Generic questions yield generic answers

Asking the right questions is an underlying theme of my workshops and writing. This isn’t an earth shattering or new idea. Many people have written about the power of questions. Yet it seems like leaders are starting to come around to the value of questions. I usually have one or two people approach me after a workshop asking for the list of questions that apply to the topic at hand. They say that they buy-in to the idea of asking questions but just don’t know the right ones. I’m usually hesitant to provide such a list. It’s not that I don’t think that asking general questions is helpful. It is certainly better than not asking questions. But generic questions lead to generic answers.

The point of asking questions is to delve into YOUR world and YOUR circumstances. A popular question on the lists of questions leaders should ask is, “What value do we get from doing this?” It’s a good question. It will make you stop and think about your actions. But it only scratches the surface. I could answer it without knowing anything about your business (other than the costs and savings of the new line).

But we don’t do “this” out of context. It’s part of a bigger whole. A better question is one that takes the “this” and puts it into the context of the “thats” that the organization is facing. For example, a more specific version of the question above could be, “Should we be investing in retooling our production lines while we are considering off-shoring production?” That’s a better question. It’s specific to your business and your business’ context. Retooling the line won’t provide any ROI if that line is shut down and moved to China.

Specific questions are much harder to ask than generic questions. You have to understand your business very well. As a result, many leaders shy away from them and turn toward the general lists. That’s a mistake. Learn more about your business. After all, if you don’t understand your business enough to ask a specific question, you probably don’t know enough to provide a useful answer to a generic question.

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2 Comments

  1. Chief: Great post! And your point cuts across every field and profession.

    Learning how to ask questions is a craft, isn’t it? In my experience, –and for a variety of reasons– I sometimes conclude that people haven’t learned how to nurture a generally curious orientation toward life. (Or perhaps it has been blackberried out of them. . . .) That’s the first step in engaging with your context. IN other words, before you can drill down to the really meaningful questions, you have to start somewhere. And I think we have to begin with an open, interested orientation toward our environments. That process, if integrated into daily life, will organically yield the kinds of questions you’re describing. Does this sound too hippy dippy? Maybe sometime you could offer some wisdom in this regard.

    Also, it occurs to me that asking questions can involve a certain amount of risk. You have to summon the courage to face whatever answer emerges. Maybe questions aren’t asked in an effort to avoid uncomfortable truths, no?

    Peace out!

  2. Thanks for your comments. Great points. I agree, asking good questions really is a skill.. Your comments about having a curious orientation really hit home. When people ask about how they can ask better questions, I usually say, “you have to be genuinely interested/curious about what’s going on around you”. That is the sticking point – people don’t believe they have the time.

    I also liked your point about fear of the answer. I bet you are right, that probably is a major inhibitor. I think the other one is fear of showing that you don’t understand. From an early age we have it pounded into our heads that we are supposed to have answers, not questions. Questions are a sign of weakness. Ugh!