Leading with Character and Competence by Timothy R. Clark

Author:Timothy R. Clark
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
Published: 2016-07-14T16:00:00+00:00

Ask More Questions

There is a principle in leadership that says the further you advance in responsibility, the more you must rely on questions rather than answers to do your job well. The exception to the rule might be working at a fast-food restaurant, if you have done every job on the floor by the time you’re promoted to management. You can flip the burgers, deep-fry the fries, ring the register, mop the floor, and reconcile the inventory of napkins and ketchup.

Most organizations, however, are far too complex for anyone to master the enterprise. You cannot possibly move through all the chairs. And even if you did, the pace of change would overtake you. Why, then, do so many leaders frantically try to maintain their status as a curator and clearinghouse of solutions? Why do so many think that the essence of leadership is about directing and dispatching people? I suggest that these leaders ask themselves what year it is. I was talking to the CEO of a hospital not long ago. He said to me, “I have 10 direct reports on my team. Do you know how many of their jobs I can do?”

“How many?” I asked.

“None,” he stated emphatically. “I can’t do a single one. And if you go down a level to their direct reports, it’s the same story.”

Can this hospital CEO possibly lead with answers? Absurd. His job is to know the right questions to ask. Questioning skills will make or break him. If you have been deeply socialized to understand that your job as a leader is primarily about telling people what to do, you may have some unlearning to do. Failing to do so could become a career derailer and even a fatal flaw if you don’t replace the old behavior.

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