The Case for Leading with Powerful Questions

Questions have a powerful role in conversation and they’re underutilized at work. As experience designers and facilitators, we rely on questions to carry our participants through a process of discovery and learning. As leadership coaches, we rely on questions as the driving force for our conversations. Meanwhile, we see how often questions are underused by leaders, meeting facilitators and organizations in general.

It’s very common for a coachee to come to us with something like, “I’m having an issue with my direct report. They’re underperforming and not doing what I ask them to do.” And our coachee’s focus is on what they can tell their employee to change their employee’s behavior. We’ll ask them a bunch of questions and what often becomes clear is that they’re hyper focused on themselves. They want to enforce their directive or communicate more clearly. Meanwhile, what may be missing is that leader’s ability to have a true dialogue with their direct reports. Questions are the best way to start to establish a two-way dialogue.

Going further with this example, if my manager is constantly just telling me what to do, I’m going to shut down. They see me as a doer and not a thinker, not a human. On the other hand, if my manager asks me where I’m coming from, for my opinion, not only do I feel heard and respected, but I have a chance to think, to have a point of view, but I can help shape and gain ownership of the outcome.

Similarly, we hear from people planning team meetings or strategy sessions and worried that this year’s event will just be a repeat of the last year when everyone was disengaged and half the room left the meeting early. When we consult with these folks, we ask them how they’re inviting the meeting attendees in. Often, it’s very little and most of the agenda is an information push. Of course people are disengaged. 

Instead, we recommend finding opportunities to ask your attendees questions at the beginning and throughout any presentation whether it be a team meeting or a sales pitch. Choose questions that allow for your attendees to shape the conversation and provide their point of view. Avoid only choosing yes/no questions or quick polls.

Start using questions intentionally in all the work you do and you’ll create an environment that fosters: 

• Reflective and critical thinking.

• Getting people to think or act in a new way.

• People coming to their own conclusions and “owning” the solution/work.

What question should you ask your team to engage their critical thinking, creativity or leadership?