【观点】一个人能不能做领导，这一点很重要

苏格拉底说：“人类最高级的智慧就是向自己或向别人提问。”

多年来，我仔细观察并记录那些顶尖领导者是如何在关键时刻提出关键问题的。几乎所有杰出的领导者，他们提出的问题总能如同犀利的刀刃，直击问题的核心，解决那些令人困扰的难题、不确定因素和复杂的决策。

无论是在全体会议、团队讨论还是一对一沟通中，这些杰出的领导者总能敏锐地捕捉到何时应该拓展讨论，以融入更多观点，以及何时应该聚焦讨论，以作出最终决策。 CXO UNION-CXO联盟（cxounion.cn）

如果说好的答案是新世界宝藏的一颗宝石，那么好的问题就是开启世界的金钥匙。特斯拉CEO埃隆·马斯克也曾说：“在很多情况下，提出问题比找到答案更难。如果你能提出正确的问题，那么答案自然而然就出现了。”

因此，判断一位领导者是否优秀，“会不会提问”就显得非常关键，以下11条有关”领导者如何正确提问“的建议，对我启发颇深，相信也会为你带来帮助。

一、每次只问一个问题

公司里有一位管理人员，他提问时总是像机关枪一样一连串地发问，每次都能脱口而出四到五个问题，让人应接不暇。

团队成员经常被他这顿操作搞得晕头转向，不知所措，不知道该先回答哪一个好，是先回答第一个，还是聚焦在最后一个问题上。 CXO UNION-CXO联盟（cxounion.cn）

说实话，你觉得他们真的能记住你一下子抛出的所有问题吗？

我要强调的是，提问也得有策略。别急于求成，一次只问一个问题就好。等大家充分讨论并解决了这个问题后，你再提出下一个。

这样的节奏，不仅能让讨论更加有条不紊，大家也能更好地集中精力，不再迷茫。最终，我们的决策过程会更加高效和积极。

二、选择简短的问题

别再长篇大论了，直接问重点吧！

无需过多铺垫，直接了当提问就好。别浪费时间在冗长的背景描述上，简明扼要才是关键。

冗长复杂的问题，往往会让人陷入迷茫，难以抓住重点，更别提给出有价值的回答了。

举个例子，下面两个问题，你更愿意回答哪一个？

• “你最近表现很出色，我觉得你将会在我们公司大有可为。你有没有兴趣接替特里成为会计主管？或者说你对这个位子不感兴趣？如果你不想也没关系，我只是觉得你很合适，而且张三快走了，我们得找人顶上。我知道你挺有上进心的，也说过想换个部门试试，所以我不确定你愿不愿意接这个位子。你怎么看？”
• “张三离开公司后，你有兴趣担任会计主管一职吗？”

能提出像后面这样简短的问题，其实需要很大的自信。

我们往往习惯性地想添加更多细节，但有效的提问务必力求简洁，点到为止，别让废话占了主导。

三、学会适应沉默

大多数人在面对大约4秒的沉默时就会感到不自在。许多缺乏经验的领导者为了缓解这种尴尬，总是匆匆忙忙地找些话题来填补这段沉默，试图让自己和周围的人都感觉更自在一些。

然而，我们要认识到，沉默并非坏事。实际上，沉默常常伴随着深入的思考。

作为领导者，我们要学会在适当的时候保持沉默，给予团队思考的空间，可以让他们有机会更加周全地思考并回答你提出的问题。 CXO UNION-CXO联盟（cxounion.cn）

在许多场合下，这种沉默恰恰是你提问得当的有力证明。

四、提出开放式的问题

开放式问题，就是不能简单地以“是”或“否”作答的问题，这种问题能让回答者有更多空间来表达自己的观点和想法。 CXO UNION-CXO联盟（cxounion.cn）

在工作或生活中，开放式问题往往能带来更丰富的对话内容。举个例子，你和朋友看完电影后，如果问“你觉得这电影咋样？”肯定比“你喜欢这电影吗？”更能引出深入的讨论。

同样，问老板“，”你认为我近期的工作有哪些可以改进的地方？”和 “你觉得我最近表现得好吗？” 这两者有着本质的区别，前者显然能提供更具体的反馈和建议。

封闭式问题当然有其使用的场合（这个我们稍后再聊），但相比之下，开放式问题更能避免引导性和局限性，有助于我们获取更全面、更真实的信息。

五、避免以 “为什么 “开头的提问

“为什么”开头的问题，比如“你为什么选择这样做？”或者“你为什么不直接……？”，往往会让人感觉到被质疑或挑战，进而可能产生防御心理。 CXO UNION-CXO联盟（cxounion.cn）

这样的问题可能会让对方觉得需要为自己的决策或行动进行辩解，这并不利于开展开放、坦诚的讨论。

我们的目标是鼓励交流和分享，而不是让对方感到需要自卫。因此，尝试用更中性的方式来提问，可能会得到更真诚的回应和更有效的讨论。

六、提问时多用“什么”和“如何”

大家可能都知道“五个W”和“一个H”：Who、What、Where、When、Why和How。虽然它们在叙述故事或解析概念时都很有用，但在提问时，以“什么”和“如何”开头的问题往往更能引导人们分享他们的思考和见解。

试试这样问：

• “你目前在思考什么？”
• “关于我们接下来的行动，你有什么建议？”
• “要达成这个目标，你觉得咱们该怎么做？”

七、考虑是否要扩大或缩小讨论的范围

根据情境选择恰当的问题类型，是每位领导者都应掌握的艺术。问题可以设计得广泛以激发思考，也可以具体以聚焦决策。 CXO UNION-CXO联盟（cxounion.cn）

在收集创意和想法时，要提能激发大家思考的问题，以获取更多答案。

比如，在两小时的头脑风暴会议中，你希望每个人都能畅所欲言。这时，开放式问题就派上了用场，它们能拓展思维，促进广泛讨论，激发更多创意，比如问：

• “大家觉得我们如何提高平台的用户活跃度？”
• “有哪些方法可以简化我们的销售流程？”

然而，讨论过后，我们需要将想法转化为实际行动。因此，在会议的后半段，领导者应该逐渐缩小讨论范围，引导团队聚焦并做出决策。这时，可以提出更具体的问题，例如：

• “在这些建议中，大家觉得哪一个最具实施潜力？”
• “结合我们的讨论，你认为最关键的三点是什么？” 

八、引导团队“权衡”决策

在团队讨论中，我们经常需要了解成员们对于不同想法的倾向性，以便更好地推进工作。但直接询问往往效果不佳。

为了让大家更积极地参与并做出明智的选择，这里有几个实用的“权衡”小技巧：

1. 三票定乾坤：给每位成员发三票，让他们根据自己的判断，投给最认同的三个观点。这样既能体现每个人的偏好，又能确保决策的全面性。 CXO UNION-CXO联盟（cxounion.cn）

2. 他山之石：要求每位成员选出最看好的观点，但有个前提——这个观点不能是自己提出的。这样做能鼓励大家更客观地看待问题，避免主观偏见。

3. 匿名排序法：让团队成员匿名写下自己心仪的三个选项，并进行排序。通过赋予不同排名以不同的权重（例如，第一名3分、第二名2分、第三名1分），我们可以更精确地了解团队的整体倾向。

运用这些“权衡”策略，我们能更高效地引导团队从多元化的意见中达成共识，推动项目向前发展。

九、利用封闭式问题有效促成决策

封闭式问题，即那些只能以“是”或“否”或有限选项来回答的问题，是推动决策的有力工具。

在团队讨论或会议中，巧妙地使用封闭式问题能够引导成员在你设定的框架内做出选择，从而加速决策过程。

以头脑风暴会议为例，虽然会议初期我们鼓励开放式的讨论和思维碰撞，但在需要达成共识和做出决策时，封闭式问题就显得尤为重要。比如： CXO UNION-CXO联盟（cxounion.cn）

“看来大家对A计划有个初步的共识了，赞同A计划的请举手。”

“既然张三的提案获得了最多的支持，那么有没有人反对将这个提案作为我们的下一步行动方向？”

十、问题中不要隐藏答案

“自以为比别人知道得多，其实就是自欺欺人。”

在日常工作中，我们有时会遇到这样的情况：有人以提问的方式，实则是在表达自己的观点或期望。

比如，CEO可能会询问员工：“我们是否应该考虑采取行动了？”这样的问题，其实已经暗含了提问者的看法或期望。

“带着问号的建议”，这确实是一种试图影响他人的巧妙方式。但作为领导者，我们需要警惕这种做法，确保在提问时保持开放和中立，不要隐藏答案或预设立场。

我们应该提出真正的问题，激发团队的思考和讨论，而不是试图通过提问来引导或控制他人的观点。

十一、对你的问题制定严格的标准

去年，我向CEO提出了一个培训想法，他问我：如何判断这培训是否值得投入时间。我当时说，我会问管理者们：“如果举办这个培训，你们愿意参加吗？”CEO马上指出：“你的问题标准太低了。”

他进一步解释说，我的问题没有针对性，我应该更具体地问管理者们：“为了让你的整个团队都积极参与，你希望培训包含哪些内容？只是管理者个人的参与并不足够，我需要的是大家的全心投入和认可。”

当你想要推动一个重要项目时，提问的方式需要更加严格和精准，例如：

“如果让你从预算中拿出10000元来支持这个项目，你愿意吗？”

“为了这次全体会议，你觉得我们应该预留多少工作时间？”

在我多年的职业生涯中，我领导过各种类型的会议，包括战略规划、工作汇报、团队评审等。在这些经历中，我发现，是否能得到有效的答案往往取决于提问的方式。 CXO UNION-CXO联盟（cxounion.cn）

有效的提问是激发团队智慧、引导高效决策的关键。“答案是一个封闭的空间，而问题则是开启这个空间的钥匙。”因此，作为管理者，我们需要学会精准设问，以引导团队走向更好的未来。

翻译：

Whether a person can lead or not is very important

Socrates said, “The highest wisdom of man is to ask questions of himself or of others.”

Over the years, I have carefully observed and documented how top leaders ask critical questions at critical moments. Almost all great leaders ask questions that strike at the heart of the problem like a sharp knife, solving the perplexing problems, uncertainties, and complex decisions.

Whether in plenary meetings, team discussions, or one-on-one communications, these exceptional leaders have a keen sense of when to broaden the discussion to include more perspectives, and when to focus the discussion to make a final decision.

If a good answer is a jewel in the treasure of a new world, then a good question is the golden key that unlocks the world. Tesla CEO Elon Musk once said, “In many cases, asking a question is harder than finding an answer.” If you ask the right questions, the answers will come naturally.”

Therefore, whether a leader can ask questions is very important to judge whether a leader can ask questions. The following 11 tips on how to ask questions correctly have been enlightening to me and will help you as well. CXO UNION-CXO联盟（cxounion.cn）

1. Ask one question at a time

There was an executive in the company who always fired off a series of questions like a machine gun, and he could blurt out four or five questions at a time.

Team members were often confused by his operation and did not know which to answer first, whether to answer the first question or focus on the last question.

Honestly, do you think they can really remember all the questions you throw at them at once?

I want to emphasize that you have to ask questions strategically. Don’t rush, just ask one question at a time. After everyone has fully discussed and solved this problem, you can bring up the next one.

This rhythm will not only make the discussion more orderly, but also make everyone better focused and no longer confused. Ultimately, our decision-making process will be more efficient and active.

2. Choose short questions

Stop the long talk and get to the point!

No need to lay the groundwork, just ask straight questions. Don’t waste time on lengthy background descriptions. It’s important to be concise.

Long and complex questions often confuse people and make it difficult to get to the point, let alone give a valuable answer. CXO UNION-CXO联盟（cxounion.cn）

For example, which of the following two questions would you rather answer?

“You’ve been doing a great job lately, and I think you’re going to have a great career in our company. Would you be interested in succeeding Terry as head of accounting? Or are you not interested in the job? It’s okay if you don’t want to, but I just think you’re a good fit, and with Sam leaving soon, we need to replace him. I know you’re highly motivated, and you’ve said you want to try another department, so I wasn’t sure if you’d like to take the job. What do you think?”

“Would you be interested in the position of Head of accounting when John leaves the company?”

It takes a lot of confidence to ask such a brief question.

We tend to want to add more details, but effective questioning must be concise, to the point, and don’t let the nonsense dominate.

3. Learn to be comfortable with silence

Most people feel uncomfortable when faced with about four seconds of silence. Many inexperienced leaders try to ease the awkwardness by rushing to fill the silence with something to talk about, trying to make themselves and those around them feel more comfortable.

However, we need to realize that silence is not a bad thing. In fact, silence is often accompanied by deep reflection. CXO UNION-CXO联盟（cxounion.cn）

As leaders, we need to learn to be silent when appropriate, giving our team the space to think, giving them the opportunity to think more thoughtfully and answer your questions.

In many cases, this silence is proof that you are asking a proper question.

4. Ask open-ended questions

Open-ended questions are questions that cannot be answered with a simple “yes” or “no” answer. They allow the respondent more room to express his or her own opinions and ideas.

At work or in life, open-ended questions often lead to richer conversations. For example, after watching a movie with your friends, if you ask, “What did you think of the movie?” It’s definitely better than “Did you like the movie?” It leads to more in-depth discussion.

Similarly, ask your boss, “What do you think could be improved in my recent job?” “And” Do you think I’ve been good lately?” There is a fundamental difference between the two, with the former obviously providing more specific feedback and suggestions.

Closed questions certainly have their place (we’ll talk about that later), but by contrast, open questions are less leading-edge and less limiting, and help us get more complete and truthful information. CXO UNION-CXO联盟（cxounion.cn）

5. Avoid questions that start with “Why?

Questions that start with “why”, such as “Why did you choose to do this?” Or “Why don’t you just…… ?” It often makes people feel questioned or challenged, which may produce defensive psychology.

Such questions may make the other person feel like they need to justify their decisions or actions, which is not conducive to an open and honest discussion.

The goal is to encourage communication and sharing, not to make the other person feel the need to defend themselves. Therefore, trying to ask the question in a more neutral way may result in a more sincere response and a more effective discussion. CXO UNION-CXO联盟（cxounion.cn）

6. Use “what” and “How” when asking questions

You probably know the “five W’s” and “one H” : Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How. While they are both useful when telling a story or parsing a concept, questions that begin with “what” and “how” tend to lead people to share their thinking and insights better when asking questions.

Try asking:

“What are you thinking about right now?”

“What do you suggest we do next?”

“What do you think we should do to achieve that?”

7. Consider whether to broaden or narrow the scope of the discussion

Choosing the right type of question for the situation is an art that every leader should master. Questions can be designed broadly to stimulate thought, or specifically to focus on decision-making.

When gathering ideas and ideas, ask questions that inspire people to think and get more answers.

For example, in a two-hour brainstorming session, you want everyone to speak freely. This is where open-ended questions come in. They expand the mind, encourage broad discussion, and inspire more creativity, such as asking: CXO UNION-CXO联盟（cxounion.cn）

“How do you think we can increase user engagement on the platform?”

“What are some ways we can streamline our sales process?”

However, after the discussion, we need to turn ideas into real action. Therefore, in the second half of the meeting, the leader should gradually narrow down the discussion and guide the team to focus and make decisions. At this point, you can ask more specific questions, such as:

“Which of these suggestions do you think has the most potential for implementation?”

“In light of our discussion, what do you think are the three key points?”

8. Guide the team to “weigh” decisions

In team discussions, we often need to understand the members’ preferences for different ideas in order to better advance our work. But direct questioning is often ineffective.

To get people more engaged and making informed choices, here are a few practical trade-offs:

1. Three votes: Give each member three votes and ask them to vote for the three opinions they agree with most according to their own judgment. This will reflect everyone’s preferences and ensure that the decision is comprehensive. CXO UNION-CXO联盟（cxounion.cn）
2. Rock from Another Mountain: Each member is asked to choose the most favorable idea, but the premise is that this idea cannot be proposed by himself. This encourages people to look at the problem more objectively and avoid subjective biases.
3. Anonymous ranking method: Ask team members to write down their favorite three options anonymously and rank them. By giving different rankings different weights (e.g., 3 points for first place, 2 points for second place, and 1 point for third place), we can get a more precise picture of the overall tendencies of the team.

Using these “tradeoff” strategies, we can more effectively guide the team to reach a consensus among diverse opinions and move the project forward.

9. Use closed questions to effectively facilitate decision-making

Closed questions, those that can only be answered with “yes” or “no” or limited options, are powerful tools to drive decision making.

In a team discussion or meeting, the clever use of closed questions can speed up the decision-making process by guiding people to make choices within the framework you have set.

In brainstorming sessions, for example, while open discussion and brainstorming are encouraged at the beginning of the session, closed questions become particularly important when consensus is needed and decisions are made. For example: 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）

“It seems that there is A tentative consensus on Plan A. Raise your hand if you agree with Plan A.”

“Since John’s proposal has the most support, is there any objection to this proposal as our next step?”

10. Don’t hide answers in questions

“To think you know more than others is to deceive yourself.”

In our daily work, we sometimes come across situations where people are actually expressing their views or expectations by asking questions.

For example, a CEO might ask employees, “Should we consider taking action?” Such a question, in fact, already implies the questioner’s views or expectations.

“Advice with a question mark” is indeed an ingenious way of trying to influence others. But as leaders, we need to be wary of this practice and ensure that we remain open and neutral when asking questions, and don’t hide answers or assume positions. CXO UNION-CXO联盟（cxounion.cn）

We should ask real questions that stimulate thinking and discussion in the group, rather than trying to direct or control the opinions of others by asking questions.

11. Set strict standards for your questions

Last year, I pitched a training idea to the CEO, and he asked me how to tell if it was worth the time. I said at the time that I would ask the managers, “If this training were offered, would you be willing to attend?” The CEO quickly pointed out, “Your questions are of a low standard.”

He further explained that my question wasn’t targeted and that I should have asked managers more specifically: “What do you want training to include in order to keep your entire team engaged?” Personal involvement is not enough. What I need is total commitment and recognition.”

When you want to push an important project forward, the way you ask questions needs to be more rigorous and precise, such as:

“If you were asked to take 10,000 yuan from your budget to support this project, would you do it?”

“How much working time do you think we should set aside for this plenary meeting?”

Over the years of my career, I’ve led all types of meetings, including strategic planning, job debriefing, team reviews, and more. In these experiences, I have found that whether I get an effective answer often depends on how the question is asked. CXO UNION-CXO联盟（cxounion.cn）

Effective questioning is the key to inspiring team wisdom and guiding efficient decision making. “The answer is a closed space, and the question is the key that opens it.” Therefore, as managers, we need to learn to ask precise questions to guide the team to a better future.

本文由CXO UNION-CXO联盟（cxounion.cn）转载而成，来源于领导者养成笔记；编辑/翻译：CXO UNIONCXO联盟小U。

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