A few days ago, I listened to Dave Stachowiak’s interview with Marshall Goldsmith (listen here). It was, in itself, a great recap of Marshall’s key ideas. Towards the end of the podcast, Dave asks Marshall about his new AI chatbot.
Yesterday, we had a great discussion at our Oxford Coaching Group (OCG) around the use of ‘why’ questions. This morning I decided to ask the ‘AI Marshall’ where he stood with his thinking. This is what the bot suggested:
“In my experience, ‘why’ questions can sometimes be useful in a coaching conversation when the goal is to understand the root cause of an issue in a non-personal, analytical context. For instance, when we’re looking at systemic or process-related problems within an organization, asking ‘why’ can help uncover the underlying causes of those issues. This is akin to the “Five Whys” technique used in problem-solving to drill down to the core of a problem.
However, when it comes to personal development and coaching individuals, ‘why’ questions can often lead to defensiveness and introspection that focuses on negative thoughts or leads to rationalizations. In these cases, ‘what’ questions are generally more effective because they encourage constructive thinking and future-focused solutions.
So, while there may be instances where ‘why’ questions are appropriate, particularly in technical or systemic analysis, in the realm of executive coaching and personal development, I advocate for the use of ‘what’ questions to foster a more positive and action-oriented dialogue.”
To delve deeper—and the geek in me couldn’t resist—I asked the bot, “Where in your books do you write about the use of the ‘why’?” and it gave me this:
“In my book ‘Triggers: Creating Behavior That Lasts—Becoming the Person You Want to Be,’ I discuss the concept of active questions, which are an alternative to ‘why’ questions. Active questions are a key component of the Daily Questions process, a practice that encourages self-reflection and personal responsibility. This approach is about shifting from a passive to an active mindset, focusing on what individuals can do to change their behavior and improve their outcomes. The use of ‘what’ questions over ‘why’ questions is also a theme that resonates with my teachings on leadership and personal growth.”
I love this as a learning tool! Thank you, Marshall Goldsmith, for your generosity, and Dave Stachowiak for always finding such wonderful people to interview!
Thank you Sarah Fraser, MCC, Saima Butt MBA, MCC, David Lowe (who provided the discussion prompt) Kerry Foley, Jo Cammell, Jennifer Souter, and Helen Cavendish. See you all next month at the Oxford Coaching Group (OCG)!
Candida Javaid Coaching & Mentoring 