One of the most effective questions you can ask when your employee comes to you angry or frustrated or upset.

In my years of coaching; whether in my corporate days or currently with my executives at some point or another, they show up angry or frustrated.

I’ve had people spend half an hour ranting and raving about something that occurred that previous week.

Complaints about:

People
Process
Technology
Their team
Their leader
Their loved ones

And prior to knowing what to do in these scenarios I would do one of two things

Coach them

Or

Try to fix the thing they came to me about.

And sometimes neither of those things are what that person really needs in that moment.

The most powerful question I ask when this comes up:

⭐️⭐️ Are you coming to me to vent or for coaching? ⭐️⭐️

They have a choice.

Why?

If they aren’t open to coaching, it doesn’t matter how powerful of a leader you are or magnificent of a coach.

If they aren’t open to coaching in that moment.

They won’t receive it and you’re wasting your energy.

And the reality is, sometimes all people need is to let it out.

Voice their frustrations.

Vent.

Feel what they are feeling, get it out of their system and clear their head.

So they can move on and be back at it.

Next time someone comes to you ask this question and observe the difference it will make.