CHAPTER 8 Guide With Strategic Questions

The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why.

—WARREN BENNIS, AUTHOR, PROFESSOR, AND CONSULTANT FOCUSING ON LEADERSHIP

Strategic thinkers use leading questions to advance a discussion and their case.

For example, maybe your organization exhibits at an industry trade show every year. In the weekly staff meeting, the agenda item surfaces and your team begins to discuss new ways to generate traffic to your booth. You might raise the provocative question, "Could we generate more positive industry buzz by not attending the trade show this year? I'm thinking of three organizations which did exactly that in their respective industries recently." Give your examples, and then wait for others to ponder the question.

A second example: A colleague proposes a 20 percent price hike for one of your product lines. You oppose the idea. But instead of making a statement, you guide the discussion that follows with these questions: "How did you arrive at the 20 percent increase rather than 18 or 22?" "If the goal is to increase profits overall, why this product to make the first step up?" "Is there another product line that might be more suitable for a test price hike?" "What's the fallback position if our market share drops?"

With such a series of questions, you can lead an individual or a group to rethink positions or decisions without setting a direct challenge and without stating your position. The beauty of this approach? Once they voice answers to your questions, people "buy" their own data and reasoning:

Do take care in how you structure your questions:

Start with open-ended questions. "In what way do you mean?" "Will you describe that situation in more detail?" "How so?" "What would you say is the best way to go about doing that?" "What's your reaction so far to the plans you've heard from Gloria?"

Listen to their answers and then ask follow-up questions. Don't stop with just one or two follow-up questions. Probe several layers: "Why is that?" "When does that happen?" "How much do you estimate that might cost?" "Are there any exceptions to that?"

Ask them to separate fact from opinion. Often it's difficult to tell which is which. You might have to ask, "Specifically what experience or incident are you referring to?" "Would all experts agree with the conclusions you've stated?" "What are some of the differing opinions from other experts on this?" "What's your source on that?" "Do you know that's a fact, or do you think that's a fact?" "Can you please forward to me those statistics (or that study, that article, that link)?"

Ask for collaboration or disagreement. "Who else do you think agrees with you on that?" "Have you thought about who might disagree with you on that?"

Provide plenty of silence. As the father of modern management, Peter Drucker advised us to listen for what's not said. You'll hear a lot that may surprise you. (Silence can be particularly powerful in interviewing job applicants.)

For an expanded discussion of all these techniques and many more (45 listening tips in total), plus a plethora of examples, see my earlier book Communicate With Confidence.

A statement of opinion sets up either agreement or disagreement—often rock-solid disagreement, even hostility. A well-phrased question, by contrast, generates thought and opens up new possibilities.