Use open questions to unlock client insight
Replacing closed yes/no questions with open questions invites clients to explore their own thinking, uncovering goals, barriers, and readiness for change.
- When you want to understand what's behind a client's statement
- When a client gives a one-word or minimal answer
- When you're exploring a barrier or obstacle together
- When setting or reviewing goals
Questions are the coach's primary tool. Yet many coaches default to closed questions — ones that invite a simple "yes" or "no" — because they feel efficient. The problem is that efficiency kills exploration. When a client says "yes, I'll try it", you've learned nothing about whether they mean it, what might get in the way, or what the behaviour means to them.
Open questions begin with "what", "how", or "tell me about..." and signal to the client that their perspective matters. They create space for self-reflection, often surfacing insights neither party expected.
A coach asks: "Are you going to drink more water this week?" Client: "Yeah, I'll try." Compare that with: "What would make it easier for you to drink more water?" Client: "Honestly, I forget — if I had a water bottle on my desk I'd probably do it." The open question revealed a concrete environmental cue the coach could build on.
Word-for-word phrases you can use in session.
- Instead of: 'Are you going to exercise more this week?'
- Try: 'What would make it easier for you to fit in some movement this week?'
The open version invites problem-solving rather than a yes/no. Notice how the client's answer gives you something to work with.
In your next session, write down three questions you plan to ask. Rewrite any that start with "Do you...?" or "Did you...?" as open questions starting with "What..." or "How..."
After each session, review your notes and count how many closed vs open questions you asked. Aim to shift the ratio by one each week.
- Asking multiple questions at once ('What do you think about that, and how does it make you feel?') — pick one and wait for the full answer before asking the next.
- Leading questions disguised as open ones ('Don't you think you should exercise more?') — these telegraph the answer you want rather than inviting the client's real thinking.
- Answering the question yourself before the client has a chance to respond — leave the silence.
Keep reading.
Reflect back to show you're really listening
Reflecting what a client says — in your own words — demonstrates genuine understanding and encourages deeper exploration.
Pull the conversation together with a well-timed summary
A summary reflects the client's whole story back to them at once — making them feel genuinely tracked and helping both coach and client see what matters most.
Roll with resistance instead of pushing harder
When clients push back, arguing back makes it worse — stepping back and acknowledging their perspective keeps the door open for change.