That's a Good Question...

Sometimes a thoughtful question takes a minute or two to answer.

That’s a good question!

I took part in an executive coaching clinic led by the Kansas Leadership Center last week. It was a blast to connect with 40 other professionals, ranging from Silicon Valley specialists to small business owners. We learned and practiced vocational coaching techniques with one another.

One of the facilitators reminded me that asking good questions is not a performance art. My ego shrugged that off, and I thought, “I would never think of coaching in this way.”

Ha! I was wrong!

Sure enough, one of my colleagues and I were assigned to share a 20-minute conversation about leadership challenges. When it was my turn, I inquired about something and my colleague said, “That’s a good question.” I caught myself feeling good about myself for helping her think about what I had asked. Sure enough, I lost my train of thought and the conversation slowed down.

Our facilitator reminded me that many people respond this way because what they are actually saying is, “Let me take a moment to think about this differently.”

This is refreshing, isn’t it?

This is the benefit of having a vocational coach who keeps us accountable. This is the benefit of hearing a challenging sermon or message. This is the benefit of a good friend who can ask difficult questions. We shouldn’t ask questions to feel good about ourselves, but to help someone think about things differently.

When was the last time you utilized a vocational coach? How were those discussions impactful to you? (Reach out to our team at MLI if you’re interested in discussing a coaching relationship to help you with growth and added skills awareness.)

How have you taken on this role, as a vocational or life coach? Youth and children’s ministers have a unique place in a young person’s life, because we can ask good questions.

When was the last time you heard, “That’s a good question.” How did it make you feel?

More important, how did it make them feel?