|
What made you successful so far?
For most people, it was a combination of being smart and the ability to get things done. Having answers and building expertise gets attention, builds credibility, and sets you up for achieving success.
However, I think being smart can actually get in the way of being truly effective. I am not recommending dumbing it down but rather looking at the delivery of what you know.
A lot of leaders are brilliant and they can be very quick to get to the point. Sometimes they are not patient with the rest of us to catch up. They can cut you off, add their “but, I would do it this way”, or even nicely lead the witness with “Mike, I know where you are going and my thought is …”
Maybe you didn’t know where I was going. Maybe I was going a whole new place.
Every time we cut someone off and provide our input, we also cut off the engagement and commitment. It may be quiet, but it is still lost.
It happens in sales all the time – to look good in front of the client, we think we need to have all the answers. Actually, you just need the right questions.
Asking questions is the foundation of effective sales and great leadership alike. Rather than getting to the point or saving people time and telling them where they are going, we should frame our comments as questions rather than answers and people will think for themselves. When we think on our own, we are more invested and engaged in the conversation and more likely to learn and commit.
Having the right questions doesn’t take away from your intelligence or perceived expertise. In fact, it actually improves it. When you tell me what my problem is, how it is effecting me, and what the solution is, I may intellectually agree but it is less than 80% likely that I will commit. Amazingly, the outcome turns around when you ask me what my problem is, ask how it is affecting me, and what would help me. When you ask questions, I think you are brilliant and I am four times more likely to commit to action.
Asking questions works in sales as well as delegation, problem-solving, idea presentations, and any other area of personal interaction. It even works with your spouse or partner (really, who wants a know-it-all at home).
Being smart is more about asking questions than giving answers. Next time, before you jump to provide your answers and solutions, make a shift and ask the question. Sometimes, the slow people in front of you might provide the perspectives you need.
Just my thinking…
“The leader of the past knew how to tell. The leader of the future will know how to ask.”
Peter Drucker
|
