The Hidden Power of Questions
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Free Download - Don’t just build a team; build a world class team By Chuck Parten |
Business leaders who know everything and always have a firm plan in place can inspire a certain amount of faith, and even climb a good distance. But they rarely make it to the top. Why not? What’s missing?
Good questions—that’s what’s missing. Or more specifically, a strong questioning strategy.
In my practice as a business advisor, I’ve found that every type of leader or group facilitator can profit from adopting a questioning strategy—or strengthening the one they have.
Questions are far more powerful than answers - even in a crisis
I was reminded of the power of a questioning strategy just recently. A CEO client of mine whose team was facing an unexpected, highly complicated crisis. His troops wanted quick answers and reactions, and though he had ideas, he was smart and confident enough to recognize the need for a questioning strategy.
We had a quick discussion beforehand on specifics relating to the crisis as well as non-verbal clues to monitor, and even the setting (in the end, he gathered his troops in a quiet setting, rather than the situation room, as it were).
Less seasoned leaders sometimes worry that probing for input makes them look unsure. But through our work together and his own experience, this leader had embraced the wisdom of a questioning strategy, and it worked brilliantly for him in almost every way:
- It provided a crystal clear message that he was calm, alert, bright, and strong—in control of the circumstances, and in control of himself.
- It harnessed the team’s combined intelligence: they walked out as a group with a far superior strategy than any individual had walked in with.
- Crisis roles were clarified: who would take calls, who would address the media, etc.
- The strategy inspired certain team members to inspect what they were saying and thinking. (Hint: rhetorical questions work particularly well to inspire reflection!)
- The leader’s well articulated questions helped break down walls between two team members and helped stem a rising conflict.
- The strategy raised morale. Whatever was happening on the outside, people felt valued.
~Stephen Covey
Questions are typically the most effective way for a team or organization to get issues out on the table. They allow for clear thinking and processing of what is being asked of them.
It you take a look at some of the best leaders, you’ll see that they’ve surrounded themselves with team members and associates who are much smarter than they are in key areas. Chances are good that these leaders follow a questioning strategy.
These days, working with leaders and teams across the country, I myself get paid for my ability to ask the right questions. In my case, it’s a skill that grows out of experience, but anybody can utilize a questioning strategy to accomplish their goals.
The questioning strategy: six basics
Think before you ask: Put some thought into your questions. Don’t restrict yourself to superficial questions (e.g. about specific tactics), but rather, think about what you are really looking for, and what is really needed.
Who to ask: Consider what you want to know and who may know the answer. Go ahead and direct questions specifically to that individual; it sets the tone and gives him or her a chance to shine.
Listen and repeat: To master the ability to ask, you must also master the ability to listen to the answer, and to play back what you heard.
Provide context: Be sure to provide context to your question so the respondent can provide clarity in their answer.
Use open ended questions: these are almost always superior to a simple yes or no.
What/where/who/why/how are open ended questions.
Don’t fake it: There’s nothing worse than a leader who goes into a questioning strategy already certain of the outcome. It’s not wrong to have a plan in place, but that is not the time to pursue a questioning strategy.
*Anecdote details were changed and generalized to preserve client confidentiality.
The Hidden Power of Questions - To learn more about this author, visit Chuck Parten's Website.
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Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is a best-selling author, top-rated speaker and thought leader on sales development. He is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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