A Question is a Leader’s Best Friend

I often tell leaders that their most powerful tool is the question. Asking our teams questions helps us to understand situations, patterns, and information faster and with more depth than just observation. It gives us a bigger capacity for compassion and reasoning which, in turn, give us solutions instead of problems.

The real benefit, however, of asking a question is what it does to the brain. When someone hears a question, the brain first needs to understand the meaning of the words in the question, then it needs to retrieve relevant information from memory to generate a response. This process of understanding and retrieving information requires higher levels of cognitive control and involves different brain regions compared to when a statement is heard.

Research has shown that the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for executive function and decision-making, is more active when a person is answering a question compared to when they are listening to a statement. Additionally, the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory retrieval, is also more active when a person is answering a question.

Overall, the brain engages in different patterns of cognitive processing when asked a question versus hearing a statement, and this is reflected in the activation of different brain regions. Additionally, if your team becomes familiar with your tendency to ask questions when they approach you with challenges, they will begin to work through those typical questions on their own helping them to problem solve even without you.

When you ask questions, you’re using the brain’s neuroplasticity to re-wire your team’s brains and you’re exercising different parts of their brain which can improve cognitive functionality. The more you ask questions in response to difficulties, the more they do. This is not only a benefit in the workplace but in every other aspect of life. Asking questions creates perspective shifting and it results in better emotional wellness, mental cognition, and more creative individuals that can make a lasting impact with your organization and in their communities. So, Ask instead of Answer.

Want more tips? Visit www.Stephaniekunkel.com to book a perspective session.