Just Ask Leadership: Why Great Managers Always Ask the Right Questions | Date: 28 April 2011, 08:32
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Just Ask Leadership: Why Great Managers Always Ask the Right Questions
By Gary B. Cohen
* Publisher: McGraw-Hill
* Number Of Pages: 208
* Publication Date: 2009-08-06
* ISBN-10 / ASIN: 0071621776
* ISBN-13 / EAN: 9780071621779
Product Description:
John T. Chain, Jr., rose from a second lieutenant to four-star general and led our national missile defense program.
Mike Harper led ConAgra Foods from $636 million to $20 billion in 20 years and increased its stocks value 150 times over.
Ask Gary Cohen what these remarkable leaders have in common and his answer will be straightforward: They use questions to generate fresh ideas, inspire committed action, and build an army of forward-thinking leaders.
In Just Ask Leadership, Cohen steers you away from the all-too-common idea that if you don’t assert yourself with strong statements, you will not be respected. On the contrary, statistics prove that 95 percent of employees prefer to be asked questions rather than be told what to do. Involving employees and colleagues in decision making processes builds an environment rich with energy, excitement, and innovative problem solving.
Just Ask Leadership outlines not only specific questions to ask in certain contexts, but also how to implement question-based leadership as a whole. Learn how to
* Spend more time on long-term goals—and less on short-term crises
* Build a culture of accountability
* Create unity and trust throughout your workforce
* Steer decision making to the most appropriate parties
* Develop rapport while instilling respect
When you ask questions, you show respect —and you are respected in turn. It is that simple.
A combination of Cohen’s proven expertise and interviews with nearly 100 highly effective leaders, Just Ask Leadership explains how to harness the power of questions to make your organization more competitive, more profitable, and a better place to work.
Summary: "Just Ask" and you will receive...
Rating: 5
I've known Gary Cohen for over fifteen years. So this review is biased. The Bias comes from seeing the end result of many many conversations with the king of "Asking." I've been enjoying this Asking process with Gary since our first encounter as two inquisitive CEO's. Each time we speak, whether on the phone or in person, the result is the same. I end the conversation with more passion and clarity to carry out whatever thought we were discussing.
Just Ask Leadership has become a way of life, It's more than just another business tool. Incorporate what you take away from reading Gary Cohen's, Just Ask Leadership: Why Great Managers Always Ask the Right Questionsand you'll win in business and in life.
Steve Singer
President & CEO
Fusion Contact Centers
Summary: A very wise book; recommended reading for any manager
Rating: 5
Author Gary Cohen provides an insightful text on how to avoid boggy areas in leadership for managers. The book focuses on asking questions in the right way, and asking question that are RIGHT for situations to get the information needed, and to provide leadership that inspires, not bullies.
One interesting point Cohen makes is that askin a question with innuendo rather than head-on can avoid an unwanted and useless confrontation. "How're things? Running smoothly?" rather than "Will the Widget Schedule be late?" The reduction in risk could give the employee an opportunity to truthfully answer and update a schedule rather than give an impression of an attack.
There are suggestions for going into conferences with employees with an open mind, to avoid a battle and learn the real issues. And hints for gaining consensus when handling difficult and emotional situations.
This is a very wise book, one any manager of people would do well to read and take to heart. The off-the-cuff, fire from the hip manner of asking and challenging may fail; these approaches can win over people to your side and inspire them to work hard for you.
Summary: Should be required reading
Rating: 5
Unfortunately, so many of us grew up in a command and control environment. Our parents told us what to do. The same thing with school, the teachers told us what to do. Our first employment probably continued the same pattern. So by the time we had risen to any sort of managerial position we were totally indoctrinated in the habit of trying to lead by telling rather than asking.
And we have been done a real disservice.
"Would you rather be asked for your input or told what to do?" According to a survey conducted by the author, 95% of leaders preferred to be asked questions rather than told what to do. But "these same leaders give instructions 58% of the time rather than ask."
"If you want to lead and motivate others, questions are the answer. If we tell our coworkers how to do their jobs, we are essentially limiting their options and stifling their initiative. We're not leading." But, as you will learn from this book, all questions are not created equal. The right question can empower, inspire and challenge. The wrong question - a gotcha you question - enhance the status of the asker but demoralize and create distrust among those being asked.
This book is all about teaching you the right questions to ask and the correct way to ask them. The book is a series of questions in five separate categories. 1) How to improve the vision of the organization 2)How to ensure accountability 3) How to build unity and cooperation 4) How to create better decisions and 5) How to motivate to action. In each chapter there are a series of questions and discussion about those questions.
The questions should not be taken as a strict guide. The entire book is designed to change the mindset from command and control to leadership through asking the right questions in the correct manner.
The book is filled with stories that illustrate the point. The book is short and very easy to read, the discussion centered around each question is short and to the point.
The forward was written by Harry Beckwith. If you like his work, you will love this book. The style and approach of Beckwith is very similar to Cohen's.
While the book is intended for business, the concepts work equally well in education, family and personal relationships. People would much rather be asked than told.
You will need to study the book and internalize the ideas. Changing the mindset to an "ask instead of tell" will take time. But it will be well worth it. Your effectiveness will improve. "When leaders use more questions than commands, the organization's culture flourishes."
Highly recommended for anyone who wants to be more effective in dealing with others.
Summary: Finally, a Guide book for Leaders
Rating: 5
Typically, experienced leaders are not very good at explaining what they do or even how they lead people. In his book, Gary Cohen draws experiences and ideas out of some leaders that most of us NEVER get a chance to meet. His hypothesis --THAT exceptional leaders know how to ask questions...is spot on. Great leaders know this almost intutively...Gary shows us all EXACTLY what kind of questions work in different situations. I found it very useful and helpful. Most of all, practical.
Summary: Fascinating to think about how I am the most motivated and creative when asked instead of told
Rating: 5
I love how the very best concepts in life tend to be the simplest. I found Just Ask to be very thought provoking not only for the great insights into leadership it provides but for the many questions it posed for me as I reflected on situations it brought to mind in the past and present.
It was great to think all of this through as I read but even better that Gary gives so many great examples of how you can lead in the situations we all face with sample questions that drive the concept and actual usage home. It feels great to lead this w
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