If you owned the business, what’s one thing you would do differently?
We believe that great leaders ask great questions. Are you brave? This question will test your courage, but the results can be powerful. You could (and possibly should) have a hired business consultant look at your business and give some sage advice. But there is a group of people that you are already paying who
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It is wise to encourage courage. If you have a direct-telling personality, you may be more willing to hear direct-telling responses, but if you have more of a persuasive-selling personality, you will find it more abrasive to hear from the direct-telling folks. Resist the tendency to personalize courageous communication. Before asking a courageous question, prepare yourself to see the answers objectively. Search for the grain of truth in their statement. You may have to sift through their words to find it, but it is worth the effort. Another way to prepare for their courageous answers is to practice looking for the QBQ (the question behind the question – in this example, you are looking at the answer behind the answer). QBQ thinking is a more objective way to examine the words that you hear by considering the source and context of the words. It reminds me of the adage: “Walk a mile in their shoes.”
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