The questions which lead to nowhere
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Free PDF Download Jumping to Conclusions - By Howard Miller |
Why can't they do anything right?
Why is this project running late?
Why is it taking so long to fire them?
How can I do all the work I have to do when I'm always behind?
If you can come up with decent answers to any of these questions, let me know!
When managers ask these questions, they get frustrated. This is because there are no good answers to these questions; these are questions which lead to nowhere.
In a prior soundbite I mentioned the term focus vacuums. A vacuum is an empty space, an emptiness devoid or matter or devoid of solutions.
Apply the word focus to this it means focusing on this emptiness, focusing on empty space devoid of solutions.
Questions which lead to nowhere are focus vacuums. You are focusing on empty space devoid of solutions. It will continually lead you to frustration and stress.
But the good news: change the question to one which leads to solutions!
There are two general rules to shift questions which lead to nowhere:
- Don't start the question with the word why. Why usually gets you to have to defend something which isn't going well.
- Don't keep asking yourself the same question if you don't get satisfactory answers!
Why can't they do anything right? can change to What three things have they done well in the last six months?
Why is this project running late? can change to What can we do with this project right now?
When you shift questions which lead nowhere to one with solutions:
- You generate constructive actions to do
- You see alternatives
- You are less stressed!
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Free PDF Download Jumping to Conclusions - By Howard Miller |
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About the Author: Howard Miller Howard Miller teaches management skills to new managers, seasoned managers, entrepreneurs and executives. He is on the faculty of AMA (American Management Association) and teaches courses including Skills for New Managers, Increasing Managerial Effectiveness, and Successfully Managing People). Topics include delegation and motivation methodologies, conflict, how to deal with difficult people, understanding values and behavior, feedback and listening skills. Clients include mid-range to large companies such as the IRS, Blue Cross Blue Shield, IBM, state government, public school districts, and non profit organizations. Howard also does executive and business coaching with the Ken Blanchard organization. Howard is the author of two book; You're Full of Shift, which contains short stories which demonstrate shifting difficult situations to opportunities and The Manager Trap: 13 ½ Pitfalls to Avoid which showcases common traps and pitfalls managers fall into including using a 4 letter word beginning with F that they should avoid! Click here to visit Howard's website.   My Door is Always Open Gen X Gen Y Gen whatever The loud woman at Starbucks Pretending to know the acronyms Just the facts |
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