What year-end conversations are on your calendar? What’s your plan to make those conversations matter?
The end of the year is often a time for reflection. How can you make a plan to grow, learn and improve? How can you think differently about the future? How can you make an impact?
Year-end conversations are a chance to set a higher standard and challenge both ourselves and others to stretch and grow. They’re an opportunity to ask “What if?” They’re a chance to strengthen relationships and align in the pursuit of big dreams.
Often, the impact of those conversations comes down to a choice. Are we going to have the courage to ask better questions or are we going to check the box and just get through the required conversations to close the year?
I spent a day last week speaking to 1,500 emerging leaders at EY. They are a purpose-driven firm committed to building a better working world and they have placed an incredible emphasis on the impact of asking better questions.
Do questions make a better world?
VIDEO: The Question That You Ask Is the Drop That Starts the Ripple
Yes, they do.
Asking better questions often requires the courage to challenge both ourselves and others to think differently, take chances, step up and stretch beyond what we previously thought possible. Often, our own success is directly related to the questions we’re willing to ask ourselves.
Remember that you own 50 percent of every conversation. Are you prepared to ask better questions? What questions will you ask?
In this video, I share a specific example of the missed opportunity that comes from not having the courage to invite a little healthy conflict into our year-end conversations:
VIDEO: Courageous Conversations — YouTube
Don’t make that same mistake. Ask better questions.
