Get Things Done by Changing Your Question
Sara leaned back, crossed her arms, and sighed.
“It’s not right! My VP expects me to hit these numbers, but customers want updates, and research is focused on new products and won’t give me the time of day. How can I get things done with all this?”
She shook her head. “I guess I’ll go down to R&D and tell them they’ve got to change their attitude or the company’s going to end up in the toilet. This just sucks!”
When Life Isn’t Fair
Can you identify with Sara?
You’re working hard, you take your work seriously, and then you’re confronted with obstacles. Problems. Challenges.
They’re not your fault.
You didn’t ask for them, but there they are, staring you in the face, keeping you from moving forward. You can’t get things done.
Every leader is faced with unfair, difficult circumstances at some point. That’s just life.
Many people will spend years or even their entire life stuck in the quicksand of ‘not-fair-despair.’
But it’s also the moment where leaders are born.
Stuck
Sara was stuck because she hadn’t asked herself the most important question that every great leader asks of both themselves and their team.
She was stuck because her focus was on her problems: other people’s expectations and attitudes.
She was stuck because she chose to see herself as a victim.
If you’re there now, it’s okay. It means your human.
Just don’t stay there.
“Why me?” and it’s cousin “What’s wrong with those people?” are horrible leadership questions. They suck the energy out of you because they give away your power.
The good news is that you can transform your energy, instantly reclaim your power, and get unstuck in just a few seconds.
Three Worlds That Will Transform Your Leadership and Help You Get Things Done
It only takes one question.
It’s a question every great leader asks and its only three words long.
“How Can I…?”
Those seven letters may not look like much, but they are the foundation of leadership.
With those three words:
- You return your focus to your own power and ability to act.
- You tap into the energy of your prefrontal cortex (the part of your brain that problem-solves and plans.)
- You vastly increase the odds of finding a solution (because you’re looking for them!)
- And you take responsibility and ownership for the one thing you can control – yourself.
Restore Your Power
When Sara asked “How can I…?” she finished the question with her goals.
Eg: “How can I work with R&D to find a solution to the customer updates and meet my numbers?” Or, “How can I work with my VP to meet or modify my sales goals? “
With that one “How can I?” in mind, Sara generated a list of potential solutions that didn’t involve forcing someone else to do something.
This question works for teams too.
When I served as an elected councilman I watched our mayor at the time, Joe Rice, transform a room full of stymied constituents, staff, and representatives with one question:
“We can find 1000 reasons why this won’t work. Let’s try a different question, ‘How can we do it?’”
In a matter of seconds, everyone’s thinking changed.
This powerful question is at the heart of leadership. Leaders take ownership for themselves, others, and the world around them. You cannot lead without first taking responsibility.
What About…
1) When you ask “How can I…?” you might honestly respond with “I don’t know.” That’s okay. Use this follow up question from our coaching model: “What might I do if I did know?”
Now watch what happens. It’s amazing how you can generate ideas when you give yourself permission.
Sometimes you’ll realize that you don’t have the information you need in order to craft solutions. Then the question becomes, “How can I get the information?”
2) Responsibility doesn’t mean co-dependency. You are responsible TO your team, not FOR your team. To your organization, not for your organization. To your spouse, not for your spouse.
Your Turn
What problem are you and your team facing that you’re not sure how to solve? How can you pull together and figure it out? (See what I did there?)
Leave us a comment and share your thoughts or your favorite way to move out of victim-thinking and back to responsibility and leadership.
Hello David,
How are you? Thanks for publishing this. It is refreshing and intellectually stimulating. David,I have a question to ask, what do you mean by ‘You are responsible TO your team, not FOR your team.’ I didn’t get it completely. Could you please give one example to help me understand it better?
Thanks and Regards,
Nitin
Nitin,
You’re welcome – and thanks for the question. The difference between being responsible “to” rather than “for” is important for staying healthy. The easiest example is young children: you are responsible “for” your children up to a certain age. When you are responsible for someone, it means that their well-being is part of your job. If your child isn’t healthy, it’s your job to take care of them, get them to the doctor, and give them their medicine. But you wouldn’t be responsible to automatically do that for a healthy adult.
As a leader, being responsible to your team means that you fulfill the commitments of a good leader and manager (eg: you create clear expectations, you encourage, you challenge, you coach your people, ensure systems are aligned to help them succeed). As adults, your team’s well-being isn’t your job. Maintaining that clarity helps you avoid Pleaser tendencies that keep you from achieving results.
Thanks again for the question!