...............................................................................................................................................................
If
You Want Answers, Ask Questions
By Mark Cole
Questions
have power.
Think
about the power of simply asking, “Why?”
Bernard Baruch said, “Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton
was the only one who asked why.”
Thank God
for Isaac Newton!
But what
about the millions who saw the apples fall and never asked why? What kept them
from asking the question?
Have you
ever failed to ask a question because you were afraid that it would be a dumb
one? I have!
Too many
times I’ve let pride get in the way of asking a question.
There’s a Chinese proverb that says, “He who asks is a fool
for five minutes, but he who does not ask is a fool forever.”
I have observed
that successful leaders relentlessly ask questions and have an incurable desire
to pick the brains of the people they meet.
They are
able to curb their egos and ask questions, even at the risk of looking foolish.
It’s
pretty simple — if you want answers, you must ask questions.
But, as IBM founder Thomas J. Watson said, “The ability to ask
the right question is more than half the battle of finding the answer.”
I’ve
discovered that if I persevere and keep asking questions, I quickly figure out
the right questions to ask.
And if I
keep asking the right questions, it leads me to the right people.
Figuring
out this process took me years, but here’s the really good news: when you know
the right questions and go to the right people with them, you will ultimately
get the right answers!
But
before you can ask great questions of others, you need to first ask great
questions of yourself.
I want to
let you in on my process today.
Here are
10 questions that I ask myself to make sure I am asking great questions.
1. Am I investing in myself? (A
personal growth question)
Good
leaders first invest in themselves before they invest in others. Because you
cannot give what you do not have.
2. Am I genuinely interested in others? (A
motive question)
It is
very easy to move from being a serving leader to being a self-serving one. That
is why it is so important to ask yourself this question. It can be the
difference between motivating and manipulating.
3. Am I doing what I love and loving what I do? (A passion question)
Passion
for what you do is at the core of your success and fulfillment. John Maxwell
stokes the passion fire by reminding himself everyday, “I get to
help people today.”
4. Am I investing my time with the right people? (A relationship question)
When
you’re with the wrong people asking the wrong questions, you are wasting your
time. But when you’re with the right people asking the right questions, you are
investing your time.
5. Am I staying in my strength zone? (An
effectiveness question)
Effective
leaders do not build on weaknesses. They don’t start building on a foundation
of things they cannot do. Effective leaders build on strengths—their own
strengths and the strengths of those around them.
6. Am I taking others to a higher level? (A mission question)
John
Maxwell says, “Every day I remind myself that my mission as a leader is
to add value to others. That is the only reason that I should have the
privilege of leading others.”
Here’s
the honest truth — if those you are leading are going to a higher level, then
you should continue leading. If the opposite is true, someone should take your
place.
7. Am I taking care of today? (A
success question)
If you
ask yourself this question daily, you will be able to keep yourself on course,
correct things quickly when you get off course, and create a better tomorrow.
The secret of your success is determined by your daily agenda.
8. Am I taking time to think? (A
strategic leadership question)
The
Achilles’ heel of many leaders is too little think time. If you don’t create
margin in your schedule to think, you will constantly find yourself
saying, “I’m too busy.” And you will become a reactive leader
instead of a proactive leader. Remember, activity is not necessarily
accomplishment.
9. Am I developing other leaders? (A
legacy question)
If you
want your organization to be successful for any length of time, you can’t just
lead followers. You need to develop leaders. The price of developing leaders is
very high — but so is the return! Who are you developing to which you can leave
a legacy?
10. Am I pleasing God? (A faith question)
My
leadership and my life would fall short if what I was doing didn’t please God.
So I constantly ask myself, “Am I living it?” and “Am
I helping others to identify their gifts that God can be seen through?”
Know
this: If you are no longer asking questions as a leader, then you might as well
buy a rocking chair, put it on your front porch, and call it a day, because
you’ve already retired!
Try
asking yourself the questions above. Embrace asking great questions as a
lifestyle and you will be more successful as a leader.
The John Maxwell Team empowers coaches, trainers, speakers
and professionals seeking to add value to others and become top leaders as
owners of their respective businesses, in their community or employment role,
or for personal growth and development. This incredible team equips over
13,000 trained and certified John Maxwell Coaches to walk beside others in
their journey toward their greatest potential.
No comments:
Post a Comment