In our previous blog last week, we reviewed the first four benefits outlined in Maxwell's book, "Good Leaders Ask Great Questions":

1. You only get answers to the questions you ask.

2. Questions unlock and open doors that otherwise remain closed.

3. Questions are the most effective means of connecting with people.

4. Questions cultivate humility.

This blog explores more reasons to embrace questions as part of strong leadership.

5. Questions help you engage others in conversation.

 The best way to get people talking is to ask them great questions. There are so many great, outside-of-the-box questions you could ask.

Here is one example: "If you had 30 minutes to spend with any person alive today, who would that be, and why?"

You could also organize a dinner with a group of like-minded people in your industry and keep the conversation moving by asking great questions. Everyone at the table could learn and grow while also enjoying time together.

6. Questions allow us to build...

Are you a person who asks a lot of questions? If not, have you ever asked yourself why?

Our ability to ask questions has a huge impact on our lives and our interactions with others. It's the key to understanding. Yet, we may not know which questions to ask.

Thomas J. Watson Sr. said, "The ability to ask the right question is more than half the battle of finding the answer." Begin by clarifying what you're trying to find out.

Are you looking for facts? Do you need an expert opinion? Are you asking others to share their experience or skills? Once you begin to explore, dig deeper.

"Why" questions are particularly productive for learning more.

In his book "Good Leaders Ask Great Questions", John Maxwell promotes the value of asking questions as a leadership lifestyle. Here are just a few of the reasons that questions are so powerful:

1. You only get answers to the questions you ask.

At one time or another most of us have said, "I have a question for you and I know it may sound dumb." We...

We start each and every day with a valuable resource.

We’re so used to relying on this resource that we hardly notice it’s there.

And when it dwindles, it can bring us to a complete stop.

But what is this resource?

It’s energy.

...but, in my eyes, it’s way more fun to call it gusto.

Losing our gusto can happen at the peak of success. It can happen when you’re enjoying the passion of a moment. Or it can happen when you’re in a period of transition or redefining your life goals.

It can even happen during routine moments of your everyday life.

We all know what it feels like to lose our gusto. But it happens. And when it happens, we lose control. We lose motivation. We lose energy. We can even lose our capacity to reach our full potential. (I go more into how to reach your full potential here.)

That is the worst thing that can happen.

In our Leadership Programs, we advise our clients that there is one way to beat losing your energy. And it's simple....

Jim Rohn was a successful entrepreneur, author and internationally renowned motivational speaker. His was very much a rags-to-riches story, and that story is a large part of his work which has influenced countless others in the personal development industry.

Rohn was once asked, “If you could live your life over, what would you do differently?” Always insightful and to the point, Rohn responded with this list of four things he wished he could do-over:

1. Give up the blame list sooner.

During his first few years as an adult in the workforce, Jim Rohn was not successful in many areas of his life. He had lots of people he wanted to blame. He blamed his employer for not paying him enough money, the government for taking too much in taxes, the economy for failed opportunities, the bank for not approving him to gain more debt, and his negative relatives for convincing him he would never amount to much.

Then at the age of 25, Rohn had a realization. Where he was mentally,...

As John C. Maxwell says in his book, "Everyone Communicates Few Connect", the key to success in life and leadership is connection. If you can connect with people, you will have a genuine influence on the world. People will be happier and more productive. Teams will be stronger. Communities will be better places to live.

We all like to be heard. We all like to feel that we've been considered. That's what connection is all about. It's about identifying with people and relating to them in a way that makes them feel valued.

"When we seek for connection, we restore the world to wholeness. Our seemingly separate lives become meaningful as we discover how truly necessary we are to each other." – Margaret Wheatley

Forming Human Connections

In today's world of information overload and busy people, we could all work harder at forming basic human connections. It's the fabric of our society.

Recently, Jon had an appointment with an eye specialist. He needed to talk to several people and...

Circular Connection

Traditionally, leaders expected their followers to come to them. The reporting structure flowed in one direction and that was upwards. But as John C. Maxwell explains in his chapter on the Law of Connection in "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership", good leaders know better. They reach out to connect with the people in their organization at an authentic and emotional level.

The direction of connection is not upwards or even downwards. It is circular, a matter of give and take, and the circle starts with the genuine concern of the leader. When people feel their leaders care, they give more to the organization and everyone prospers.

Brene Brown put it well when she said, "I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship."

We rely on technical skills and intellectual know-how. These things are...

We recently helped a woman discover and grow her leadership potential. By all measures, she was already quite a success. She'd obtained a masters and proven her technical skills in a highly competitive industry. With her genuinely supportive personality, people appreciated having her on their team. Anyone would have thought her pathway to reaching her potential as a leader was already set. Yet, there was an important opportunity she'd been missing.

We always like to say, you can't give what you don't know you have. That's why our first step was to explore her leadership potential. She used the online tool we provide on our website to do a Personality Assessment Profile. Armed with a deeper understanding of her leadership style, she was ready to look for new ways of reaching her leadership potential.

She began by considering her inner circle. We all have one. They are the people we trust the most, the people we look towards when we need advice, and the people who are first to give...

Criticism Is Part of Life

Every one of us experiences criticism. It is part of life. Whether the criticism is positive or negative, it can be difficult to receive and even more challenging to give. But learning how is essential for growth.

As Aristotle said, “Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.”

The Story of Barb’s Dream

In most ways, Barb was one of the most confident people in her circle of friends. Yet, when it came to criticism, she felt uncomfortable. No matter how much she prepared for the possibility of negative feedback, she could not seem to get used to it.

Then one day, she decided to be bold. She put her creative work online where the whole world could see it. She created an art project that highlights her talents and showcases all that she dreams of becoming. Although the response was mostly positive, a few people weren't as enthusiastic.

Barb read their comments with apprehension and quickly...

Sarah’s First Job as a Leader

Since she was a child, Sarah has been a natural leader. She loves getting people together and hashing out ideas.

So, when she was assigned to lead a marketing team, she was excited. But as she got into the details of the job, she realized that everything that needed to be done was not in her strength zone.

She wasn't good at putting together detailed agendas and making sure the meetings stayed on topic. She was better at coming up with ideas and brainstorming with her team. But she didn't want to let her team down, so she found a way to make it work. She delegated the agenda to someone on her team who was good at it and focused on leading instead.

The team came up with great ideas and Sarah felt fulfilled in her role. Everyone was successful.

Focus on What You Do Well

We all have an equal helping of both strengths and weaknesses. Yet, we tend to focus on our weaknesses.

What would happen if instead you leveraged your strengths? It can be easy to...

Two Forces in Every Life

According to John Maxwell, there are two forces at work in all our lives. These forces shape our thinking our behaviour, and ultimately our future. He said, “Fear is the key that locks the door to the resources. Faith is the key that opens that door.”

The Power of Fear

If we encounter a bear in the woods, fear is useful. The rush of adrenaline causes us to act decisively to protect ourselves.

Other sources of fear are not so visible or useful. This sort of fear lurks in the shadows and causes an emotional reaction. When that happens, we may not know what to do. And the anxiety that occurs can prevent us from taking action.

Often negative thoughts fed the fear. Such thoughts can be whispers in the back of our mind. We may not even recognize that they have spoken to us, but they can have a really limiting affect on our lives.

The most important step is to listen to your thoughts. When you feel anxious, slow down and ask yourself what’s going...