Skip to content
Structured Coach: What Should I Do? episode artwork

Oct 5, 2026 10 min

Structured Coach: What Should I Do?

from Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life Hosted by Michelle Burkhard

“What do you think I should do?” It sounds like such asimple question, but for a coach, it can open up a whole lot more. Do you give your opinion? Ask another question? Toss it right back to them with, “Well, what do YOU think you should do?” and hope for the best? In today’s episode, Michelle explores what happens when thisquestion meets the Structured Coach. Protecting someone’s ownership of their decisions matters, but coaching isn’t simply about following the rule that good coaches never give advice. Sometimes the more important question is what the person is really asking for. Do they want an answer, another perspective, reassurance, permission, or simply help thinking through something that feels too close to see clearly? Before we respond, we may need to get curious about the need underneath the question. Questions or comments? I’d love to hear from you! [email protected] Reflection Questions What happens inside me when someone I am coaching asks,“What do you think I should do?” Do I have a tendency to give advice too quickly, or do Ibecome so committed to not giving advice that I miss what the person actually needs? What might someone really be asking for when they ask mewhat I think they should do? How could asking, “What would be most helpful about hearing my thoughts?” change the direction of a coaching conversation? How can I protect someone’s ownership, awareness,responsibility, and agency while still being fully present and helpful?

Episode details come from the podcast's RSS feed.

Embed this episode

Ready to play

Structured Coach: What Should I Do?

0:00 10:40

No transcript yet.

Requests help us decide what to transcribe next.

Frequently asked questions

How long is this episode of Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life?

This episode is 10 minutes long.

When was this Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life episode published?

This episode was published on October 5, 2026.

Can I download this Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.