A Question of Questions

This thought-provoking John Hardy series gets right to the heart of achieving breakthroughs in business. By using questionsand self-questioning techniques as a reflective strategy, clients and their coaches avoid the dangers of false assumptions and achieve levels of understanding that would not otherwise be possible.

No questions means no answers and therefore no possibility of reframing the businesses or coming to grips with the real challenges. People ask questions all the time, but be aware that poorly framed questions will only result in poor answers and no reframing. In Part 2, John Hardy looks at questions that really deliver the goods and reach the heart of the business matter.

According to John Hardy, good challenging and thought-provoking questions can result in transformational breakthroughs for business owners and managers. Such questions often come within and are profound in their ability to shine light. The best questions of all are anchored in the realities of profitability, and dollars and cents. He says that there is a close connection between such questions and excellent, well-honed listening skills which need to be learnt and practiced.

We all live full and busy lives, and it’s easy to forget about the power of quiet, reflective time. John strongly advocates investing in a private hour each week, without the distractions of people and telephones around you. Coupled with that reflective time, he recommends keeping a physical journal as a record of your thoughts, and the questions that come to mind that are important to ask of yourself and others in the week or weeks ahead. Asking good questions is a learned skill, and the more you practice on yourself and others, the more adept and skilful you will become.