27 Oct Are you telling more than asking?

When conducting our Leadership Conversations program we always ask people to pause on this quote.

We ask them to reflect on their leadership and how often they are ‘telling’ when there is another choice.

A choice to engage, to ask, to innovate and to get the brain firing with thinking. A choice to think of what’s possible. A choice to discuss the future, rather than justify the current state or the past.

There are many reasons we ‘tell’ instead of ‘ask’….

• You might have a belief that you are solely responsible
• You may be efficiency driven and trying to cut to the quickest way
• You might have high ego and think your way is the only way
• You might have fallen into a poor habit
• You might just not know another way

We encourage you to recognise where you are in your leadership… are you telling more than asking? Are you commanding rather than collaborating and empowering? Are you balanced and getting it right?Once you have recognised where you are operating, it’s time to reflect on what changes might serve you, your people and your clients well… is it more ‘ask’ and less ‘tell’? Is it letting go of tight controls?The journey from TELL to ASK is worth the effort.