Tool 12: Leadership—The Power of Question Thinking
Purpose: To spotlight special contributions of the QT methodology for leadership development, focusing on the methods, benefits, and outcomes of developing as an inquiring leader.
Discussion: In today’s business and organizational life there is increasing awareness of the need for leaders who possess highly developed self-management and social skills. Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence, stated that as we become focused more and more on intellectual and knowledge-based services, people skills become “ever more important, in teamwork, in cooperation, in helping people learn together how to work more effectively.” David Rock reflected in Fortune magazine: “The ability to work well with other people in a group depends on our ability to appreciate other individuals’ emotions. A boss who knows what his staff members really want and care about will be able to design a better team environment than one who is simply focused on the elements of a project.”
Throughout Change Your Questions, Alexa, Joseph, and eventually Ben represent a composite of the virtues, qualities, and behaviors of what I’ve termed Inquiring Leadership. These abilities include being open-minded and curious as well as decisive. Inquiring Leaders are self-aware, self-reflecting, and committed to continuous development, both for themselves and for those around them. They are adaptive, creative, and comfortable with “not knowing” and with not having all the answers. They think, collaborate, and lead strategically, advancing “ready-aim-fire” thinking and behaviors while avoiding “ready-fire-aim” ones. And of course, they intentionally ask many questions of themselves and others.
Following the tenets of good coaching, inquiring leaders understand that asking questions and listening deeply make them smarter and more connected while simultaneously empowering those around them. They use Learner questions to produce powerful results both in their own thinking and decision making, and in communicating with others. They recognize the dangers and missed opportunities of not asking important questions. And they know when to stop questioning and take action!
Inquiring leaders create what I call an intentional Learner culture where inquiry is highly valued and encouraged; they model and mandate inquiry practices throughout their organization. They ask more and tell and advise less, thus inviting collaboration, creative thinking, and new possibilities. Their own words, actions, and behavior invite and encourage engagement, motivation, and commitment, promoting and inspiring trust, respect, and loyalty. In the Epilogue, this is the Learner culture that Alexa, Joseph, and Ben are envisioning for the future of QTec.
As simple as it may sound, the primary goal of this book is to provide ways for readers to build their self-awareness, self-management, and inquiry skills. QT helps us to become aware of our own Judger mindsets, to become adept at asking ourselves Switching questions, and to cultivate the skills to continually reset ourselves to Learner mindset. These self-management skills, illustrated by the Choice Map, are the heartbeat of inquiring leadership. The QT tools offer a way to be in training, getting better and better at building our ability to shift into Learner on purpose, and to grow our personal strength and competence. Using these tools leads to increased self-confidence, relaxed self-control, emotional dexterity, and the ability to be present and effectively responsive to people and circumstances—which is how inquiring leaders create a sustainable Learner culture.
Practice 1: Through using the tools and methods of Question Thinking, we learn to manage difficult situations and emotions, sometimes born of assumptions we’ve made. We develop a realization that Judger thinking cannot lead to effective leadership, either of ourselves or of others. You can practice this leadership training any time you wish. It’s as simple as recalling a leadership situation where your Judger prevented you from being as effective as you would have liked.
As you recall this past experience, trace what occurred on the Choice Map, from the moment it started to the eventual resolution or end. What were the first signals that you might associate with an amygdala hijack, or what I’ve called a Judger hijack? Perhaps dry mouth, a tightening of the shoulders, back, legs and arms? Maybe you were aware of your heart beating, or you simply felt a certain jolt that you associate with having your buttons pushed. How quickly did you snap back with a counterdefense, moving down the Judger path as you did? Or maybe you suddenly found yourself in the Judger Pit, turning your Judger questions on yourself or on others.
As you are remembering this past leadership experience, recall that the power of QT is in your questions and in your mindset, and in your ability to change the questions that are driving your thinking, feeling, and behaviors. As a coaching client commented: “Judger to Learner—I swear, when the pressure is on I can go back and forth between the two several times a minute. Question Thinking has made it possible for me to stand outside myself and watch it happen. . . . The Switching Lane—that’s where the action is, knowing what questions to ask to get back to Learner mindset.”
This practice gives you an opportunity for a “do-over.” As you think about that leadership situation, look at the Choice Map and speculate about what Switching questions might have made a difference for you at the time. This is very much like what you practiced with Tool #11, except this time the context is a leadership situation. As you move along the Switching Lane, led by your Switching questions, note any changes you are experiencing—whether these changes are physical, intellectual, or emotional.
As you merge onto the Learner path, what changes are you now experiencing? Are you more relaxed and breathing more easily? Are you beginning to think more lucidly and expansively? Maybe you even feel like you are more in charge, like you’re leading yourself instead of feeling like a victim of the person or situation that pushed your buttons.
Practice 2: You could also use the Choice Map and this practice to learn from a positive past leadership situation, large or small, that you are pleased about. What Learner questions contributed to your success? Remember that learning is equally valuable whether it comes from successes or failures.
In the days to come, look for opportunities where you can apply what you have discovered in this book. Remember that leaders lead by example and also by empowering others. Whether or not you’re in a formal leadership position, you’ll always find areas of your life where you’ll encounter the challenges of leadership, be they in your family, with friends, or in virtually any social situation—but most important in leading yourself.