Question…

Posted on October 23, 2009 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.

The questions you ask as a leader… Reveal your true

Heart

and your true

Intent

.

The questions from a leader reveal something very important to their followers. The questions asked by a leader throughout the workday are a window into the

values

which truly drive that leader - they signal to an employee what their leader truly wants (regardless what the stated vision and values of the organization may be).

For example, if a stated “organizational value” is “Excellence in Customer Service” - but a leader tends to ask more questions regarding profit margins or budgetary expenditures, as compared to questions regarding quality of service - then that leader is signaling to those within the department that (despite the stated organizational value), they are really more concerned with profit, or a healthy bottom line, than the quality of service being delivered to customers.

So How Can A Leader Proactively Use Questions

?

Leaders need to first understand how powerful their questions are. They need to understand they can proactively shape the values (and activity) within their organization by the questions they regularly ask to those they lead. Therefore effective leaders are intentional about what questions they ask (and do not ask) while interacting with subordinates - for they know that even the simplest question has the power to either support the stated direction and values of their organization, or (if not careful) conflict with them. (As I watch many leaders, the latter is too often the case.)

** Do the questions you ask while interacting with your people support - or conflict - with the stated vision and values of your organization?