Episode 42: CEOs and Powerful Questions

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CEOs and Powerful Questions
Episode #42 of the Third Turn Podcast with Kay Edwards

Kay Edwards believes that great leaders don't have better answers, they ask better questions.

In this episode, Kay shares what she’s learned about asking powerful questions, and the clarity these questions can yield when we’re otherwise overwhelmed by too much complexity and too much information.

Known in some circles as “the question lady,” Kay is both purveyor and student of good questions.  So she’s got some really helpful wisdom to share for us as leaders, relative to both:

• Practical, daily-reality questions:  How relatively subtle shifts in intent and phraseology can yield really helpful responses in and from those we lead.
• Future-focused strategy questions: Our tendency to ask questions that narrow our options rather than broadening our perspective and deepening our insight. (Kay quotes a study that shows roughly 60% of executive decisions are wrong--not because people aren’t smart, but because they’ve limited the options they’re willing to consider.)

Especially for leaders at the Third Turn, good, creative questions accompany and guide us as we peer into the mist of disruption, complexity, and chaos.  Good questions prompt us in the pursuit of what it means to build an enduring enterprise and what form future value might take.  But good questions require also require bravery and curiosity.  And oftentimes we just plain need someone to help us identify the better, more important, more courageous questions.  Kay’s a master at this.

Also a dog lover, Kay says, “Dogs ask better questions than anyone else I know.”  Questions like “Can we play now?” or “Is it dinnertime?” or better yet “What do I need to know about you right now?”  All very good questions to ask at the end of Kay’s intense and intentional day’s work accompanying leaders in pursuit of powerful questions and insightful, clarifying answers.

Additional Resources:

• Kay’s organization - Outsight Network
• Outsight Perspective blog
• Creative Acts for Curious People: How to Think, Create, and Lead in Unconventional Ways by Sarah Stein Greenberg - the book Kay’s reading and recommends
  
  

- Kristin Evenson

With each episode of the Third Turn Podcast we host a conversation among leaders who want the world to flourish for generations beyond their lifetimes.

Listening with others in some way and enjoying in-depth conversations of your own as you reflect and choose what you would do the same or differently is a plus!

We always welcome you sharing these podcasts with others as well as sending along any suggestions for making these podcasts better.

The Third Turn Podcast is part of the Maestro-level leaders initiative, a production of Design Group International. Strategically Connected's Jennifer Miller is the producer.

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