January 14, 2010 by Robin Dickinson | 134 views | Comments (16)
What’s the one question you’re always hoping people will ask you?
Your leading thoughts…
As a leader who reads this blog, your input is encouraged. Sharing your comments and feedback makes a valuable contribution towards helping this leadership community get stronger.
- What’s the one question you’re always hoping people will ask you?
- What’s the most common question people ask you?
- What question do you tend to ask others most? Why?
16 Responses to this post
January 14, 2010 at 6:01 pm |
1. What’s your critical evaluation?
2. When are you coming home?
3. What’s your best deadline from here? (Authors!)
January 14, 2010 at 8:00 pm |
Thanks, Ben. They’re great questions. Love number 2.
Best, Robin
January 14, 2010 at 7:34 pm |
1. I’m not sure, but a question my grandpa often asks and makes me smile: Have you given any good will recently?
2. In Summer: How’s the cricket? In Winter: How can a survey help me grow my business?
3. What are you planning to do with the survey results?
Why? Often people want to do a survey but have unclear aims and have difficulty articulating the ‘why’. It is very difficult (more like, impossible) to design a survey when clear aims have not been defined. You need to know this to know what to ask and also how to ask it. Unclear aims can lead to VERY long surveys. Unclear aims results in lower perceived value as they don’t invest post survey.
January 14, 2010 at 8:04 pm |
Hi Kate,
Thanks for dropping by. Love your questions. Your number 3 is a beauty. It’s worthy of its own post. So many times I’ve seen surveys done that have needed that question asked BEFORE the cash was spent. Excellent advice you share.
Best to you, Robin
January 15, 2010 at 7:16 pm |
Happy to talk to you about a post on that. I was once asked: What is your worst client and I said: someone who wants to do a survey but doesn’t know why.
January 14, 2010 at 9:48 pm |
Hi Robin,
1. How can a strong web presence help my business?
2. How can a blog help my business? (Asked skeptically.)
3. Why? (I like to know how people think.)
January 15, 2010 at 8:21 am |
They are nice, tight questions, Brad.
Thanks for pitching in. ‘Why?’ certainly cuts through the symptoms to the underlying rationale. I find I often have to soften my approach when asking ‘why’ so that I don’t sound like an interrogator.
It’s amazing that people still ask your number 2.
Best, Robin
January 14, 2010 at 10:43 pm |
* What’s the one question you’re always hoping people will ask you?
- “Always” can be considered a generalisation and I would like to replace it with “often” to answer this. I would like to be asked “What have you learned ___(today/ this week)?”
* What’s the most common question people ask you?
- “Alright?” This is an automated question people tend to ask when they are in a rush and invariably generates either a yes/no (mostly “yes”) automated response.
* What question do you tend to ask others most? Why?
- “Is there anything (else) you wanted to tell me?” This is to make sure that the other person gets an opportunity to share and I get an opportunity to listen.
Best wishes,
Rani
January 15, 2010 at 8:28 am |
Thanks for your thoughtful questions, Rani.
Of course, you’re right. Use of ‘always’ is simply a projection of Robin’s desire to have a certain question asked. It is really a lament about the questions that are ‘never’ asked because people don’t know me well enough, aren’t interested enough or too busy to ask.
You make a great contribution,
Best, Robin
January 15, 2010 at 4:31 am |
I need mentors asking me: “What did you specifically do today to get you closer to your dreams?”
People always ask me: “What is your opinion about this?”
I always ask people: “Do you have a detailed plan for this project?” (Because people thinks being fast is the most important thing and start doing things planless then fail eventually)
January 15, 2010 at 8:30 am |
Selcuk, great to see you. Happy New Year!
Great questions. It’s wonderful that people always ask you for your opinion. You can add real value there.
Best, Robin
January 15, 2010 at 10:57 am |
* What’s the one question you’re always hoping people will ask you?
“Can I buy you a drink ?”
I do enjoy my work, and I tend to spend to much time on it, instead of socialising with family and friends.
* What’s the most common question people ask you?
Some variation on “Can you do this for me, please ? it won’t take long…” I need to learn to say no !!
* What question do you tend to ask others most? Why?
“What are we trying to do and why is it important ?”
Helps maintains focus. I try and ask this of myself as well, to try and prevent myself getting into the yak shaving situation….
January 15, 2010 at 11:23 am |
1. You are so interesting and wise, will you come and assist my work in making changes to add meaning to people’s lives and help them be the best they can be? And by the way, I am willing to pay you a living wage.
2. Will you accomplish “this” for this good cause? (Of course, for free – professional volunteer – usually because I lack some more paper approval)
3. What made you feel “great” today? Such as for architects How did you make the world more beautiful/efficient/helpful for others today? For counselors, how did you take care of yourself today? For teachers, how did you effect someone’s life today? Then I listen….
January 15, 2010 at 12:16 pm |
How much is this going to cost?
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