Chapter 4
Asking the Right Questions
It is important for leaders to fully recognize and understand the power of words. The words we choose to use are metaphors for concepts that define our attitudes and behaviors, structures and concepts. Kouzes and Posner note that “our words evoke images of what we hope to create and how we expect people to behave.”1 The questions that a leader asks send messages about the focus of the organization. They are indeed indicators of what's of most concern to the leader. Our questions are an important measure of how serious we are about our espoused beliefs.
A key for leaders in asking questions is contextual: What do I want my question to accomplish? The questions we employ provide feedback about which values should ...
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