You folks know I love asking questions. From this post about forgoing answers in favor of asking questions, to my quote, “Asking the right question about the future is more powerful than having the right answer about the past,” I’ve found questions to be a more powerful leadership tool than many others that are out there. Heck, if you read my book One Piece of Paper (Jossey-Bass, 2021), you’ll find it’s full of questions designed to help you become a better leader.

Out of all the questions I know of, the shortest one of all is a great way to stay out of trouble as a leader. I’m talking about the kind of trouble that earns you a reputation as a jackass, an insensitive lout, or someone too obtuse to care about people: “Why?”

We’re generally smart people—that’s why they put us in leadership roles. Smartitude can get problematic, though, when you assess situations too quickly, draw conclusions, then act without taking a moment to stop. Think. Get grounded.

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