Ask instead of answer. The one move every great coach makes.

In Episode 18, Rick Timlick, Sam Bracken and Kent Vaughn start the Quick Start series with Be Curious. Curiosity over telling is the core move of CLEAR coaching. When you ask instead of answer, you hand the thinking and the ownership back to the person you're coaching. The habit that got you promoted (having the answers) is the habit that caps your team's growth.

In this episode:

• Why curiosity over telling is the core move of CLEAR coaching
• Understand before you act: listen to understand, not to respond
• Helping vs. rescuing, and why giving the answer backfires
• Listening with all your senses (and Sam's "Words can't express my joy")
• The neuroscience: telling triggers a status threat; asking creates a status reward
• Sam's 5 curiosity questions you can use in your next conversation

Sam's Curiosity "Cheat Code" (try these in order):

1. How's it going?
2. What's up?
3. Tell me more.
4. Help me understand.
5. Is there anything else?

Then close with: "What are you going to do about it?"

"Curiosity over telling is the core move of CLEAR coaching. When you ask, you hand the thinking and the ownership back to the person you're coaching." (Rick Timlick)

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:53 Welcome & intros
1:10 The Quick Start cards: Be Curious
2:02 Curiosity over telling: the core move of CLEAR coaching
2:30 Understand before you act
4:13 Deming's 12-foot rule & why experts stop being curious
6:27 Curiosity under stress, and how it rewires the brain
8:01 Why you shouldn't give the answer (even when you know it)
10:25 Helping vs. rescuing
12:17 Listen with all your senses: "Words can't express my joy"
14:20 The $250,000 smoke break: curiosity in action
16:12 Best idea wins: separating ego from facts
17:25 Be present: put the phone away
19:37 Practicing curiosity with Super Coach
21:02 The neuroscience: status threat vs. status reward
23:30 "So I think what you're telling me is..."
26:12 Sam's 5 curiosity questions
27:51 "What are you going to do about it?"
28:55 Watch-out: leading questions & authenticity
30:53 Wrap-up & key takeaways
32:42 One question, one pause

▶ Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/aZKrj_AwcV0
▶ Watch the clip: https://youtube.com/shorts/9wrzqYCadYU

About CLEAR Performance Coaching: We help ordinary leaders become great coaches who create extraordinary results.
https://www.clearperformancecoaching.com

Hosts: Rick Timlick, Sam Bracken & Kent Vaughn