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When an employee, peer or boss comes to see us with a problem, we may try to create a win by supplying solutions.  And instead of winning, we lose.

We lose the opportunity to develop staff by teaching them to find answers, we lose access to potentially valuable ideas, and we lose energy by burdening ourselves with the problem solving.

The solution is not just to ask questions, but to employ questions to inspire, educate and enable the people around us.  We've summarized some question-asking advice below and added links if you are inspired to read on...
Issue #4
March 2012
 
Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.
Voltaire 
What To Ask

Empowering questions send a message - "You're smart and your ideas are good - maybe better than my own". 
 
Open-ended empowering questions convey respect and encourage others to develop as thinkers and problem solvers. 
 
Effective empowering questions will...

Create clarity
"Can you explain more about this situation?"

Improve Relationships
Instead of "Did you make your sales goal?" ask, "How have sales been going?"

Create Analytical & Critical Thinking
"What are the consequences
of going this route?"

Inspire Reflection & New Insight
"Why did this work?"

Encourage Breakthroughs
"Can that be done in any other way?"

Challenge Assumptions
"What do you think you will lose
if you start sharing responsibility
for the implementation process?"

Create Ownership
"Based on your experience,
what do you suggest we do here?"
What Not To Ask

Demand Questions 
Trigger a defensive stance:
  • Why are you behind schedule?
  • What's the problem with this project?
  • Who isn't keeping up?
Leading Questions
Inhibit candid answers and stifle honesty:
  • You tried to do it yourself, didn't you?
  • Don't you agree John's the problem?
Closed Questions
Asking too many can sound like interrogation:
  • What time is the meeting?
  • Who else will be there?
  • When will the report be ready?
The Best Article We Found Was...
If You Want To Read More...
5 Why's - Explore the deeper causes
Ask Questions- Ivey Business Journal
Why Ask Why? - Chief Executive . Net

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