For your advancement, from time to time I will reach out and share coaching resources, tools and ideas that come from other successful executive and leadership coaches. Today I am sharing the “Six Question Process” from executive coach and author Marshall Goldsmith. Marshall has been coaching senior executive leaders in major global corporations for over thirty years and has authored numerous highly-regarded coaching books, including his recent works “Lifestorming”, “Triggers” and “What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There.”
The “Six Question Process” is a series of six questions that executives can use to structure bi-monthly or quarterly “check-ins” with direct reports to build relationship, create transparency and optimal business results.
- Where are we going?
- Where are you going?
- What do you think you are doing well?
- What are some suggestions for improvement?
- How can I help?
- What suggestions do you have for me to be a better manager?
Marshall urges the leader to introduce the concept of mutual responsibility at the end of the check-in, as follows: “I am going to take responsibility to ask you these six questions during each of our quarterly check-ins. If at any time between check-ins, you – the direct report – need more clarity or are experiencing any confusion about anything we have discussed; if you are not clear on priorities or direction, or you just need some coaching, come talk to me.
If you take responsibility for that piece, there is no reason we should have any confusion.” Marshall claims that he has never seen the Six Question Process fail among the CEOs he has coached.
If you would like to learn more about the “Six Question Process”, I recommend you watch the first six minutes of the YouTube video below, in which Marshall explains the process.
How would you leadership evolve if you began implementing the “Six Question Process” right away? How would your relationships with your direct reports change? What could the impact on your business be?