Motivational Interviewing Coaching Guide
A Semi-Structured Interview Tool for Leaders
🔹 Purpose: This guide helps leaders integrate Motivational Interviewing (MI) into coaching conversations, unlocking motivation, reducing resistance, and guiding individuals toward self-driven change.
🔹 How to Use: Follow this flexible structure, adapting questions based on the individual’s needs. The goal is to listen, reflect, and empower, not to prescribe solutions.
Step 1: Cultivate Collaboration, Not Control
💡 Establish a supportive, non-judgmental space where the individual feels heard and valued.
✔ Open the Conversation:
- “I’d love to understand what’s most important to you right now. Where do you see opportunities for growth?”
- “Let’s explore what success looks like for you—what would make this meaningful?”
✔ Affirm Their Perspective:
- “That makes a lot of sense.”
- “It sounds like this is something you’ve been thinking about.”
Step 2: Use Reflective Listening to Uncover REal Motivations
💡 Encourage self-awareness by reflecting their words and emotions back to them.
✔ Listen and Reflect Back:
- “It sounds like you’re feeling [frustrated/unsure/excited] because [reason].”
- “You want to grow, but you’re concerned about [barrier(s)].”
- “It seems like this is really important to you. Tell me more about that.”
✔ Deepen Understanding:
- “What’s the biggest challenge you’re facing right now?”
- “What strengths do you already have that could help?”
Step 3: Help Them Discover Their Own ‘Why’
💡 Guide them toward internal motivation rather than external pressure.
✔ Elicit Their Why:
- “What’s driving you to make this change?”
- “If things improved, how would that impact you?”
- “What do you hope to gain from this?”
✔ Affirm Their Potential:
- “I can see how much you care about this.”
- “That’s a really powerful insight.”
Step 4: Evoke Change Talk & Minimize Resistance
💡 Encourage movement toward action without pressure.
✔ Gauge Readiness:
- “On a scale of 1-10, how ready do you feel to take action?”
- (If they say 5) “What would make that a 6?”
✔ Explore Small Wins:
- “What’s one small step that feels manageable right now?”
- “What’s worked for you in similar situations before?”
Step 5: Guide, Don’t Direct—Support Autonomy
💡 Encourage self-ownership and accountability.
✔ Let Them Decide the Next Step:
- “What feels like the right next step for you?”
- “How would you like to approach this moving forward?”
✔ Explore Small Wins:
- “How can I best support you in making this happen?”
- “What do you need to be successful?”
✔ Reinforce Their Commitment:
- “This is your journey, and I believe in you.”
- “You’re already making progress by thinking through this.”