Leaders Ask Questions

Several people that have reported to me over the years have said that I take a "Socratic" approach in managing them.  For those of you that aren't familiar with Socrates, you could watch "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" OR continue reading...

Socrates was a fifth century Greek philosopher known for his interactive methods of teaching and inquiries into the basis of virtue. He may be best remembered for administering his own death sentence by drinking hemlock after having been convicted of corrupting the youth of Athens and undermining religion.  Don't expect me to follow suit.

Socrates approach to philosophy was based on four pillars: ironic modesty, the questioning of habit, a devotion to truth, and dispassionate reason. His goal was the understanding and attainment of virtue, defined as excellence, skill, or artistry. Socrates taught by engaging his students in dialogue and questioning widely held beliefs and doctrines. He believed that it is necessary to acknowledge our own ignorance in order to take the first steps toward genuine knowledge and, in defense of the actions that brought upon him a sentence of death, uttered the timeless assertion, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

Now you know a little bit more about Socrates and his method. If you want to help your peers, team members and managers move forward, ask more Socratic questions. The best questions are open-ended and thought provoking. Here are some examples:

"What do you want to have happen in the next XXX months and why?

"How are you spending your time?"

"Are you being effective or busy?" 

"What has led you to this conclusion? Are there opposing views?

"What resources do you need to support this?"

When it comes to leading and coaching your team, the more questions the better. For those of us who are comfortable sharing our opinions and ideas, our challenge is to resist giving advice. Advice may be helpful at times, but the most effective coaching facilitates the thinking process of the other person.

Have you used this method with your team?