Owning a business is far from simple. You must know almost everything, though you need not be Good at everything, only at a Few things. You must know how to empowerment, build corporate identity, develop a mission statement, and also need to know a little about customer care…
Leaders do not need to answer every question; in fact, leaders should know how to… lead with questions.
The dividing line between capable and not-yet-capable people is not knowing every answer, but whether you can ask… the Right Questions.
The right questions guide individuals and organizations toward the right goals through the right strategies. The wrong questions lead the whole team in circles, getting nowhere, and may even send everyone… plunging into a pit or abyss.
Jewish Wisdom always emphasizes the importance of asking the right questions.
As a business owner, you must know how to ask the right questions. In many industries, owners generally need to devote over 50% of their time to sales and communicate closely and deeply with their sales staff.
You have learned things like the “5 Whys,” and whenever sales or targets fall short, you mechanically apply them to “find the root cause before solving it.” You ask your Sales team the age-old question “Why?” – “Why can’t you sell?”, “Why didn’t you meet the target?”, “Why this, why that?”…
What would happen if you were told that questions like these… do not solve anything at all?
If you listen to Sales employees, those closest to the market and in direct contact with customers, you will know that ‘Why?’ questions mean little to them in this situation. Yet this is the question that consumes the most company time and money.
They will shout, “Please, do not ask salespeople ‘Why…?’”
Strangely, business owners often live and lead by these principles: (1) They dislike hearing “Because,” “The reason is,” “Well, you see,” and so on. (2) If you want to do it, find a way; if not, find an excuse. Do not bring me excuses. (3) The strong seek solutions; the weak cling to excuses.
Yet we keep asking people, ‘Why are you weak?’ ‘Why aren't you meeting sales targets?’ ‘Why… XYZ?’ Then we have to hear billions of excuses: because of the rain, the sunshine, or… falling oil prices.
Actually, as a business owner (or sales manager), there are 2 questions you should ask your employees more often, namely:
1. In your opinion, HOW can we achieve this goal?
2. WHAT SUPPORT do you need from me and the company to achieve the target you accepted?
The wonderful thing is that these 2 questions guide employees toward initiative, resourcefulness and action. Keep asking them over a period of time, and they will become that way. My experience and what I have learned from sales directors are much the same.
Hope this helps you
TMT
