Clients tell me that one of the most useful services I provide is to help them
ask the right question. As someone said, “half the solution to any problem lies in
framing the question.”
Perhaps it’s my background as an attorney and former law professor that
leads me to coach and teach through the Socratic method (the classic style the
philosopher Socrates used with his students).
An executive of a health care organization recently told me that one of the
things she appreciated most about my book on strategic conflict management was
the way I asked questions. “Our executive team is calling this skill “The Art Of
Inquiry,” she told me.
“What a great title,” I responded. Can I steal it?”
Many times I’ll find that the deadlocked executive or group I’m working
with has not asked the right question. Once I help them reframe the issue, they
respond with a barrage of creative ideas and solutions.
We live in an age when we need to involve those we lead in order to
accomplish our goals. In order to gain their buy-in, we need to learn how to inquire
instead of just informing them of what we’re doing. Notice how much more
effective questions, rather than orders, are in the following examples:
ORDERS QUESTIONS
Here’s the schedule for completing What are your ideas for a workable
this project. schedule for this project?
Here’s what I need from you to What are you willing to do to
accomplish this. accomplish our goals?
Here’s how to handle patient complaints. How can we resolve patient
complaints more effectively?
You need to get along with “x.” There seems to be something “x”
` does that sets you off. What might
that be?
You need to meet deadlines. There seems to be something in the
way of you meeting deadlines. What
might that be?
The most effective questions after a mishap: “What did we
learn from this?”
and “What did we
learn today?”
A current goal, vision or project I need to communicate to my staff: ______
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Questions I could ask to engage them: ______________________________
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Start practicing the Art of Inquiry. I guarantee you’ll find the process an
effective leadership tool to add to your arsenal.
Copyright ©2003 · Lynne Eisaguirre · Workplaces That Work
915 Cottonwood Circle · Golden CO 80401
Voice: 303-216-1020 · Fax: 303-216-1021
Lynne@WorkplacesThatWork.com · www.WorkplacesThatWork.com
