“Is there a better way?”
That is the question that we should all be asking. It’s an incredibly powerful prompt that can create ripples of change that eventually lead to waves. Smart questions are the driving force behind many of our society’s greatest advancements – from technology to health care to education – and are also fundamental to identifying the root cause of complex challenges that initially may seem intuitive.
A culture that embraces asking questions leads to less fear, fewer barriers, more productive conversations, creative thinking and, ultimately, results.
As business leaders, let’s start asking better, smarter questions. Here are my thoughts on where to start.
Disrupt the status quo
Comfort is the archenemy of creativity. While there is something positive to be said for having predictable processes, including people who have a long history in their current roles, it also poses a risk when comfort trumps asking whether or not change makes sense.
Questions such as “Are we considering alternative perspectives?” or “What feedback are we getting and how are we processing it?” can create a culture that values constant learning. If your team assumes they’re best-in-class, do they have various perspectives to back it up?
Are they intentionally seeking ways to improve? Interrupting the current flow by asking why the “flow” is still OK may open doors for fresh thinking, drive accountability and send a strong signal that team members are valued. Asking people questions reinforces that what they do matters.
Identify a source of tension
Being inquisitive about potential pain points may also be productive. Asking questions, even if you don’t have the answers, can be valuable to your clients and colleagues. In many meetings I’ve been in lately, common sources of tension for leaders include optimizing talent, acquisition integration and cyberrisk.
What options are being considered? How will you define success? What thought leadership have you sought that will help you evaluate alternatives within your organization? What can go wrong? Drilling into each of these questions can lead to better thinking and nurture existing relationships.
Go deeper
I coach my teams to ask probing questions that look beyond the surface of a problem before diving into a potential future solution. If I hear that a problem stems from a personality conflict or other generic people issues, I find that asking questions helps us all understand if we’ve properly assessed the problem.
In reality, many relational issues stem from a lack of trust which, in turn, creates a lack of understanding of what’s required or hesitancy to acknowledge fundamental issues, such as skill gaps or competing priorities.
Asking several rounds of “why” when assessing relational challenges may help flush out the root cause of the problem. If we resist asking direct questions, we risk masking issues with good intentions of wanting to get along or “keep the peace,” which is detrimental to the relationship in the long run.
Getting deep answers requires not being afraid to ask deep questions. In order to generate the trust to do that, you may have to dig down to share examples that demonstrate your own vulnerability. That’s deep.
Great questions create vibrant cultures. By asking better questions, leaders can unlock new solutions. At EY, the change we’re working toward is rooted in our purpose of helping to build a better working world. When we ask the right questions, we’ll support our clients in making more strategic decisions, strengthen communities in which our people live, empower high-performing teams to flourish and help our people to succeed.
Join us in our quest for better. What are you waiting for?
That’s a good question.
Kim Simios is the Chicago Office Managing Partner for Ernst & Young LLP.
