more when they find answers themselves.

2. IDEA 2

   Start with what's on your mind

   The kickstart question, what's on your mind, opens conversations and lets people choose what matters. It focuses on real concerns. In his view, letting people begin with what worries or excites them makes the talk more useful than following the manager's agenda.

3. IDEA 3

   Ask and what else

   The AWE question, and what else, encourages people to share more ideas. First answers are rarely the only ones. In his view, asking this again gives people time to think further, so they often come up with better ideas than their first ones.

All 8 ideas from The Coaching Habit →