What’s the Smallest Action You Can Take Right Now?
Coaching Question of the Week
The Coaching Question
“What’s the smallest action you can take right now?”
When to Use This Question
When a teacher or leader feels stuck and overwhelmed by the scope of a challenge.
When someone is paralyzed by perfectionism and avoids taking action.
When a team is slow to implement change because they don’t know where to start.
When coaching someone who is struggling with motivation or momentum.
The Problem This Question Aims to Solve
Many educators and leaders hesitate to take action because they feel the problem is too large, complex, or impossible to solve all at once. This can lead to procrastination, avoidance, or stagnation. The goal is to reframe the challenge into something manageable and actionable, encouraging forward movement rather than analysis paralysis.
The Research Behind It
Kaizen (Deming, 1947) – Small, incremental changes lead to sustainable progress and long-term success. Focusing on small actions makes change feel achievable.
BJ Fogg’s Tiny Habits (2021) – Behavior change is more effective when it starts small. Taking a small step builds confidence and momentum.
Psychological Momentum (Cornelius et al., 1997) – Progress, even in small increments, creates a sense of accomplishment and motivation to keep going.
Check out BJ Fogg’s Behavior Grid.
Example Application in Coaching
Scenario: A teacher is struggling with classroom management but feels overwhelmed by the number of changes they need to make.
Coach’s Response: “What’s the smallest action you can take right now?”
Teacher’s Reflection: “I guess I could start by greeting students at the door every morning to set a positive tone.”
Next Steps: The coach could reinforce that small, intentional changes accumulate over time and support the teacher in identifying other manageable next steps.
Additional Questions to Deepen the Conversation
“What’s one thing you can do today that moves you forward?”
“How can you break this challenge into smaller pieces?”
“What’s a small win that would make a difference for you right now?”
Final Reflection for Coaches and Leaders
Big problems don’t always require big solutions—they require small, consistent actions that build over time.