Strategy professor Arnaud Chevallier discusses the importance of asking different types of questions - investigative, speculative, productive, interpretive, and subjective - to unlock value and drive strategic priorities. Real-life examples show how asking the right questions can propel organizations forward in decision-making processes.
Effective leaders pose diverse strategic questions to improve decision-making and problem-solving capabilities.
Adapting question styles and utilizing diverse question types can enhance leadership and decision-making skills effectively.
Deep dives
Importance of Asking Questions in Leadership
Leaders in today's complex business world are shifting from providing answers to asking questions to navigate uncertainties. Jensen Wang, CEO of Invidia, highlights that effective leadership involves fostering exploration by posing illuminating questions. This approach resonates in the era of artificial intelligence, emphasizing that success often hinges on the quality of questions asked.
Types of Strategic Questions
Arnaux Chevalier from IMD Business School underscores the scarcity of professionals skilled in asking diverse strategic questions. The interview highlights the taxonomy of strategic questions with five key types: investigative, speculative, productive, interpretive, and subjective. By recognizing and integrating these question types, individuals can enhance decision-making and problem-solving capabilities.
Developing a Diverse Questioning Repertoire
The podcast emphasizes the importance for individuals to understand and expand their questioning repertoire. By assessing their typical question style and consciously diversifying the types of questions asked, individuals can adapt to different decision-making scenarios effectively. Tools like the Leaders Question Mix assessment offer practical ways for individuals to enhance their questioning strategies and overcome blind spots.
Few leaders have been trained to ask great questions. That might explain why they tend to be good at certain kinds of questions, and less effective at other kinds. Unfortunately, that hurts their ability to pursue strategic priorities. Arnaud Chevallier, strategy professor at IMD Business School, explains how leaders can break out of that rut and systematically ask five kinds of questions: investigative, speculative, productive, interpretive, and subjective. He shares real-life examples of how asking the right sort of question at a key time can unlock value and propel your organization. With his IMD colleagues Frédéric Dalsace and Jean-Louis Barsoux, Chevallier wrote the HBR article "The Art of Asking Smarter Questions."
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