Asking questions is an essential component of leadership. Albert Einstein was obsessed with questions, or more precisely, with getting to the right question. It doesn’t matter how creative you are as a leader, it doesn’t matter how good the answers you come up with. If you’re focusing on the wrong questions, you’re not really providing the leadership you should.
How often, for instance, have you seen organizations and projects waste time and money in the pursuit of ideas based on having asked the wrong question? When so many projects end in failure, is it fair to conclude that we have to some extent been asking the wrong questions?
When you ask great questions, you challenge your team to think out side the box and to think creatively. You may have to show the way and share some of your own thoughts in the beginning, however, when the team becomes more familiar with generating and implementing their own ideas, you can start to take a step back and give space for others to lead and take responsibility.
When we challenge others to think critically it’s easy to slip into a mode where we are too analytical and make people feel that their ideas aren’t good enough. What’s important is that you create a safe and inspiring environment and that people feel excited and motivated by the opportunity to make a difference. Part of your role as a project manager is to listen, inspire and encourage people to share their ideas. Don’t give up if some members of your team are hesitant and do not contribute. Be persistent and reward those who come forward and embrace a new and different way of thinking. Just imagine the impact you could have if you started to ask the right questions.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.