Today’s leaders are beginning to understand that there is more power in asking questions than in providing answers. Let’s take the following example to illustrate something on this. Two people are having a conversation. One is asking all the questions and the other is providing all the answers. Which one is in control of the conversation?
Right! – The one who is asking the questions.
If you are the type of a leader who is providing answers to your people all day long, then they are in control of every conversation with you. Does that sound good? Maybe not!
As a leader, every time you provide an answer when you could have asked a question or questions, you have just saved your people from thinking. Save your people from thinking, and you save them from growing. Save your people from growing, and you are slowing the growth of your organisation. Also, which do you think your people will have more ownership with? – Your answer or their answer?
Remember, more ownership means more commitment, and more commitment in your people means that they will deliver (no matter what challenges come their way). Think about it. Your power as a leader comes from the questions you ask and not the answers you provide.
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