Introduction: Questioning Is the Skill of Management
1 Is There a Basic Set of Management Questions?
Yes.
All managers can use a basic set of questions, at any level in any organization, in any situation, anywhere in the world, and in any language. These questions are tools that should be issued to each manager when he or she joins the profession. Most professionals have a basic set of implements to use in their craft. Carpenters have hammers, dentists have picks, and physicians have stethoscopes. It is hard to envision any of these people working in their chosen fields without their basic set of tools. Managers, too, have a basic set of tools: questions. And nothing is as simple, or as complex, for a manager, or for any person in any position of authority and responsibility, than asking questions.
Some of us are very good at it. We always seem to ask the right question at the right time. Others of us are less well prepared, and our questions often do not yield the kinds of results we want or that the business needs. Even the best among us are subject to a number of common errors. So, all of us managers share the need to improve our skills. Before we start discussing the details of common questioning errors, a quick review of the basic tools of management is provided.
If you want the basics, the following list should suffice. There is a lot more to asking a question than merely using an interrogative, but these words do cover the full managerial spectrum of interrogation.
Basic Questions
For all managers in any situation at any time
What?
Where?
When?
Why?
Who?
How?
How much?
What if?1
These questions are universally applicable. If you are ever in a situation where you need a question, or if you want to make certain all questions have been asked, just run down the list. This list also serves as a handy checklist when you need to make a quick decision. Consider which of the issues implied by these interrogative words have not been addressed in the situation you are facing, and then raise those issues.
This list happens to be my personal shorthand way of making certain I have covered all perspectives in a discussion. You can add a number of other questioning words and phrases. Words such as which, is, could, would, should, do, can, will, and so on are used every day and could be the basis for another list. It all depends on what you expect to accomplish.
Organizations need all their managers to be successful, not just the ones who ultimately end up in the executive suite. The purpose of focusing on improving the quality of questions is to improve the quality of management, all management.
Success does not necessarily follow the ability to ask questions. It rests on the confluence of a lot of variables. However, by spending time considering how to improve a basic management skill—questioning—the outcome should certainly be better than what it would have been otherwise.
Could any of the well-known corporate disasters of our day have been avoided with better questions, asked more often by more people, such as the boards of these companies? We will never know. However, by improving questioning skills among more managers in a business, chances are good that other disasters can be averted in the future.
You can use the monosyllabic queries previously listed, if you choose, or you can work on developing questioning as a skill. Either way, the purpose of this book is to influence managers to think about questioning differently. In addition to the basic list of questions, you can use the accompanying rules to improve the act of asking a question.
Try these ten simple rules. Their use will help improve the clarity of your communication.
Ten Basic Rules for Asking Questions
- Be direct.
- Make eye contact if asking the question in person.
- Use plain language.
- Use simple sentence structure.
- Be brief.
- Maintain focus on the subject at hand.
- Make certain the purpose of the question is clear.
- The question must be appropriate for the situation and the person.
- The manner of asking should reflect the intent.
- Know what to do with the answer.
2 Asking Questions Is the Skill of Effective Management
Managers do not need answers to operate a successful business; they need questions. Answers can come from anyone, anytime, anywhere in the world thanks to the benefits of all the electronic communication tools at our disposal.
This has turned the real job of management into determining what it is the business needs to know, along with the who/what/where/when and how of learning it. To effectively solve problems, seize opportunities, and achieve objectives, questions need to be asked by managers—these are the people responsible for the operation of the enterprise as a whole.
All questions asked in a business setting are asked within the context of organizational expectations. This context is the “expectations of success” context in which all corporate discussions are conducted. I have yet to find a business that is seeking anything other than success, however it is they choose to define it.
This context of expectations defines the box that business people “think in.” Success is specifically defined by the function, such as sales or research, or by the market, but the box frames the questions for each specific inquiry—or, in some cases, the inquisition.
3 How Good Are Your Skills?
The numbers of brain workers, or nonproducers, as they are called, should be as small as possible in proportion to the numbers of workers, i.e., those who actually work....
—Fredrick Winslow Taylor,2 father of modern management
“Brain workers” was the original concept of scientific management pioneered by Fredrick Winslow Taylor. His theories produced the foundation for management portrayed as “modern” in the twentieth century. Think about how much has changed over time. Brain workers are now the producers in today’s world of business.
Historically, managers possessed the knowledge, experience, and skills necessary to perform the tasks relevant to the daily operation of the business. They could function as both bosses and employees. This competency was the primary reason business owners promoted their employees to management. The complex needs of the modern business have changed this model.
Such diverse knowledge is now required in business that an individual manager is rarely expected to be knowledgeable enough to run all aspects of the business successfully without employee specialists. So, what do generalist managers have to know to maintain the progress of their enterprise? They must know how to ask questions.
The bottom line for all of us is that we need good questions because we want better answers. There was a need, at some point, at Enron, for example, for someone to ask the tough questions—inquisitor’s questions. Investors needed someone to ask serious questions of the people at Global Crossing and at many other firms where damage occurred. It is not the job of any government agency to clean up these messes by asking business questions; that is the responsibility of management. Management is an inclusive word to mean anyone in a position of authority/responsibility—from line supervisors to board members.
Lives and careers have been ruined, not by questions, but by the lack of questions. As managers, we either do not know how to ask, what to ask, or are unable to ask the question for a variety of reasons. Sometimes we avoid certain questions because we believe that by asking them we risk our job, our status, personal embarrassment, or perhaps we are just being polite.
If managers at all levels were empowered by improved skills to ask questions sooner, better, and with an eye on what is best for the business or for their organization, disasters could be reduced and in some cases perhaps avoided altogether.
Management needs questions before it gets answers.
4 You Ask Too Many Questions
A downside to questioning should be explained: It is possible to ask too many questions, to ask them at the wrong time, or to completely misunderstand your situation; in many cases, the mere act of asking questions can even cost you your job.
A young business division of a major corporation3 was poised to introduce a new product, something the parent company had done, literally, a thousand times before. Only this time, a problem existed. Simply put, the product did not work. To make matters worse, no one appeared to be aware of this.
Was management blinded by the potential earnings from a product with a large gross margin? Perhaps it was the rush to get to market before the competition that caused such denial. Or was research, or manufacturing, or some other part of the company covering up the problem?
The situation came to a head about a week before the scheduled commercial launch.
Not a single person in management was aware of any problems. Everyone was focusing on the expected outcome—a boost in sales with a significant increase in earnings. The prospective new product had a large gross margin, and no competitive products were on the horizon. These kinds of opportunities do not come along every day, so all management eyes were on this product, this team, and the numbers.
The scene where the first inkling of a problem occurred was at the product team meeting. A half-dozen people were gathered in a small conference room at the divisional headquarters. They were conducting a rather perfunctory review of all aspects of the new product: technical development, manufacturing, marketing, sales, and service. The development process for this product had been flawless.
A massive report containing all relevant information sat in front of each person. The oversized notebook contained the marketing plan, manufacturing reports, technical service plans, global distribution plans, and a voluminous section filled with quality-control testing data.
Manufacturing was churning out inventory in anticipation of a worldwide release while the sales force was being trained on product benefits. Advertising and marketing materials were already distributed globally in a dozen different languages. All distribution plans had been checked and rechecked in preparation. This was all standard procedure in the company.
Everything had gone smoothly for the first-time product manager (PM) who was chairing this meeting. She eagerly anticipated the success of this product as a “career maker.” It had all the attributes that PMs dream of: large market demand, lack of competitive products, high projected earnings, low costs, and an experienced support team to help get her over any rough spots that might occur. Up to this point, it was smooth sailing.
Most of her team were old hands; the manufacturing superintendent and the technical development manager were both 20-year veterans, and the quality-control manager was a professional quality engineer (QE) and had participated in dozens of product releases. A just-hired technical-support person was the final member of the team. He was to be responsible for managing the technical service effort that would support customers after they purchased the product. He had been on the job all of one week, after a month of orientation training.
According to company procedures, all members of the product team were required to sign the product release form before any new product could ship. Even the newly hired person would be required to sign—company policy mandated that he be considered a full member of the team, with the same responsibilities as all other team members in the review and release of product. After all, he was to manage the support of the product after it was released into customer hands, so his was a key role in the process.
Following a brief review of quality-control testing data, the new guy starts to ask some questions.
New guy(interrupting the meeting to ask an obvious and somewhat foolish question): I noticed that all the numbers on the final testing chart are at the lowest possible limit for an acceptable release of product to customers. Am I reading this correctly?
Technical manager: Where did you say you went to school? (followed by laughter)
QE(mocking the new guy): Yes. So what?
New guy: May I see the raw data from the testing lab?
Manufacturing superintendent(pissed off by this young, inexperienced, ignorant new employee): We do not have time for this BS!
Technical manager(acting highly insulted): Listen. As you can see, the data shows that the numbers are still all in the range of acceptable performance.
New guy(unaware that he is a major irritant to everyone in the room): That may be so, but the question I am really asking is have these numbers been rounded?
Quality-control manager(angered by the assertion that the data was somehow tainted): Yes, and all of it has been done correctly and according to proper scientific notation! You do have a degree, don’t you? (more laughter)
New guy(undaunted by his obvious ignorance): How many product samples were tested?
Quality-control manager(annoyed and red-faced): Testing was performed on samples taken randomly from production inventory according to proper procedure. For college graduates, this means that the numbers are statistically relevant.
New guy(continuing to question the group, although he is by now conscious of the rising stress levels in the room caused by his questions): Although the data is scientifically correct, did any single sample of the product pass all five tests by more than the minimum?
Quality-control manager: Why you arrogant bastard!
Technical manager: Do you think we are stupid? There are well over 50 years of experience in this room, and what do you know after being on the job for 1 week?
New guy(now aware that he has a problem): The numbers we are using to pass the product for release represent a potential problem. They are all low. As a matter of fact, if the testing was as tight as the data suggests, then do you think that any of this product is any good?
PM(wanting to avoid a meltdown of her first product team): Time for a break. Let’s all get some coffee and reconvene in about 10 minutes.
Collectively, the members of this product team were responsible for a consistent run of profitable new products without encountering any major problems in the market. They had complete confidence in each other and credibility with corporate officers.
The technical and manufacturing leaders escorted the new guy to the coffeepot. Many man-years and millions of dollars had been invested in this product. In addition, their personal reputations were at stake.
These senior managers were not about to allow this newly hired outsider to get in the way of their personal string of successful product releases. Their annual bonus and future compensation rested on these new products, which, at this point in their careers, represented a significant amount of money. They had seen similar situations before where products barely made it through testing but were acceptable in the market. The company was a market leader known for quality products. So, the test data came as no surprise to them.
Even if a problem existed, they knew it would be fixed as quickly as it was discovered. As a matter of fact, that was the role of the new guy. His job was to support this product once it reached the market. They did not take a liking to him.
The hallway discussion was over quickly.
Manufacturing superintendent: You were assigned to this team to keep your mouth shut and learn. We do not think you are going to work out here. You ask too many questions. You should look for employment elsewhere.
And with that dismissal, the technical manager and the manufacturing superintendent walked back into the meeting room.
As the new guy was returning to his office, his boss (summoned by the PM, who wanted to avoid a nasty scene) met him in the hallway. Effective immediately, the new guy was put on a temporary assignment.
However, now uncertain about the results, the PM nervously reconvened the team without the “new guy.” She was upset. This person whom she had never met before raised doubts in her mind that she could not dismiss as easily as her team members had sent the new guy packing. She elected to put off the final signing, on a technicality, to allow another customer technical-support person to be placed on the team. This proved to be a wise decision.
The product was never released. It did not work, just like the new guy had suggested after questioning the data. However, the business continued to persist in the development of this product because it was high on the wish list of their customers and the earning potential was greater than any other new product planned for the next two years. The invested dollars produced nothing of value. The product never went to market.
This is the story of how I started my career in industry. My reassignment, my punishment for saving the company from a serious problem, was to fly all over the world investigating and resolving customer product-quality complaints. I was to visit each and every site where customers had product-quality complaints that could not be verified in any way by normal procedures and resolve the problem.
I decided to accept the situation. How could I explain a painfully short tenure on my resumé? So, I was on the road (or in the sky) almost every day for nearly a year.
I was completely unequipped for this assignment. I was responsible for customers, and I was empowered to act as their agent. But, I thought this meant very little. I had no influence with anyone at the company. My immediate supervisor and the managers at the next level wanted me to quit and were doing everything possible to encourage me to find another job (so that they wouldn’t have to fire me and run the risk of exposing their product problems). In spite of this, I discovered that I was able to have a significant impact on the company.
I found that I could help solve problems, reduce the number of customer complaints, improve products, and even increase revenue by asking questions. When I called back to the company on behalf of a customer, I questioned everybody and anybody about product quality. I had no problem calling the plant manager, the fascist superintendent who tried to intimidate me into quitting, or anyone else to solve problems for customers—my customers. I was prosecutor, inquisitor, and chief justice of the court of customer confidence.
After all, they had already fired me! I had little interest in the usual politics or politeness that normally gets people promoted out of such awful assignments. The only threat that the company held over me was to stop depositing money into my checking account. Although I knew that day would inevitably arrive, I was on a mission.
It was on this extended journey that I started to recognize the value of questions. Questions got actions. Questions also resulted in more questions. Questions caused people to think. Questions also made people uncomfortable, created stress, and could cause problems of their own.
I asked questions. I listened to the questions others asked in response to my questions. I listened to customers’ questions.
Then, I started to keep notes on the “good” questions until I also realized that almost any question had the potential of having a positive or negative impact (often depending on who was asking and how). I also started to observe what managers said and how managers communicated when they asked questions.
The PM and I became reacquainted when I finally returned to the home office. She shared with me how upset she was by what happened in the project meeting. My questions had raised concerns in her mind that were just not there before I naively opened my mouth. Her instincts told her to be worried not only about the product, but also about the team she was running (and to be concerned about her career). She was on the fast track to be promoted before this bump in the road.
I had stumbled into her project meeting like some kind of drunk, spewing questions without concern for how my behavior might affect others. My questions may have been good ones—and it was clear that my insights were correct—but my approach left a lot to be desired. Our conversation went something like this:
PM: They laughed a lot after you left the meeting. I felt like crying. After you raised doubts, I had to follow up, and you know the rest. You do know that my boss is the manufacturing superintendent’s wife?
I was dumbstruck. It had not occurred to me that personal as well as professional relationships dot the landscape of businesses. My inexperience had contributed to a near-fatal career event for a talented businesswoman.
Me: After I started to ask questions, to follow the trail, I just did not know how to stop. Also, I knew that even if I said nothing, I would not have signed that release authorization.
PM: Well, at the time, I thought my career was over. But if we had let that product out, I would have been blamed for the whole mess anyway and might not have had a job to worry about. So, I did what a product manager is supposed to do—more teams and more meetings. I will get another project, but you had better watch your back.4
Her stressful experience, as a result of being on the other side of my questions, sensitized me to understand that I needed to fully appreciate the context, both personal and professional, as much as possible when asking questions.
Some managers were good at asking questions. Through insight, habit, or inquisitiveness, they made a positive impact on their businesses—on the people in their organizations. As I observed the management practices of both effective and ineffective managers, I started to break things down into bite-sized chunks for ease of use for me as a reference.
When I finally did reach management positions, I found this resource to be an invaluable guide. As I started to work more closely with leaders of one company, and then with leaders of other companies, I studied their questions, how they asked them, and what kinds of results they achieved.
This book is a distillation of those observations along with an analysis of questions as a management tool.