The Fastest Way to Level Up Your Leadership: The Powerful Questions Series PT 1

“ A prudent question is one half of wisdom.”

— Francis Bacon

I am often wary of anyone selling a “one size fits all” solution.

Have you ever purchased a “one size fits all” garment? I have, and it certainly wouldn’t fit all people; not even most people. I am far too committed to my personal philosophy that a keen understanding of context is what really drives results and fervently believe that no system can work unless it’s adapted appropriately to an environment’s culture, vision, agreements, and people. 

That said, there is one sure fire way to instantly enhance your leadership skills. What could that be? A simple “one size fits all solution” that actually works? Like everything, the devil is in the details. And the execution.

Here it is: Just ask more questions.

I know that might sound questionable.

How could questions make someone a better leader? While professionals often mistake asking questions as a sign of ignorance, they are actually a sign of curiousity. It is exactly that curiosity which allows for a greater understanding of context, engagement, and creative problem solving and allows professionals to make better decisions and be more efficient. That is how questions can propel someone’s career and business forward to the next level.

Here is how asking a few more questions can immediately accelerate your leadership potential:

• Understand context. The key to problem solving is understanding. To make a decision, determine a solution, or figure a plan, a leader must fully understand a situation and its key stakeholders, background, risks, and opportunities. Questions allow for a leader to fully examine a situation to maximize the amount of criteria with which to make a decision.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

• Engage the audience. The antiquated trope of leadership is often referred to as “command and control”. Imagine a leader telling a follower what to do. This directive form of communication is one-way only. Now think of the last time someone was talking at you rather than with you. It’s easier to zone out, it’s easier for your mind to wander, and therefore, it’s easier for messages to get lost in translation. Questions shift communication from at to with and allow for engagement by all parties. Questions also demonstrate interest, which ultimate makes the counterparty more interested and the leader more interesting.

• Empower the counterparty. Imagine again a directive type of “command and control” leadership. Other than execution, it leaves little ability for the counterparty to make a difference.  Questions allow a leader to challenge their people to have ownership of a challenge or situation and naturally engages them. This serves to drive accountability and buy-in among stakeholders, a challenge many leaders, executives, and businesses face.

• Allow for creativity. Curiosity is power. How so? Curiosity allows for creativity in problem solving in a way that “knowing the answer” does not. Asking questions allows for a conversation to evolve, situations to be contextualized, and new ideas to flourish. As the quote goes, “two heads are better than one”. This means you can make better decisions, faster.

Now, not all questions are created equal. As mentioned earlier, the key is execution. Look out for future posts as we continue our “powerful questions” series to see what pitfalls to avoid and how you can supercharge your questions for maximum impact. 

So when in doubt, ask a question. Not only will it build understanding with stakeholders, it will also increase your understanding of any situation, enhance your decision making and efficiency, and accelerate your leadership.

If you’re interested in learning more about how questions can improve your professional and business performance, we recommend checking out these two books: The Advice Trap and The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier.

If you’d like to explore how to sharpen these skills and refine your performance and leadership capacity, please reach out to learn how Jaclyn Beck Consulting could help you and your organization.