You asked what was wrong

Then, the solution becomes obvious. Most people are preoccupied with looking for answers, without realizing that they might be asking the wrong questions in the first place.

As a professor and management consultant, Michael Marquardt has spent more than 25 years training and doing research with leaders. He concluded that leaders succeeded because they asked questions--the right questions--frequently. Great leaders ask the great questions. And great questions can help you become a great leader. When it comes to getting answers, the quality of your questions matters. Garbage in, garbage out.

You don't get answers to questions you don't ask. And you get useless, even disastrous, answers when you ask the wrong questions. Below are examples of the wrong questions people commonly ask, and what you should be asking instead. You ask the wrong questions when you haven't defined your goals. This leads to short-term thinking and asking short-sighted questions, instead of asking questions about the ultimate outcomes you want. So instead of asking, "Will this create a good result today?

Learn more at www. In the process, problems are solved, challenges are met, risks are mitigated, and weaknesses are overcome by strengths. Not bad, huh? When Jim Ludema one of the authors was completing his Ph. Pretty good, considering customers often receive bad news from their mechanic! They also heard that the coffee in their lounge was terrible, the chairs were uncomfortable, and the cars were sometimes returned with dirty interiors.

Armed with that information, BP Pro Care began to warn its mechanics of what can go wrong. Months later, they conducted a second satisfaction survey to check their progress and found, to their surprise, that the bottom had dropped out of the satisfaction scores. Even more customers were dissatisfied with their service.

Using AI methodology, the consultants switched the questions and began to ask satisfied customers about the great service they received. Some of the answers were predictable — fast and affordable service, for example. Others were surprising: customers liked that the phone was answered quickly, that they could talk directly to their mechanic, and that the mechanic would call with an update, even if the work was not yet complete.

The leaders began to train on these customer service techniques. Mechanics became so quick to answer the phone that they were literally diving to pick up the receiver.

They made more calls to customers; and they continued to provide fast and affordable service. BP Pro Care found that when you ask the right questions, you get the results you want. Am I feeling tired today? According to Hugh O. In order to create confidence and creativity in the person receiving the question, the questioner must recognize their intentions.

Why is this question necessary? Why is it being asked? Just as importantly, how are you framing the question? Many times, the way a question is phrased limits the kinds of answers that can be given. You start thinking about all the time the classes and homework is going to consume.

Ask yourself how this process of question-asking can benefit you in your workspace. If you have people working under you, then you probably know and understand the importance of being a good leader. Presenting questions in a way that promotes confidence and creativity will also promote an environment of collaboration and respect.

You'll empower others to use their problem-solving skills to come up with a solution to problems. Entrepreneur Editor-in-Chief Jason Feifer tells the story of a man who needed to ask himself some high-quality questions when his daughter was diagnosed with an unfortunate illness. These questions gave him the courage and creativity he needed to transform his life and care for his daughter while running his company and taking care of his own mental and physical health.

No matter what their answer is, the question has them thinking about how to finish their assignment by the due date rather than feeling accused for not having it done. Always strive for high-quality questions.