The Power of Smarter Questions in Leadership

Business Builders Podcast

Send us a Text Message.

Ever feel like understanding what your team is truly thinking is a mystery? In today’s episode, Brenton and Ron uncover the power of asking the right questions to gain deeper insights. Learn how these essential types of questions can help you make better business decisions and foster a more open, communicative workplace.
Episode Highlights:

1. The Power of Questions in Leadership:
   • Brenton and Ron discuss how asking the right questions can significantly enhance leadership effectiveness.
   • Emphasis on moving beyond passive listening to active inquiry.
2. Five Essential Types of Questions:
   • Investigative Questions: Clarifying what’s known and uncovering root causes.
   • Speculative Questions: Exploring possibilities and encouraging innovative thinking.
   • Productive Questions: Focusing on execution and planning.
   • Interpretive Questions: Understanding the relevance and impact of information.
   • Subjective Questions: Revealing unspoken thoughts and feelings.
3. Real-World Applications:
   • Examples of how these questions have been used in various business scenarios.
   • Insights from Brenton’s and Ron’s personal experiences in leadership and communication.
4. The Role of Genuine Curiosity:
   • How cultivating genuine curiosity can lead to deeper understanding and better decision-making.
   • Ron’s mantra of “genuine curiosity” and its importance in effective leadership.
5. Building a Question Bank:
   • Encouragement for listeners to contribute to a shared repository of smart questions.
   • Discussion about the HBR article “The Art of Asking Smarter Questions” by Arnaud Chevallier.
6. Practical Tips for Leaders:
   • How to integrate these five types of questions into daily interactions.
   • Strategies for creating a safe environment where team members feel comfortable speaking up.

Resources Discussed in the episode:

• HBR Article: The Art of Asking Smarter Questions
• Book: "That’s a Great Question" by Greg Bustin
• LinkedIn Group: Business Builders Podcast Community

Conclusion: By mastering the art of asking smarter questions, leaders can gain deeper insights, foster a culture of open communication, and make more informed decisions. Join us next time as we continue our series on effective communication.

Call to Action:

• Join the discussion in our LinkedIn group to share your experiences and favorite questions.
• Check out the recommended resources to further enhance your questioning skills.

Subscribe & Follow:

• Subscribe to the Business Builders Podcast on your favorite platform.
• Follow us on LinkedIn for updates and community discussions.

Next Episode Teaser: Stay tuned for our next episode, where we’ll delve into the importance of non-verbal communication and how it impacts leadership effectiveness.

Chapters

1. Introduction (00:00:00)

2. The power of smarter questions (00:02:00)

3. Marketing insights and asking questions (00:05:00)

4. Types of investigative questions (00:10:00)

5. Productive, speculative and investigative questions (00:15:00)

6. Understanding what is unsaid (00:20:00)

7. Developing Your Questioning Toolkit (00:24:00)

8. Interpretive Questions (00:28:00)

9. Applying Questioning Skills (00:32:00)

10. Developing Your Questioning Toolkit (00:36:00)