Questions to ponder

In his book The Leader's Greatest Return by John C. Maxwell, the author proposes that asking question is usually more effective than giving direction when developing other leaders. This is because questions:

• Foster open conversation
• Place value on others and their opinions
• Help people know one another better
• Invite everyone to participate
• Clarify assumptions
• Stimulate critical thinking
• Guide the conversation

For projects or tasks

• How do you envision approaching this project or task?
• What obstacles do you foresee and how do you plan to overcome them?
• How can my team or I provide the highest value to this project/task?

For new working relationships (some of these can be adapted to personal relationships as well)

• What are the two or three things I should always do or never do for us to have a productive relationship?
• What do you find most and least satisfying about your job?
• What do you love about the company and what changes would you like to see?

When creating personal goals

• What obstacles might I encounter, and how can I overcome them?
• What steps can I take to move closer to this goal?
• How would achieving this goal make me feel?
• What do I really want (as if money and people were no obstacles)?

Questions create an invitation for people to share their thoughts and feelings fostering a sense of being heard and included. By asking questions, we demonstrate genuine interest in others' perspective, thereby making them feel valued. Through attentive listening to their responses, we become fully present with them, offering them the invaluable gift of our undivided attention.

Before giving direction to someone else, pause and ponder whether approaching the conversation with questions (instead of a set of instructions) would be more beneficial for all involved.

Questions unlock our creativity and imagination. When we engage in dialogue with others or consume their content, we broaden our horizons, exploring new possibilities and perspectives. Think about everything you learned in the last twelve months. Most likely it all started with a question.