🤫 Whisper #8: Ask people what they really want.

Cut to the chase. Ask people, "What do you really want?"

Hey, it’s 📣 Coach Erika! Welcome to a ✨ free subscriber edition✨ of The Career Whispers. Each week, I tackle reader questions about tech careers: how to get one, how to navigate them, and how to grow and thrive in your role.

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Whisper #8

What do you want out of this situation?

This week's Whisper comes from a fantastic book called The Coaching Habit by Michael Stanier. The book proposes 7 different questions to help you become a better coach for others.

This question is all about establishing a common foundation for success.

Asking people what they want (what they really, really want — if you're a Spice Girl) solves two problems: (1) it makes it very clear where they stand and (2) it defines the desired outcome.

“What do you want?" is quite direct.

It pulls people to the outcome, and the journey often becomes clearer once you see the destination.

a low-stakes experiment for you

In your next meeting or 1:1 conversation, listen actively the entire time. If it's unclear what their ultimate goal or incentive is, that's when this question comes in handy.

When the other party comes to a stopping point, simply ask, "What do you want out of this situation?"

Observe the result.

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💌 When you try this, share your experience in the comments. Don’t be shy; it’s mostly me who’s paying attention 👋

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