Common Sense Leadership: Asking Purposeful Questions

This paper continues the series about Common Sense Leadership, which began a few weeks ago.  

We began the series with discussions of two qualities; humility and being about the team, emphasizing that they are not the two most important qualities. In fact, each of the qualities we will discuss in this series is essential and interrelated.  We must embody them all.

This week we'll discuss how important it is to ask purposeful questions.

Leadership is helping others do their best work. The people we work with want to feel appreciated, that they matter, are heard, are important to the team, their ideas are welcomed, and that they are progressing in their careers.

Think about each of those "wants". The best way to help meet each of those "wants" is to ask questions, such as:

• How are you doing?
• What are your challenges? Concerns? Needs?
• How can I help?
• What are your ideas? How do you think we can improve as a team? Better serve our clients?
• What are your business/career goals?  
• What would you like from me?
• What advice could you offer me?

Sincerely asking these types of questions and then quietlylistening to learn will make an enormous difference in peoples’ esprit de corps and productivity. Remember, the best ideas are bottom up, and if we want to know how to improve something, ask those who are actually doing the work.

A wonderful and telling quote, "Everything I know I leaned from my six best friends, whose names are what, how, why, who, when and where" exemplifies this concept.

Our goals this week should be getting out of our office, setting aside time for conversations with our teammates, sincerely asking questions so we may learn about their work and ideas, and figuring out how we can help. Now this is a big part of Common Sense Leadership!