The Right Questions…
Leadership is often called upon to solve problems. Moses dealt with the great burden of problem resolution.
Problem resolution, or conflict management, is a vital area in leadership. Tons of material has been written to help provide answers.
Recently, in a leadership class, we were discussing problem resolution. One of the areas prevalent to the discussion involved asking the right questions.
We tend to struggle in finding resolution because we are not asking the right questions.
What is the real problem? What are the obstacles? How can we overcome the obstacles? What must be done to resolve the issue(s)? Are there reasons a solution cannot be reached? Have all of the facts been gathered? What impact will the resolution have on everyone involved?
These are a few questions to be considered. Remember to ask open-ended questions. Questions beginning with “what” and “how” are less leading in nature. Questions beginning with “why” tend to make others defensive as if attacked.
There will never be an end to problems. Learning how to resolve problems quickly and effectively is the challenge. One positive step is to ask the right questions.