The Power of ‘What’ and ‘How’
It’s the year 2004 and the scene is Morgan Stanley’s offices in midtown Manhattan. I had just sold an engagement to the head of the investment banking division who was concerned about the emerging technologies available to his Managing Directors.
Information is currency for these senior bankers, and staying on top of breaking news, business events, and their clients’ individual needs was mission critical. The problem they faced was the overwhelmingly fragmented nature of digital information – it was 2004, after all.
Their request to us seemed pretty straight forward: How do we improve the information technology used by our most senior bankers?
One approach was to facilitate some focus groups, conduct secondary research, send out a survey, or consult experts on the state of the art.
Our preferred approach was to speak with the Managing Directors themselves - but had very little time for us, and could not easily share the sensitive contents of their office and devices.
So we decided to use the limited time we did have to ask a single question, and it was this:
What are you actually trying to accomplish each day?
That simple re-framing of the problem statement – from being about the presumed solution (“information technology”) to being about the human need (getting stuff done) – shifted the conversation in a remarkable way. We heard stories about underlying challenges, gained insight into unique work arounds, and discovered what bankers really valued – all of which informed our creation of a tool we called the Banker’s Cockpit.
This is the power of asking questions, and more specifically power questions that begin with “what” or “how.” Power questions are more than open-ended; they invite the recipient to explore their imagination or share something they care about.
Becoming adept at asking power questions is critical if you need to de-escalate conflict, provide feedback to direct reports, or assess your customer experience. For anyone who wants to drive change by engaging in honest conversations, it’s like having a flashlight in a cave full of gems that you can’t yet see.
I’ve been reflecting on some other examples from within my network:
The head of a networking collective was pitching a large furniture manufacturer to become a member. Instead of “Will you join?” he could ask a power question, such as “What would make membership valuable for you?”
The managing director of an architecture firm was preparing to deliver feedback to a rising leader who took an unconventional approach in a meeting. Instead of “Why did you do (that)?” she could ask a power question, such as “What was your objective?”
As a solopreneur discussing opportunities with a prospective client, I will never ask about deliverables; instead, I will always ask “What would we have accomplished together if this engagement was a great use of everyone’s time?”
Here’s something to try: The next time you want to discover what someone truly desires, ask a question that begins with what or how.