Voltaire said, “One should judge a person by their questions rather than their answers.”
Who would have thought a French writer and activist born in 1694 would have had such an impact on business education 300 years later?
Yet, how many business books do you see related to questioning? There are hundreds of sales, with SPIN selling being the most stand-out example of a framework designed around questioning.
Many coaching books, focus on asking questions to help guide, support and influence someone’s mindset.
However, how often have you changed a belief, behaviour, or mindset based on a single question from someone?
Rarely, I imagine.
The reality is that our mindsets and behaviours are mainly influenced by the answers we get to questions we have asked.
Key Areas of Discussions with Brian Glibkowski, Creator of Answer Intelligence (AQ):
- The way we answer questions can impact our ability to motivate behavioural change in others.
- It is important to understand the underlying intent of the question being asked in order to provide an effective answer.
- Answering questions in a way that speaks to the values, needs, and emotions of the listener can help to increase buy-in and drive action.
- The ability to answer questions effectively can be improved through the development of Answer Intelligence, which involves understanding the different types of questions and crafting responses that align with the listener’s goals.
- Taking an assessment to rate your answer intelligence can help identify areas for improvement and provide a framework for developing effective communication skills.
- By improving our answer intelligence, we can become more effective communicators and leaders who are better equipped to drive behavioural change within our teams and organizations.
About Brian:
Dr Glibkowski is the pioneer of Answer Intelligence (AQ)™, an approach that takes a scientific and critical examination of answers in business and life. AQ is a new science of answers (based upon his academic research) that identifies six answer types (story, metaphor, theory, concept, procedure, action) that leaders can use to increase their influence. Read the book, Answer Intelligence: Raise Your AQ (April 2021).
Here is what one executive said about AQ:
“I know I would have been a better leader with Answer Intelligence (AQ)” – Mike Soenke, Retired SVP and CFO of McDonald’s USA