Page 163 - Roy W. Rice - CEO Material How to Be a Leader in Any Organization-McGraw-Hill (2009)

144 • CEO Material: How to Be a Leader in Any Organization

Who, what, when, where, why, and how will serve you just about
anytime. But volunteer information about what you’re asking so that you
hold up your end of the social contract of “give and take.”
Asking questions lets you test, test, test your way through a situation
to avoid a gigantic setback. Barbara Walters says that when she wants
to question someone in a pointed fashion, instead of asking, “Are
you crazy?” she’ll ask, “You know there are people who want to ask ‘Are
you crazy?’”
You generate credibility, trust, and likeability. You build relation-
ships when people feel valued by you, so you resolve conflict before it
escalates.
People will allow you to lead if you make it worthwhile and enjoy-
able to follow.

A client told me the story of her husband “John” and his first interview
with a major financial institution:

He was with 50 other potential recruits wined and dined by the
brass to encourage the recruits to want to work for the company.
John was amazed and awed by the larger-than-life shrimp at the
buffet, as well as the rest of the extraordinary spread. The main
event began with the 50 recruits seated around an enormous
table with 15 to 20 company execs. They sat through a video and
a few speeches about what a great place this was.
Then the spotlight moved to the tremendous boardroom table,
and the main presenter asked the recruits, “Who has questions?”
The fear and tension among the young men and women could
have been cut with a knife, and their minds raced with anxiety-
laced thoughts. “What if I ask a dumb question? But doesn’t it
look bad if I ask no question at all?” and so on. One woman was
randomly picked out of the crowd and asked if she had any
questions. Her heartbeat sped up by many paces as the others
breathed a sigh of relief. She looked like a deer in headlights and
finally came up with a weak, “I have no questions.” In response,
the presenter asked, “How about the person to your right? Do
you, sir, have any questions?”