Author: Svetoslava Stoyanova

What question sparks in your mind when you hear the term “powerful question”? Being one of the core competencies in the art of coaching, recognised by authorities like the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC), asking powerful questions starts with mastering active listening and presencing in the process. In both individual and group or team settings, a powerful question is one that moves the status quo, shifts perspectives and opens possibilities. The right inquiry can be transformative. The WellBE team respectively allocated a deserved position to the skill of asking powerful questions, placing it as one of the 8 core skills for trainers to embed coaching in their practice, presented in our Handbook “Coaching Skills for trainers”. Here are a few approaches to put that skill into practice:

Powerful Questions in Individual Setting 

In the realm of individual coaching, here are five potent questions to ignite introspection and growth:

• What does success mean to you, personally? This question invites learners and coachees to delve deep into their values and aspirations, aligning their goals with their authentic selves.

• What are the underlying beliefs that might be holding you back? Unearthing limiting beliefs is crucial for personal development. This question sparks self-awareness and paves the way for change.

• If fear were not a factor, what would you dare to pursue? Fear often paralyzes us. This question encourages clients to envision a future free from constraints.

• What strengths have you not yet fully tapped into? Focusing on strengths fosters confidence and empowerment. This question helps clients recognize their untapped potential.

• What small step can you take today towards your desired future? Action is key to progress. This question inspires immediate, tangible steps toward a brighter tomorrow.

Powerful Questions in Group Settings

In collective settings, where diverse perspectives abound, powerful questions can deepen discussions and promote shared understanding. Here are five questions tailored for group, team, or collective exploration:

• What common values unite us as a group? (if you are asking as a member or leader of the team) or What common values unite you as a group? (if you facilitate a process)? Identifying shared values fosters cohesion and cooperation. Once people recognize what they have in common, and what things they all appreciate, it creates a bond that ensures productive collaborations. 

• How might you leverage your differences for innovation?Embracing diversity can lead to creative solutions and fresh insights. Asking such a question also recognizes diversity as a value. 

• What barriers do you collectively face, and how can you overcome them? Acknowledging challenges as a group empowers collaborative thinking and with good facilitation, you can even move the group or the team from seeing the situation as finding a solution rather than problem-solving. 

• What impact do your actions have on the broader community? Encouraging social consciousness encourages responsible decision-making. Thinking of the various stakeholders – especially those that are not in the room, supports system thinking, which fosters a systems mindset and culture within the organizations.

• What can you learn from past successes and even failures as a team / collective? Reflecting on shared history informs future endeavours. Tapping into the past with the goal of collecting positive models and patterns comes from the Solution-focused approach, which can be truly empowering in challenging times.  

The Power Within Closed-Ended Questions

Perceived as a cardinal sin in coaching, close-ended questions can be instrumental in coaching. As a rule of thumb, the coach, and facilitator should ask open-ended questions to broaden perspectives. In other words, avoid asking questions whose reply is yes/no and supports polarity. One might assume that powerful questions are exclusively open-ended, but in my view and experience as a coach, the truth is more nuanced. Even closed-ended questions can be potent catalysts for change, provided they trigger a shift in perspective. It is all about how these questions are framed and the context in which they are asked. For example, asking, “Have you considered this option?” can be a powerful closed-ended question. It may not open up a broad discussion, but it nudges the individual or group to explore previously uncharted territory. The true essence of powerful questioning lies in fostering self-reflection and encouraging new avenues of thought.

Here are some preferred powerful questions, offered by members of the WellBe project team: 

Adrijana Milosavljević, Koucing Centar, Serbia 

“I would say that the magic and power are in simple questions. That could be similar in a group or individual setting. When we see that some insight has emerged, we notice it and ask something like: What is this insight telling about you? What are we learning from this? How can this learning support you in achieving your goal?

Also, my experience is that checking client’s words and phrases and using their metaphors in the coaching process can also be magical.”

Lachezar Afrikanov, Your ideas matter, Bulgaria

“My favourite questions in coaching and training are “What is truly important to you right now?”, “From the outlined steps, which one will you take as the first step after our meeting?” I believe that these questions are compelling in coaching and training because they encourage self-reflection and goal setting. The first question prompts individuals to prioritize their current needs and desires, fostering self-awareness. The second question helps the person or team members create a concrete plan of action, promoting accountability and progress towards their goals.”

Monica Heeger, BEST, Austria

“My favourite powerful question in coaching and training is the “miracle question”, a powerful intervention from systemic coaching (by Steve de Shazer) to initiate a process of rethinking and changing perspectives. When clients are focused on problems, without being able to change their perspective towards solution orientation, I ask the question “Imagine you wake up tomorrow morning and everything is fine, all your problems are gone. How would you first recognise it, how would it feel for you, how would your environment notice it?” I also use this question in group settings, preferably to trigger a training session with goal setting.”

The true magic of powerful questions lies not only in the words themselves but in the space they create for collective or self-discovery, growth, and meaningful dialogue. Whether in individual coaching sessions or group dynamics, the art of powerful questioning is a valuable tool for coaches, mentors, and educators alike.

About the author: Svetoslava is representing the Belgian partner in the project, NMCT: https://nmct.eu
Connect with her via LinkedIn: 
Svetoslava Stoyanova, ACC, ICF 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/svetoslavastoyanova/

Burnout is a growing concern in the workplace, affecting individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and professions. And it affects our personal lives too. Just like the flu, burnout can occur multiple times in a year and can have severe consequences on an individual’s mental and physical health. However, unlike the flu, burnout is not limited to specific groups and can affect anyone in their active working years, regardless of their experience, status, or occupation.

The term “burnout” was first introduced in the 1970s by Herbert Freudenberger, a psychologist, to describe the severe stress experienced by professionals in the helping professions. The World Health Organization now defines burnout as a condition rather than a malady, further highlighting the need for prevention and management strategies.

In 2022, during the development of the Burnout Coaching Project, a team of professionals from Bulgaria and Belgium immersed themselves in the topic of burnout prevention, writing a handbook on burnout prevention in adult education. I was happy to be part of the team and what to share some insights with you. Through extensive research, we identified three key takeaways that highlight the consequences, hope, and actions necessary to prevent burnout.

• Firstly, the consequences of burnout are severe and can derail an individual’s work, study, and social life for a minimum of 6 months to 1-2 years. Burnout can lead to a decline in job performance, a decrease in overall well-being, and an increase in physical and mental health problems.

• However, there is hope. Individuals who have experienced burnout often restart their personal and professional lives with more meaning, purpose, and consciousness. Burnout can be a turning point, leading to personal growth and development.

• To prevent burnout, it is crucial to establish well-being habits. These habits can include regular exercise, healthy eating, good sleep hygiene, and stress management techniques such as meditation or mindfulness. By prioritizing self-care and seeking support from mentors or coaches, individuals can reduce stress and build resilience, leading to better self-efficacy and a decreased likelihood of burnout.

Burnout is a growing concern that can severely affect an individual’s mental and physical health. However, by establishing well-being habits, seeking support, and building self-efficacy, you as a trainer and coach, but also as an individual – can prevent burnout and improve the overall well-being. Not only yours but the ones of your learners and clients. As burnout can affect anyone, it is essential for all of us to prioritize self-care and seek support when needed to maintain good mental health and prevent burnout.

Where to start? 

1. Mindfulness Meditation: Mindfulness meditation is a simple practice that helps to train the mind to focus on the present moment without judgment. It is a powerful tool to manage stress and build resilience. To start, find a quiet and comfortable place where you won’t be disturbed. Sit cross-legged or in a chair, with your back straight, and close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths and then focus your attention on your breath. When your mind starts to wander, gently bring it back to your breath. Start with just 5-10 minutes a day and gradually increase the time as you become more comfortable.

Alternatively, try this meditation or ask a friend or fellow coach/trainer to guide you through it: https://www.svetoslavastoyanova.com/a-bridge-to-oneself-a-mindfulness-technique/

• Physical Exercise: Regular physical exercise can help to reduce stress and improve overall well-being. It is important to choose an activity that you enjoy and can commit to on a regular basis. You could start with a daily 20-minute walk, yoga, or lightweight training. Gradually increase the intensity and duration of your exercise as you become fitter and more comfortable.

• Time Management: Poor time management can contribute to burnout, especially if you are constantly rushing and feeling overwhelmed. To prevent burnout, it is important to manage your time effectively. This means setting priorities, breaking tasks into manageable chunks, and learning to say no to tasks that are not essential. You can start by making a daily to-do list and setting realistic deadlines for each task. Remember to take breaks and give yourself time to rest and recharge. And last but not least, depending on your work and life roles, maybe you also learn to delegate. Inspiration on the topic is available here: https://www.trendingtopics.eu/are-you-the-only-one-who-can-do-the-job-tips-and-tricks-on-delegation-for-startup-owners/

Incorporating these three habits, namely – mindfulness, exercising, and improving time management – into your daily routine can help to prevent burnout and improve overall well-being. It takes time to develop new habits, so be patient with yourself and keep practicing.

About the author: Svetoslava is representing the Belgian partner in the project, NMCT: https://nmct.eu
Connect with her via LinkedIn: 
Svetoslava Stoyanova, ACC, ICF 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/svetoslavastoyanova/

Spots are limited, and fee is covered by the Erasmus + Programme of EU, apply now.

“Whether we coach, advise, counsel, facilitate, or mentor, the effectiveness of what we do depends in large measure on our beliefs about human potential. To get the best out of people, we have to believe the best is in there – but how do we know it is, how much is there, and how do we get it out?”

Sir John Whitmore

Are you an adult educator, trainer or facilitator, working with groups and individuals to help them develop a talent or acquire a skill? 

Are you curious how principles from coaching can enrich your work and performance as adult educator? 

Is exploring coaching part of your wish list? 

If you said YES to these 3 questions, “The WellBe Program: coaching for trainers” is what you need.  In a 4-month period, you will enrich your professional journey of an adult educator by adding the flavour of coaching to it.

For whom? 

• Adult educators, working with learners above 18 y.o., based in one of the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Serbia; 
• Facilitators, Trainers, Educators, Leaders of Training, Learning and Development Departees of organizations, who provide any kind of training or learning in various subjects; 
• Professionals from the learning field who educate or facilitate learning for groups, teams, and individuals; 
• Professionals from the adult education field who are not certified or trained in coaching skills; 

What can you expect by attending our WellBE Training?

• A great learning experience: Intense training program: in two weekends in May 2023: 6 & 7 and 13 &14, online; 
• A valuable peer support and development of your coaching skillset: upon your availability between May and July 2023; 
• Participation in a tailor-made mentoring program to support you in using coaching in your practice as an adult educator:  3 group online meetings between June and September 2023, with a pause in August;
• Training and learning materials: the handbook “Coaching for Trainers”; 
• Additional recourses, tips, and tricks, generously provided by the experienced team of professional trainers. 

What are your benefits if you decide to join us?

• Certificate for attendance of the WellBe training programme and the knowledge and confidence when applying coaching in your training activities in blended learning environments;
• A genuine space for personal development and growth through the guidance of a team of professionals coaches and trainers and the power of the group learning;
• Exchange practice and knowledge with the other attendees in an international environment and create new skills; 
• Becoming part of a vital and talented international community of professional educators, trainers, facilitators, and coaches  
• Full coverage of your participation fee, thanks to the Erasmus + program, which co-funds the WellBe Project. 

Sneak peek into the Handbook, accompanying this learning journey

Preliminary contents the WellBe Training Handbook

Part 1: WELD: Trainer of 21^st Century     

Part 2: EXPLORE: Coaching principles in training

Part 3: LABEL & LINK: Coaching skills for trainers

Part 4: LEVERAGE: Coaching in training

Part 5: BEHOLD & ENABLE: Coaching evaluation

We invite you to register now, deadline for applications: April 10, 2023. 

To register, follow THIS LINK: https://forms.gle/nTFucPMeTb8eJC997

By registering for the training program you commit to a 4-months learning and exploration journey and  we expect you to take it seriously as we do. 

Who is providing this awesome opportunity? 

New Mindset Coaching &Training, Belgium

Svetoslava Stoyanova is representing New Mindset Coaching & Training (NMCT). NMCT is Belgium based organization, with the vision and purpose to accompany for-profit and for-impact organizations as well as individuals in the development of conscious leadership models and mindset.

Our mission is to cultivate mindset of learning, growth, and contribution.

Svetoslava Stoyanova is certified Solutions Focused team coach and ICF (International Coaching Federation) accredited individual coach. She is seasoned professional with 20+ years of experience, entrepreneur and trainer with a robust knowledge and expertise in adult and youth education, fundraising, capacity building, organizational culture and health, burnout prevention, leadership practices and impactful communication. 

Koučing centar, Serbia

Adrijana Milosavljević and Milena Nikolić are representing Koučing centar. Koučing centar is a boutique consultancy that is partnering with organizations to design evidence and science-based, interactive, and customized learning experiences that create mindsets for a thriving workplace. Koučing centar has a mission in the democratization of coaching and spreading the coaching culture in Europe and the world. 

Adrijana Milosavljević is ICF PCC, L&D Expert – she enjoys supporting trainers, coaches, and mentors in developing their skills, and creating a wider impact with their work and societies. 

Milena Nikolić is a psychologist, ICF PCC, and L&D consultant – for the last decade she is training, mentoring, and evaluating future coaches and delivering individual, group, and team coaching. 

Your Ideas Matter, Bulgaria 

Lachezar Afrikanov represents Your Ideas Matter. The organization provides service in training, project design and management, individual and group coaching, and psychological counselling. 

As an academic in the field of education management and pedagogy, Lachezar Afrikanov contributes to development of education programmes and tools, conducting research and evaluation. He is design thinking practitioner, coach, and trainer, dedicated to topics such as leadership and finding personal, professional and organisational meaning.

Mind full vs. mindful. We all have been there, right? 

‘Mindful’ is a state of mind we can foster intentionally.

Methods vary to people’s needs, especially when we are under pressure and striving to achieve goals. Recently, a client shared her surprise at how companies still keep within job announcements the well-known “ability to perform well under pressure” line. As Adam Grant nailed it in his book “Think again”, a proper answer to the question of how one deals with pressure and stress, is “an even mix of angry outbursts and shutting down completely”.

WHAT OTHER OPTIONS DO WE HAVE?

No one likes to be under pressure and yet we all are. Whether we’re part of or leading a team, or acting as a solopreneur or startup commanders, the initial response to negative emotions is to suppress them. This a bad idea, which will throw us at the “bottling or brooding” spiral, coined by the psychologist and author of the book “Emotional Agility”, Susan David.

Here’s a brief yet intense exercise, inspired by exploring and understanding more about the scientific process behind different mindfulness practices and especially the popular technique RAIN – a process developed by Michelle McDonald as part of the mindfulness movement, which is characterized by the cultivation of moment-to-moment awareness of ourselves and our environment and attention to our feelings without accompanying it with judgment. In other words, to reconnect to ourselves.

TRY BRIDGE

The technique BRIDGE serves very well to people who are more kind of Do-ers than Be-ers and who need to rationalize the role emotional intelligence (EQ) plays for their mental well-being.

Emotional intelligence, otherwise known as emotional quotient or EQ is the ability to understand, use, and manage your own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges, and defuse conflict.

In light of the above said, the BRIDGE technique can help a busy person to observe their thoughts, emotions, and sensations consciously without trying to hide or solve them. 

BRIDGE – MINDFULNESS TECHNIQUE TO CALM THE MIND

You need 6 to 8 minutes for this exercise in an uninterrupted environment. Here is BRIDGE step by step:

B stands for BE. Meet yourself wherever you are, whoever you are, you don’t need to BE anything but you. Here and now. Just the way you are at that moment. Your thoughts, the way you feel about given circumstances, you, authentically.

R is for RECOGNIZE. Recognize your mood now. Maybe you are experiencing an emotion. Allow yourself to do so. Maybe you are a little bored. Or you are anxious about a deadline and feel guilty for investing time in this exercise… Or perhaps you are calm and still. Recognize the emotion as it is even if you aren’t able to give it a name. It is fine.

I is for INQUIRY. Move your attention from how you feel to where in your body it reflects. Do you feel physical sensations in a particular part of the body? How does it feel? Sense and observe with curiosity.

D is for DEVELOP. Develop your awareness of the situation, your feelings, and your sensations. Through the mindful technique of labeling, you can learn what you are dealing with. Sadness, worry, joy, happiness, or even hunger… they can all be named. You may experience a few emotions at once. Start by separating them and giving each a label. Stay with this labeling for a while. Let it sink in.

G in bridge stands for GAIN. I invite you now to gain further clarity. What is the message for you from your body and mind here? What is behind this sensation? Pause for a while and give it time to say what it has to say to you.

And finally, E is for EMBRACE. Whatever the reason is for you to feel that way, embrace it, and show yourself kindness. It is a part of you for a reason and is here to support you, to accompany you in your humanly fragile and flawless way forward. 

This is BRIDGE, an easy exercise to bring you to a mindful state for a few minutes. The most important part of mindfulness is to recognize that it is a training of the mind, and like any exercise – in the gym or outdoors, prepare yourself to run a marathon, it will take some time before you see the benefits.