Cut right through the fog with the best question in the world … “What is going on?”

On the importance of asking great questions, I agree with renowned leader and blogger Michael Hyatt almost 100 percent… [my responses in RED.]

If you are going to be a successful leader, you have to get better at asking good questions [What?, When?, Where?, How?, Why?]. You need this skill more than you need more answers. Here are seven tips for asking better questions.

1. Ask open-ended questions. [What is the best thing that could happen?]
2. Get behind the assumptions. [What was going on in your head when this happened?]
3. Get both sides of the story.
4. Ask follow-up questions. [What are your top 2 options?]
5. Get comfortable with “dead air.” [Let people think about it, and own it. It’s their decision, not yours.]
6. Help people discover their own insights. [Where is God in this?]
7. Understand the difference between facts and speculation. [What do you mean when you say that?]

Finally, when you are asking questions, take notes. It communicates tremendous respect for the the person you are interviewing. It is also very helpful when things get quiet. You can go back over your notes and discover new questions you haven’t yet thought about or asked.

[The best questions by far, by far, by far … begin with the word WHAT. That’s why I start almost every session I have with the same powerful question:  “What is going on?“]