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    Leading with Questions

     
    1/9/2006

    In today's management world, the most successful leaders are those who draw out the best in other employees. As management guru John Kotter puts it, leaders ask the right questions while managers answer those questions.

    Questions aren't just about eliciting information, says author Marquardt, a professor of human resources management at George Washington University. “Astute leaders use questions to encourage full participation and teamwork, to spur innovation and outside-the-box thinking, to empower others, to build relationships with customers, to solve problems, and more.” Problem is, leaders have been traditionally more comfortable giving orders than conducting Socratic dialogues with Milt from marketing.

    The author discusses the art of questioning such as using open-ended questions, framing questions properly, and listening effectively. Leaders not only must improve communications skills but also create a “questioning culture.” Case in point: Newspaper publisher Knight Ridder expects all staff members—not just reporters—to develop and display five attributes around effective questioning for success.

    The latter part of the book includes advice on using questions for managing people, building teams, and shaping strategy. The strategy section includes valuable tips for presenting questions to customers, which not only gives you a sense of how you are doing but also allows both sides to shape the future together.

    - Sean Silverthorne

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