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Mastering the Art of Asking Questions 105

Before you can accurately direct your staff, you must understand
the people you are directing, and you do that by asking. It takes a
few additional minutes out of your busy day, but it will save a great
deal of time over the long haul.

Have a Clear Destination

Fundamental to the art of asking the right questions is knowing
exactly what you are looking for. When you have a fi rm idea of
what you need, write it down. This gives you a focus and destina-
tion, analogous to your preparation before taking a road trip. If
you’ve planned the journey and you know your destination, you’ll
get there. Even if you have to take a detour, you will get to where
you want to go. Without a clear-cut destination, you can drive for
a long time and use a lot of fuel but not end up in the place you
really want to be. It may be fun to do that, and it can be an inter-
esting diversion, but it won’t accomplish your intended mission.
You can always make time for fun if you want to, but the pur-
pose of this chapter is to help you stay on track and reach your goals.
Those goals must be apparent to all parties, and your staff will follow
your lead. Unless you’re simply making small talk, when you’re ask-
ing your employees business-related questions, have a defi nite desti-
nation in mind. Don’t allow yourself to stray from your course.
You may be thinking, “Everyone asks questions all the time.
What’s new here?” Although it’s true that people habitually ask
questions, often those questions are posed with no plan and with-
out forethought to the reaction they might elicit. Here’s a simple
example of how the question determines the answer: If you ask
someone to describe the biggest problems he or she faces at work,
you’ll get a list of problems. If, on the other hand, you ask about
that person’s greatest opportunities, you will get a much different
listing. You get what you ask for, so be careful how you ask.