Creative Problem Solving Starts with Asking Powerful Questions
Meet Grand Coach, Stephanie Movahhed, and Join us for a Free Clarity Council
Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of spending two days at Harlem Capital 2nd Annual Founder Summit. The theme was Road of Resilience and it was focused on mental wellness and building resilience for founders, companies, teams, and communities. During a year that has been mentally, emotionally and economically taxing, I LOVED seeing a venture firm pouring into their founder community so they can leave better connected and equipped to deal with the uncertainty ahead.
I had the honor to host a Leader as a Coach workshop. The goal of the workshop is to help leaders learn the difference between fixing and coaching, and sharpen their coaching skills. We practiced asking open & honest questions and closed the session with a powerful in-person Clarity Council.
Clarity Council is our signature coaching experience where a person shares an urgent challenge and the group will ask questions to help lead them to identify a resolution or the next steps they will take to address the problems.
It’s magical to see how gathering smart and insightful people together to focus on an issue can yield to creative problem solving and solutions in less than 30 minutes.
After limited travel, conferences, and in-person work for the past few years, we all left feeling connected and re-energized. It was a great reminder of how connecting in person can quickly create lasting relationships.
If you’re a company or VC firm looking to host an offsite or retreat for team and or portfolio companies, we’d love to help you create a safe and brave learning environment for your leaders.
Coach Spotlight: Stephanie Movahhed 💡
Meet The Coach 👋 : As a coach, I help people find more joy, fulfillment and success in their work and lives. Prior to becoming a coach, I’ve worked across tech strategy and operations and management consulting, and I also received my MBA from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. I completed my coaching certification with the CoActive Training Institute (CTI) in 2020 as a CPCC and am also certified by ICF (ACC).
How would you describe your process to help create deep connections between members in group coaching, and what are some techniques that you’ve used?
One of the things I love most about coaching groups at The Grand is watching connections develop and deepen between my group members.
In essence, coaching requires the asking of powerful questions, sharing vulnerably and authentically, and deep listening. ✨ Each of these techniques are used many times throughout sessions, and they result in astounding connection between group members. Here’s how I incorporate them:
Asking powerful questions. 💬 As a coach, I invite the group to ask open and honest questions – these are short, powerful, open-ended questions that lead members to deep inquiry. Recently I challenged a group of startup founders to ask each other “What do you [Fill in the blank] most about being a founder?” Several founders asked “What do you fear most about being a founder?” and the resulting discussion led to meaningful discussion that deepened their understanding of one another. 💡
Creating a space to share vulnerably and authentically. 💫 To build deeper connections in a group, there has to be a safe space where it’s honored and valued to share vulnerably and authentically. As a coach, I try to model vulnerability early in a group to encourage others to do the same, and when the group asks powerful questions – it’s up to the person being asked to respond vulnerably. In the example above, founders shared vulnerably about topics like responsibility of their teams and fears that can result from not having all the answers. After realizing these were common fears, there was more resonance and connection in the group! 🙌
Championing the art of deep listening. 👂🏼 As a coach, part of my role is to encourage deep listening and make it a core part of the coaching experience. This is not listening so you can share what is coming up for you, but instead holding space for a fellow peer, repeating back what you’ve heard, and asking “And what else?” The result of deep listening is that everyone can get to the heart of where their peers are at and it helps strengthen relationships to truly feel heard. ❤️
Upcoming Clarity Councils 🤝
Clarity Council is a 60-min live conversation based on inquiry. This month’s theme is Conflict in Relationships.
We know there are many challenges associated with experiencing conflict in relationships — no matter whether it's with professional peers and leadership or personal relationships at home or with a loved one.
The session will be facilitated by a Grand Coach, Dorit Price-Levine, who will guide a group in asking open and honest questions, and deep exploration. You'll learn how to gain new perspectives and find clarity.
Join the event — 🗓 Tues, Sept 27th at 10am - 11am PST.
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Jeanette and Cher
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