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The $64,000 Question

Guest post by: Howard Miller

Article Overview: Do your questions lead to solutions or more problems?

The $64,000 Question

Questions are extremely powerful. They can completely change the tone and direction of any conversation.

If the question is effective it creates solutions and opportunities for anything that comes up.

But if the question isn't effective it can trap us in an abyss of problems!

I was coaching an executive who was stressed - he was based in Miami. It was a distinct possibility his site would close down and his employees would either have to move to the site in New Jersey or leave the company. (This story is not a joke about Jersey!) Most of his employees were Cuban so there was no way they would be moving.

His question to me was how can I keep their morale high when they know they might lose their jobs?

My response was quick - I said

I have no idea. If we do figure out the answer, let's write a book and get on Oprah!

I think he was pretty surprised by this response - I mean, I was supposed to have the answer, right?! (Well not really, but he could have been thinking that!)

What I then said is

I don't think that's a good question. There is no easy answer. Why don't we come up with a better question?

Like what? (a great question!)

So we brainstormed and came up with

How can I get my employees to continue to do their work while looking for other jobs?

This question had answers. He was able to get into action.

That's the power and lesson about questions.

If you're coming up with bad answers it's because the questions aren't good.



Change the question!

If you have trouble coming up with effective questions, a general rule is the shorter the question the better chance for a different kind of answer. Shorter questions are less focused so there could be more potential answers outside the realm of your possibility and perception!

Examples of shorter questions include what's next?, what else?, or like what?

When we are in the midst of a lot of problems, with others or with ourselves:

• We can recognize we need to ask better questions to get better answers
• We can keep the questions very basic
• We keep asking questions until we come up with something different

How does that sound?

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