Transform Your Leadership with One Simple Question

23/03/2024

How Open-Ended Questions Can Revolutionise Your Conversations and Connections

Hands up, how many times when someone is talking to you are you just waiting for them to finish so you can immediately respond? And likewise, how often do you feel someone is waiting for you to finish so they can speak? We’re not here to pontificate as to why this might be, but welcome to the way most conversations work.

Sometimes it’s just hard not to jump in at the last bit of what someone is saying because we’re so keen to talk next – it feels like being in a queue, craning your neck to see when it’s your turn.

Added to this is small talk. These well-intended but often dull daily interactions usually lead to awkward dead-ends. We ask the same questions, offer the same tried and tested ‘safe’ responses, and feel like we’re having the same conversation on repeat (because we usually are).

Whether it’s a lack of listening, too many opinions, or the same questions on autopilot, it’s easy to see why so many of our conversations end up feeling transactional or like we can’t shift into another gear.

It doesn’t have to be this way!

What’s the One Question Game-Changer?

There’s one type of question that all brilliant leaders (and humans generally) ask. It might seem impossible, but this one thing changes everything when it comes to conversation, gathering insight, and relationship building.

They ask open-ended questions.

What is an Open-Ended Question?

Not to go back to basics here, but it seems there are still many people who haven’t got the memo on open-ended questions, so humour us!

Open-ended questions are questions that allow someone to give a free-form answer. Closed-ended questions can only be answered with “Yes” or “No,” or they have a limited set of possible answers (such as: A, B, C, etc.).

Open questions ask people ‘how,’ ‘what,’ ‘describe,’ ‘tell me more,’ and the responses are like entering a goldmine. The information, feelings, opinions, and insights unearthed in the responses glitter like gold and should be treated as such.

It’s blindingly obvious when you look at the questions below and imagine a response. Test them out yourself, we dare you!

• How are you feeling about what you’ve got coming up? Vs. Are you happy about what you’ve got coming up?
• Tell me how the last six months have been for you? Vs. Did you have a good first half of the year?
• What is it that you really love doing in your role? Vs. Do you like your role?
• What did you do on the weekend? Vs. Did you have a good weekend?

Why is it an Essential Leadership Skill?

Asking open-ended questions delivers a ton of benefits. Here are just a few:

1) Encourages Authenticity:

As humans, we generally like to talk about ourselves! We have our life narrative down to a T – it’s our script that we’ve written. Once we are encouraged to talk about ourselves and our feelings, we feel we can do so freely and authentically. Leaders who encourage this culture have happier teams.

2) Provides Daily Insights:

Leaders who ask open questions get daily insights about their people. They learn what their team members are good at, why their performance may vary, where they see their next progression, why they are better at responding to emails than verbal requests, and much more.

3) Builds Rapport and Trust:

Open questions build rapport, encourage ideas, create trust, and help people navigate challenges more easily. If you create a culture where people feel listened to, understood, and valued, they will feel motivated, appreciated, and purposeful.

4) Reduces Turnover:

While your competitors are scratching their heads over the number of exit interviews they’re processing (and what they’re discovering in them!), as a leader, if you start creating a culture of open questions, you’ll be steps ahead and enjoying a happy and empowered team.

Incorporating open-ended questions into your leadership approach can be a game-changer. Foster authenticity, build rapport, and gain valuable insights just by changing the way you do this one thing. You not only enhance your own leadership skills but also create a more engaged and motivated team.

The shift from transactional to meaningful conversations will transform your workplace culture (if it needs it) and lead to higher satisfaction and reduced turnover. Start asking open-ended questions today and experience the profound impact it can have on both your professional and personal life. Remember, the key to great leadership lies in truly listening and understanding those you lead. Good luck!