Ask THIS Instead
A Weekly Blog on the Better Questions to Ask and Why
Breathing Life Into a Postmortem
Successful post-mortems require a problem-learning process before they get to problem-solving. To successfully problem-learn, we must recreate the system that enabled the undesirable outcome—all the bits and seemingly insignificant pieces. Then we can answer these two key questions of post-mortems. That should be easy, but it never is.
Cognitive Outsourcing: Why LinkedIn’s Broetry Writing Fad is Simply Lazy Communication
As an anti-broem author noted, “I’m not sure where the hell it came from. But recently on LinkedIn, I’ve noticed this phenomenon where entrepreneurs, growth-hackers, and digital marketers are posting poorly written self-help-like ‘prose’ littered with clichés and vague blanket statements.” A blogger called it “corporate essay-poetry” while another noted, “This is very third-grade-level writing style.” My favorite characterization is by Carine Rampelt: “It’s like making a speech and dropping the mic after very phrase.”
Flying High: The Story of the 22-Minute Meeting Structure That Powered Delta’s Competitive Success
In only six months, the team moved from capturing ideas on Post-Its and flip-chart-covered walls to the transformation of a fleet of 33 newly branded 737-200s, a new set of customer service procedures, and innovative airport ground choreography to enable a 30-minute turnaround between flights. The resulting cost structure beat Southwest’s operating costs and also established a positive team culture that bubbled with pride for what everyone had accomplished.
Crunch Time
Organizational efficiency initiatives have quickly jumped out of the 2025 starting gates, with many companies now heavily engaged in cost-cutting and reorganization. As you consider areas for improvement, I remind you of an easy opportunity to free up resources: Time lost attending worthless meetings.
Please State Your Purpose
Every meeting room should have an “Enter Only if You Know Your Purpose in This Meeting” sign hung outside it. So if no one is sitting in your conference room when you get ready to lead a discussion, Your would-be participants are indicating you’ve got some work to do.
Want to Become a Better Leader? Take a Facilitation Class
The majority of an organization’s-and a leader’s-work takes place in meetings. So why do leaders choose to not become proficient in the skills that significantly improve the outcome of those meetings?
How “Why” Can Crumble the Foundation of Psychological Safety
As I often emphasize, words matter. And the simple word “why” can REALLY matter. Discover how this three-letter word can transform a well-intended post-project or safety review into a contentious debate. Curious to learn more about how to navigate this? Check out this week’s blog!
Reverse Searing: Why NOT Following the Process Can Pay Off
Too often teams are essentially force-marched through a problem-solving or decision-making process that is at odds with where they are at. This can result in disengaged participants and curtail innovative thinking. This article highlights the importance of making the process work for you for better team and business outcomes.
Connecting the Dots: On Becoming WICKEDLY Innovative
We frequently hear that brainstorming is a wonderful way to create new ideas. It turns out it’s a poor route. What should be done instead? Leverage the excellence of the brain by connecting the dots to boost innovation.
Stop Speaking in Solutions! Improve Your Game by Focusing on the Problem Instead
To what extent do you spend time exploring the specific problem to be solved before leaping into a focus on the solution? If you don’t, you risk experiencing the prevalent and dismal 60-80% implementation failure rate associated with organizational initiatives such as data analytics, DEI, and HR programs.
Maximizing Return on Investment for Face-to-Face Meetings: Essential Tips
Face-to-face meetings are the most expensive form of communication. Are you getting the full value from this investment when you hold a meeting? Do you even need to meet? Using these tips ensures you are getting the best return for your meeting investment.
Enhancing Idea Evaluations: Why Narratives Promote Better Questioning
What are the better questions that should be asked when evaluating proposals? Learn why requiring narratives instead of PowerPoint during presentations assists leaders in asking the questions that enhance the rigor of idea evaluation reviews.
Learning to Listen Below the Words: The Flip Side of the Question Coin
Listening “below the words” gives insight into a person’s underlying motivations and informs the better question.
Words Matter: The Risk of Using Words Like Risk
Do you lead risk or uncertainty assessment workshops? You might want to get a reading on the various interpretations of certain words in your meeting room.
Three Questions To Avoid in Meetings: Part II
Why asking meeting participants “Does everyone understand this?” fails to illuminate the understanding they are making.
Three Questions to Avoid When Leading a Meeting: Part I
What are the 3 most commonly asked meeting questions you might want to avoid? Learn small tips that make large differences in getting the input you seek as a facilitator or leader.
Build the Conversational Bridge with Clients
When you are trying to get someone to buy your idea or support your initiative, how do you begin?
Blind Trust: Techniques for Working in the Virtual World
Learn 5 powerful techniques for running a better virtual meeting.
Enhanced Engagement Techniques
To what extent does the knowledge and ideas in your meeting room go un-tapped? Learn 6 powerful techniques for tapping into the knowledge present in your meetings.