Menu
But
how do you do that?
In
the midst of running your business, it can seem more time-efficient just to
handle the situation and tell the person what to do. After all, if it’s
something you already have experience in, you know the answer. You’re eager to
minimize the time you have to spend hearing the person out. A typical approach
used by less effective leaders is: give them advice in as few words as possible
so you can get back to what you were doing.
Unfortunately, while that may work short-term, it’s not going to serve you or the other person well in the long run.
Instead,
when someone looks to you for ideas or solutions, the skill you want to become
good at is asking questions.
So
here’s what to do if someone comes to you and says, “I’m not sure how to handle
this situation.†Instead of jumping in with your opinion, advice or solution,
pause for a moment and then ask: “What options have you thought of so far? What
do you think will happen if you do A instead of B?â€
Now,
you wait and listen. It's natural for people to be uncomfortable after you've
asked a question that requires them to think. YOU need to be comfortable with
the silence as they ponder the question and consider their response.
As
you guide others to figure things out for themselves through the questions you
ask, their self-confidence will grow. They’ll see themselves as capable and
effective, and their trust and respect for you will deepen because they’ll
realize you’ve not trying to control their thoughts or actions.
Business
consultant Sir John Whitmore once said, "To tell denies or negates
another's intelligence. To ask, honors it."
How
can you honor the people in your life by asking them questions that help them
think through their problems and come up with their own answers?
An entrepreneur since 1982, Meredith Bell is a skilled coach and expert on behavior change. Her software company publishes assessment and development tools for the people side of your business. For more information and the free guide for entrepreneurs, “Ignite Your Business,†visit: http://www.ProStarCoach.com/smallbiz
Empower your business with the Nigeria's most comprehensive profiles on business and companies. Find business contacts by city, industry and title. Our B2B directory has just-verified and in-depth profiles, plus the market's an advance Business to Business Classified section that allows business and companies to showcase and market their products all free basis.
Browse Naijabizinfo's business to business directory. Our professional Business profiles include detailted Business descriptions verified contact information, services, products and services showroom, branches, affiliations and more.
