One distinguishing characteristic of highly accomplished leaders is being a virtuoso questioner. If you make a habit of this, you will become a better leader.
Artful leadership questions express genuine curiosity. Unlike rhetorical questions that are demonstrations of what you know, artful leadership questions demonstrate vulnerability and intellectual humility. When your questions are born and formed out of a genuine desire to learn something, the words you choose are powerful tools that make you a better leader and the people you lead more competent human beings.
Powerful questions aren’t clever or manipulative. Artful questions are seductive: they capture people’s imaginations with sparks that ignite their curiosity. Leaders who ask powerful questions telegraph to others that they are thoughtful, adaptable, and caring when they are also equally competent listeners. The value is not in the questions but in the answers they elicit.
Powerful questions aren’t clever or manipulative.
The most powerful questions never have just one answer. The objective is not to send the mind in search of what may be obvious. The power of a great question is how it triggers creative thinking. As a technique, so-called open-ended questions elicit more thought-out responses instead of questions that might simply be answered with a “yes” or “no.” Truly artful questions a leader might pose will cause people to thoughtfully respond to closed-ended questions as well: making people wonder whether their quick assessment is correct.
The standard form suggests that rather than asking, “are you prepared?” instead, you ask, “what have you done to prepare yourself?” But an exceptional leader knows how to pose the first question, knowing that it will elicit the same response as the open-ended one. You can do this because, as a virtuoso questioner, you are also consistent with the answers you tolerate and the level of thinking you expect.
More than the words you use, it is the interpretation of the question that matters. When people know who you are and what you stand for, they will interpret your questions differently. They will understand what you expect from them. And optimally, they will trust that it is better to be wrong and thoughtful than correct and uncaring. Powerful questions spur people to be conscientious.
More than the words you use, it is the interpretation of the question that matters.
The questions you ask yourself are what shapes who you are – and your destiny. You can ask yourself disempowering questions that yield excuses, justifications, and helplessness. Or you can ask empowering questions that challenge your thinking and form habits that direct positive action and relentless drive. Your habits of thinking, good or bad, are the product of the questions you ask. The quality of choices you make is a function of the kinds of questions you ask yourself.
A good example of one such question you might ask yourself every day is,
“What matters most that I accomplish today?”
Breaking down the language of the question, you are focusing your intention on accomplishment rather than activity. There is nothing wrong with aspirational goals – but as a leader, you will be measured by what you accomplish, not what you aspire And, just any accomplishment won’t do. You must determine what matters most. The things you aim to accomplish must be meaningful and significant enough to make a difference, to matter.
It’s acceptable to have standards for your aims so high that you fall short. But when you fall short, you can still account for what you have accomplished through your efforts.
Shortcomings and mistakes can be fortuitous when you are purpose-driven with your actions. Often failure is a test of self-honesty and integrity. As a leader, you can demonstrate that perfection is not the objective of what we do. Your goal is to be conscientious in how you approach the challenges you take on and learn and constantly improve, clearly assessing the results and consequences of your actions. Learning is often an accomplishment that matters most.
The remaining piece is understanding what matters most. It comes down to being firmly connected to a sense of purpose. You must know why you do what you do to prioritize your aims. The more clearly you understand and can articulate your purpose to others, the more likely you will be effective as a leader – provided, of course, that this purpose resonates with those you hope or need to lead.
When your purpose is indelible and speaks to a worthy cause that clearly benefits others, your words and deeds become the force that attracts loyal advocates. And when you commit to holding the trust of those who you guide, that force multiplies through the behavior of your followers because they will clearly see for themselves that they are joining you as a follower of that cause. People will freely follow you as a leader when they understand that it is not you but a common cause they are serving along with you.
And when you start each day asking yourself an empowering question, you will see a shift in your performance as a leader. And when you make time each day to ask others empowering questions, you will find that you attract the caliber of people who are committed to working together to consistently accomplish what matters most.
