I’m an executive and personal coach. And business people who long to be more accomplished communicators keep showing up in my office—managers, marketers and masterminds.

I love their imagination and energy, their devotion to their craft, and their commitment to employees, colleagues and customers. And I get it when they’re frustrated and stuck–when their internal and/or external communication efforts get sluggish. As it turns out, being stuck is a very coachable issue.

Success rarely comes in a blinding flash, nor do most people stumble upon it. If you’re reading this, you know that you’ve chosen the conditions for your success, over and over again, in thin slices. And now, after hundreds of good decisions and choices (and a few duds) about your colleagues, your values and the integrated balance between your work and the rest of your life you know from experience what I’m talking about.

But even successful people hit stuck spots.

Sometimes the stuck place is in your physical environment. So I get curious with people about that “slice”: The what, where, when and how of your work. Together, we design experiments that will widen your assumptions and awareness: “Just because (fill in the name of your favorite business leader or writer here) does it that way . . .”

Sometimes the stuck place is elsewhere in your life, so we explore those slices too. These are Seven Questions I get the most revealing answers to:

1. To whom and for whom are you directing your message?

2. How is your support system?

3. Would a little coaching on the craft of communication help?

4. How’s your sense of mission and contribution in your life and work? Big enough?

5. What do you get excited about?

6. Are you worried about money?

7. How’s your fitness?

And we use deadlines as goals. Whether it’s your weekly staff meeting, an upcoming networking event, a pitch, an article for Biznik or the emotional goal of publishing a great personal story by the end of the year, we use those deadlines to pull us forward.

Like a lot of people in Seattle, one of my favorite clients, Mike, was resplendently gifted, great at his craft and making enough money. But like a lot of people in Seattle, Mike had gotten a little bored and felt sluggish in his communication as a leader in his business. His people were inspirable and responsive, his relationship was solid, the money was fine, and he told me, “I think I’m happy, but it’s been a long time since I was excited. I wonder what kind of legacy I’m leaving.” Mike’s fortieth birthday was right around the corner—“halfway through.”

I asked Mike to spend some quality time with my Seven Questions, and then, based on his answers, we collaborated on some clear goals and got to work.

Whether or not you think of yourself as a communicator, I bet you’ve experienced being “stuck” personally or professionally. Carve out some time to hang out with my Seven Questions. And let me know which ones stop you and then challenge you.