How Better Questions Can Transform Leadership and Decision Making

Questions Help Employees Develop Their Own Judgment

A leader who always provides the answer may unintentionally create dependence.

Suppose an employee approaches a manager with a difficult problem. The manager immediately tells the employee exactly what to do. The problem may be solved quickly, but the employee has learned that difficult decisions should be carried upward.

Now consider a different response.

The manager asks, “What options have you considered, and which one would you recommend?”

That question requires the employee to think before receiving direction.

The manager can still provide guidance, correct faulty reasoning, or make the final decision. The difference is that the conversation now develops the employee as well as solving the immediate problem.

This approach connects closely with the manuscript's broader idea that leaders should develop people rather than simply manage results. Strong questions help people practice judgment instead of depending entirely on instructions.

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Better Questions Require Better Listening

Asking a strong question is only half of the skill. The leader must also listen to the answer.

Earlier in the manuscript, Chiodo introduces Listen and Learn Mode. His point is that when a person is listening, there is an opportunity to learn something new. When that person is doing most of the talking, they are largely repeating information they already know.