How to Coach in Any Situation

After leading an off-site for a client in Montreal, I caught a taxi to the airport for my flight home. 

Sometimes, in an Uber or taxi, I am really quiet and don’t talk much. 

However, on this particular day, I was feeling inspired by the conversation I just had with my clients. 

So, I started chatting to the taxi driver.  

He was in his mid-twenties and was very genuine and articulate. 

It turns out that he graduated from university and completed his business degree.  

Never make assumptions about who is driving your taxi or Uber! 

He was feeling stuck in his career. 

I asked him why.  

He told me that since he graduated, he had a series of office jobs that he disliked.  

Hence, he was feeling disillusioned with the world of work. 

So, of course, I went into coaching mode!!!!

I applied the most essential skill of any great coach: asking open-ended, thoughtful “what” questions.

I asked him the following questions: 

• What’s the reason you didn’t like your office jobs? 

• What is an example of a job or work situation that you enjoyed? 

• What kind of work environment are you looking for? 

• What skills do you bring to the workforce?  

• What job or career have you thought about doing? 

Well, it turns out that he had a dream for his future that, due to self-doubt, he buried. 

He wanted to join the real estate industry. 

Why am I telling you this story? 

Well, as a leader, there are always opportunities to coach people.

Think about the people on your team. 

Is anyone stuck right now? 

Is anyone feeling frustrated by anything?  

Is anyone struggling with too much organizational change? 

What is your leadership tool to help them? 

It’s coaching, of course! 

If I can coach my taxi driver to take action by leveraging just five powerful questions… then what is possible for you?

How can you get curious with your team to help them solve some of their pressing issues? 

By the way, are you interested in how my conversation ended with the taxi driver?  

Well, I asked him one more question that led to his action plan. 

“What contacts do you have in the real estate industry right now?” 

It turns out that his uncle and a family friend both work in that industry. 

So, he promised me he would call them to set up coffee meetings to discuss the key steps for entering the real estate industry. 

Coaching is such an impactful tool. 

It is a powerful way to take actionable steps to solve problems in any situation.