Tony Hebblethwaite, M.S.’s Post

Transcript

OK, ready for a deep dive? Always. Today, we're tackling how asking smarter questions can lead to Better Business decisions. Right on. We're digging into this Harvard Business Review article, The Art of Asking Smarter Questions. It's packed with insights. It really is. And it's so relevant, you know, especially now, the business world, it's swamped with information. It's true data everywhere. Exactly. But it's not enough just to have answers these days. It's about knowing the right questions to ask. That's how you uncover. Those real breakthroughs, absolutely. It's like that saying give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, right. But teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Exactly. Except here we're teaching leaders to ask those powerful questions so they can really thrive in this complex business world. I love that analogy. And you know, the article starts with a great example of this, Jensen Huang, the CEO of NVIDIA. He says he spends most of his time asking questions, not giving answers. Well, that's interesting. It really flips the script. Traditional leadership, doesn't it? It does. It shows that being a leader isn't about having all the answers. It's about opening up space for those crucial questions. And that's where these five types of strategic questions come in. Investigative, speculative, productive, interpretive, and subjective. They give you a framework to look at problems and opportunities in totally new ways. OK, let's break those down, starting with investigative. That sounds like classic detective work. Exactly. It's all about going deep, peeling back the layers, uncovering. Root of an issue or opportunity, the article stresses. Not just skimming the surface, but really asking why and how over and over. And they had that cautionary tale about the French rail operator SNCF spent a fortune on new trains only to find out they were too wide for some platforms. Yeah. Can you imagine ���15 billion down the drain just because they missed some basic investigative questions? It just shows how easy it is to overlook the obvious. Ouch. OK, so lesson learned. Don't be afraid to ask. This stupid questions. It's way better to spot a potential problem early on, right? Now, moving on to speculative questions, you're what ifs. These push you to think outside the box, Challenge those assumptions. Love that. Pushing boundaries, getting creative. The article mentioned IBO, the design firm they use. How might we to come up with new ideas? Such a cool tactic, isn't it? And it reminds me of Emirates Team New Zealand winning the Americas Cup. Instead of just asking, what if we use leg power instead of arm power? Yeah, they went deeper. Yeah, what else could a pedal system. Now that subtle shift in their question led to a totally revolutionary boat design. Exactly. They challenged the whole premise, which is what speculative questioning is all about. Asking what if we reimagine the entire game, not just our strategy? Such a good point. A small tweak to a question can make a huge difference. OK, now on to productive questions. These seem essential for turning those what ifs into action. Absolutely productive questions are about looking at your resources, talent, time, money, and then figuring out the best way to get things done. So it's about those practical questions the how TOS that bridge the gap between a great idea and a solid plan exactly the article mentioned Larry Bossidy former CEO of allied signal known for getting things done. He was all about how can we make this happen and how are we measuring progress music to any leaders ears right for sure they show how crucial it is to ground even the most innovative ideas in reality which reminds me the article also talked about Lego struggles in the early 2000s right tons of innovative product ideas but. They didn't stop to ask themselves if they could actually handle it. All spread themselves too thin and they suffered big losses because of it. It's like that saying culture eats strategy for breakfast. Even with amazing strategic questions, if you can't execute, you're setting yourself up to fail 100%. That solid foundation of productive questions is key to avoiding those pitfalls. OK, so we've got investigative, speculative, and productive. What about interpretive questions? Where do they fit in? Interpretive questions are all about making sense of the information you've gathered, connecting the dots, seeing the bigger picture, finding those aha moments in a sea of data. So it's about asking, what does this all mean? What are the implications? Yes, it's about taking those. Individual pieces of data and turning them into a story. A story that helps you understand the why behind the what. It reminds me of that story about the European car manufacturer that completely dismissed Tesla. Ohh, right. They were so focused on this one tiny flaw that they missed the bigger picture. Electric vehicles were the future. A classic example of neglecting interpretive questions. So focused on the trees, they missed the whole forest. Exactly. And that brings us to the last category. Subjective. Questions, often the most challenging but arguably the most important, and these are the ones that really get into the human element, right? Emotions, those unspoken concerns, the things that data just can't capture. Exactly. Subjective questions remind us that we're dealing with people, not just numbers. And people are complex. They got emotions, biases, motivations. All these things can make or break a business decision. No doubt the article used the example of British Airways, their disastrous rebranding campaign back in the 90s. Strategically it made sense, but they completely disregarded how it would impact their employees and customers emotionally. Ohh yeah that was a PR nightmare. They totally misjudged how people would react and it all came down to ignoring those subjective questions. If they just asked how will our employees feel about this or how will this come across to our loyal customers, they could have avoided a disaster. It really highlights the importance of factoring in the human element right? Even when decisions seem data-driven and logical. Never underestimate the importance of emotional intelligence, understanding how those decisions will land with real people getting to the human story behind the data. So we have these five types of questions, but how do we actually use them? Where do we even start? That's where the real work starts. It's not like you can master all 5 overnight. It's more about finding a better balance, being intentional about your questions. So it takes practice, self-awareness, like anything else you want to be good at, right? Yeah, absolutely. The article actually has this self-assessment tool helps you figure out your. Drinks and weaknesses in each area. Are you naturally investigative, always digging for the root cause? Or are you more speculative, always thinking? What if? Understanding your natural tendencies is the first step? It's like finding your blind spots so you can work on them. What happens once you have a better sense of your own style? Then you can start using the three tactics from the article. The first one is to practice asking questions from those domains where you don't feel as comfortable. Like, if you're not naturally drawn to subjective questions, make it a point to work them into your next team meeting. Makes sense. It's about pushing yourself, expanding your range. What about the other two tactics? The second one is about being adaptable. A question that worked well in one situation might not be as effective in another. Like if you've just moved into a leadership role, you'll need to shift your focus from how to questions to why questions, embracing those interpretive and subjective domains we talked about. So it's recognizing that you're questioning style needs to change as you do. Adapting to the challenges of where you are right now. Exactly. The third tactic to rounding yourself with diverse thinkers. Build a team with different questioning strengths. It's like assembling a team of superheroes. Yeah. Each with their own questioning superpower. I love that analogy. The article gave this example of Robert Shasky. He's the managing director of the known in Romania. He realized he wasn't so great at speculative thinking, so he made a point of relying on his team members who were strong in that area. That's great. Recognizing that you don't have to be good at. Everything. It takes humility, and you can create a more insightful environment by embracing your weaknesses. But to build that kind of environment where everyone feels comfortable asking questions, that takes a special kind of leader, right? You're spot on. It's not enough to just ask the right questions yourself. You have to create a culture of inquiry where everyone feels safe to do the same. How do you create that kind of culture? Is there a secret formula? It's not magic. But it does take effort. Consistent effort. It starts with leading by example. If leaders show they're willing to be vulnerable, admit they don't have all the answers, it gives everyone else permission to do the same. It creates that safety net. Where people feel comfortable taking risks, voicing their ideas without being judged. Exactly. And even small changes to your language can help. Like instead of asking why, which can sound kind of confrontational, try how come. It's subtle, but it can make a difference, creates a more open dialogue. It's amazing how those little nuances in how we talk can change the whole feel of a conversation. So much of it comes down to creating space for curiosity, for respectful disagreement. That's exactly it. That's where the magic. Happens when you have that safe, stimulating environment. That's when those amazing ideas come out, the innovative solutions, those aha moments that transform your business. It's like that saying the only dumb question is the one you don't ask. But it takes guts to be the one to ask it right? To speak up when something feels off, to challenge the status quo even when it's uncomfortable. For sure, it takes courage to say, hold on, what about this? Or to question assumptions that everyone else seems to accept. It's a real mindset shift from I need to have all the answers to I need to ask the right questions. And that's huge for any leader. It's powerful. When you embrace that curiosity, it changes everything. You start to see challenges as opportunities. You become more adaptable, more resilient, better at navigating the business world. It's about building a culture where curiosity is celebrated, not just tolerated. Always looking for new knowledge, new viewpoints, new ways of tackling challenges. And that brings us to the heart of this deep dive. As we've explored these five types of strategic questions, it's clear that asking the right questions, it's not just a skill, it's a mindset. It's a way of looking at the world with curiosity, with a thirst for deeper understanding. Beautifully put, it's a journey, not a destination. It's so true. So as we wrap things up, I want to leave our listeners with this. Think about the questions you're asking in your own work, Hmm, in your own businesses, are you asking the right ones? Are you pushing back against assumptions? Are you digging deeper, exploring those what ifs? Are you thinking about the human element? Because in today's business world, knowing how to ask the right questions, that might be your most valuable tool. Couldn't agree more. It's not about having all the answers. It's about the power of asking questions. That's how we innovate, how we make progress, how we navigate this complex business world. Absolutely. And you know. Sometimes the simplest question, that's what sparks the most profound insights. So until next time, keep asking those amazing questions. Who knows where they might lead you? So true. So as we wrap things up, I want to leave our listeners with this. Think about the questions you're asking in your own work, in your own businesses. Yeah. Are you asking the right ones? Are you pushing back against assumptions? Are you digging deeper, exploring those what ifs? Are you thinking about the human element? It's so easy to just get caught up in the day-to-day. You know it is, but in today's business world, knowing how to ask the right questions, that might be your most valuable tool. Couldn't agree more. It's not about having all the answers. It's about the power of asking questions. That's how we innovate, how we make progress, how we navigate this complex business world. Absolutely. And you know, sometimes the simplest question, that's what sparks the most profound insights. So until next time, keep asking those amazing questions. Who knows where they might lead you?