The Hindu Business Line : <I>Questions wake people up </I>

In Much Ado About Nothing, Beatrice insists, "We must follow the leaders." But what makes leaders so special that we must follow them? They find "the right questions by knowing what to ask," says Michael Marquardt in Leading with Questions, from Wiley India (www.wileyindia.com) .

Aptly, intro begins with a few direct questions: "Do you feel that people aren't providing the information you need? Do you wonder whether the people in your organisation really understand your vision?" If your answers are in the negative, it is urgent that you delve into the book.

Questions aren't mere lines with a hook at the end. Smart leaders can use questions "to encourage full participation and teamwork, to spur innovation... to empower, to build relationships with customers, to solve problems, and more."

Yet, the tragedy is that most leaders are unaware of `the amazing power of questions'.

It's not that they don't ask questions; they ask, but their questions often disempower subordinates - by blaming, engaging in manipulation, or asking in such a way that doesn't lead to `honest and informative answers'. Other sins are: not knowing how to listen to answers to questions, and not establishing a climate that encourages questions.

"Avoiding questions can cause serious harm, even disaster," warns the author. He cites the Titanic, the Challenger, and the Bay of Pigs as examples of disasters that led to loss of lives because people didn't ask questions"When we ask questions of others and invite them to search for answers with us, we are not just sharing information, we are sharing responsibility," he explains. When responsibility is shared, ideas, problems, and ownership of results are also shared. This creates a culture of `we' rather than `management versus employees'.

The book devotes separate chapters to topics such as asking the right questions and the art of asking questions. The author wraps up with a discussion on becoming a questioning leader - one who is open and honest, and not putting on a know-it-all face.

Must read, unless one is contented being a questionable leader.

http://BookPeek.blogspot.com

D.Murali