Asking the Right Questions

Kishore Mahbubani is a person I admire. He has a dignified demeanor, speaks eloquently and writes succinctly with insight and thoughtfulness. He is currently dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

In the weekly column Think-Tank in today’s Straits Times, he was writing a piece about taking a “holistic approach to public policy”, citing transport as an example and to a lesser degree education, here in Singapore. He ended the piece as follows:

“Singapore has made enormous progress in the first 50 years by successfully finding the right answers to the urgent questions we faced in our early days. Over the next 50 years, we should try to find the right questions to ask before we begin trying to find the right answers.”

In his book Just Ask Leadership: Why Great Managers Always Ask the Right Questions, Gary B. Cohen makes a case for how leaders at every level can learn to ask the right questions, in the right organization context, so as to enable both individuals and organizations to thrive.

“Leadership is about allowing others the chance to flourish, and you do that by asking questions. This empowers coworkers to find solutions, embrace responsibility, and become accountable. Moreover, it opens the door to greater productivity and creativity. Indeed, more than ever before, leaders can’t know everything. By seeking others’ input, they can inspire powerful and positive change.” - Gary B. Cohen

In creating a culture of question-based leadership, he addresses five key areas:

1. Improve Vision - Getting Insights form All Levels of the Organization
2. Ensure Accountability - Increasing Team and Organization-Wide Performance
3. Build Unity and Cooperation - Creating a Culture of Trust
4. Create Better Decisions - Getting the Right Answers by Asking the Right Questions
5. Motivate to Action - Asking for Success


As a facilitator, I do not profess to be a subject matter expert in the discussions of many groups I have had the opportunity to work with – however, the better I am able to quickly ask the right questions to trigger discussion and reflection, providing a platform for participants to share in a “safe environment”, the faster the collective wisdom and relevant expertise of those present will come to the fore and the sessions will be value-adding to individuals and the organization.

“The leader of the past was a person who knew how to tell. The leader of the future will be a person who knows how to ask.” – Peter Drucker


Leaders today would do well to ask more and listen even more!