At the weekend I read a great article about leadership and change in the ‘What She Said’ column in Sunday Times. This quote particularly caught my eye:
Asking questions helps you to lead with impact
Struggling to make an impact as a leader or an emerging leader? Sometimes, a well-placed question can make all the difference. One of my biggest mistakes as a leader was in thinking I needed to know everything – you can read about that in The Best Question I Never Asked.
Keen to avoid the same mistake, or create some impact in the right way?
Ask…
1. To be involved
2. To be given a chance
3. To be mentored
4. For help
5. For advice
6. How you can help
7. What’s the reasoning for this…
8. What might happen if…
9. To mentor someone else
10. For feedback
11. To buy someone a coffee
12. Someone to to an event
13. What’s possible?
14. What do we really need to know?
15. What’s really going on?
16. Why does this matter?
17. What’s the next move?
18. Who would be good to know?
19. Who else can help?
20. What’s my contribution here?
What other questions would you add? What’s worked well for you?
And if you’d like to take your questioning a little – or a lot – further, then you may enjoy reading Disabling ‘Yes’ mode
If you’re a mid-career emerging leader who wants to lift your performance and climb the ladder this year, then I can help. The Visible Leadership Programme is designed with you in mind.
I’m Susan Ritchie, an author, leadership and executive coach and trainer. My second book, Strategies for Being Visible: 14 Profile-Raising Ideas for Emerging Female Leaders is now available as a paperback, an audiobook and for the Kindle reader.
If you’d like to be a better, stronger leader, and a happier, more fulfilling career, Click Here To Email Me