Be Ignorant Like Drucker
Voltaire advised, “judge a man by his questions, rather than his answers.” Great leaders know how to ask great questions. And they know how to encourage people to answer these questions openly and honestly without fear of shame or reprisal.
John Kay, in his book Obliquity, says there is “no reason to ask questions to which you do not wish to know the answers.” Therein lies the reason so many leaders don’t ask questions. They don’t care about, and don’t want to know what others think. They are confident in the belief that they already have all the answers.
Great leaders, on the other hand, know that no matter how much you know there is always more to learn. The knowledge and ideas of others broadens your perspective, deepens your thinking, and leads to better ideas and solutions. So they ask questions often…and are patient while listening carefully, with undivided attention, to the answers.
Years ago I had the good fortune to spend a week with Peter Drucker in Santa Barbara, California. He asked a lot of questions. These led to answers that prompted more of his questions. In between questions he would share a business insight that a question had led him to consider. One of these insights resonated particularly strongly for me and has guided me ever since. “My greatest strength as a consultant is to be ignorant and ask some questions.”
There is a lesson here for those of you who find it difficult or embarrassing or demeaning to ask questions, and who deny others the chance to question you, Think about it: Peter Drucker, one of the most influential business thinkers ever, thought his greatest strength was asking questions.
Ask a lot of questions and ask questions often. Ask open-ended questions to encourage deep thought and broad responses. Ask specific questions to hone in on a particular issue or problem. Ask follow-up questions to drill down further, to the core of an issue or problem. Ask questions to fully understand what people are thinking.
Don’t let things go by that you don’t fully understand. Lob in a question to get clarity. And if the answer still leaves you unclear, ask another question. The likelihood is that if you’re confused, so are a number of the people around you. They’re just embarrassed to reveal their confusion and lack of understanding so remain silent and confused.
People judge you by the questions you ask. And the ones you don’t. You’ll know you’re on the right track when you’re told, “you always ask great questions.”
As the Chinese proverb advises, “He who asks a question is a fool for a minute; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.”
Steve,
Another thoughtful piece. Feeling free to ask questions is critical. When I taught, I always explained to students the first day of classes that the only stupid question is the question not asked.
Best regards,
Bryan
Questions rock. Listening attentively and with energy must occur immediately after asking a question. The companies who dominate the listening will dominate their marketplace.
In the last few years, smartphones have rendered many with short attention spans and poor listening habits. Yet we all want to feel understood – as though someone paid attention. The “listening skill” bar has been lowered and this is a great opportunity for winners to make those with whom they speak feel understood.
Asking great questions that move people to think beyond the obvious in order to get to the root cause of issues and challenges is a hallmark of successful leaders. Excellent piece.