10 thought-provoking questions to ask other leaders

Your success as a leader lies in your ability to inspire and set good examples for others to follow.  But what goes into developing and shaping a great leader?

This week’s TIP is a fun read, written by the Staff at Vistage: 10 thought-provoking questions to ask other leaders. The article is filled with a number of contributing authors offering advice for those seeking to open up that conversation with their peers. Conversations that could change their lives for the better!

What discussion do you wish you could have with other like-minded leaders and professionals?   In turn, how will you present the significance of an event to your team?  “Sometimes the feedback I hear is that they didn’t recognize the significance of events until they’re asked to present,”   explains Kevin Trout of radio program, Three Rivers Leadership.  Taking stock of your own personal leadership experiences and building from that, helps you to analyze and evaluate your goals and key objections along the path. It’s your journey!

“I believe as authentic leaders, we must share our mistakes and successes, as we learn from both` Sharon Stein.

 Target those essential knowledge and skills you possess and measure each one,  while practicing them outright.  Be prepared to demonstrate or present, show how you would apply what you know in a meaningful system – then integrate.  Vistage Staff did a good job pulling together 10 thought-provoking ideas to help kick off a meaningful discussion with your executive peers, your direct reports, coaches, and/or mentors, including:

• Personal inspiration
• Mention motivation
• Explore goals and challenges
• Discuss risk and reward
• …plus more ideas to consider.

 Learning to communicate openly and honestly with your peers helps to build a culture of trust.  Be mindful of the fact that each person will bring something different to the discussion.  Practice active listening!

“Awareness is the first step toward change. Being aware of one’s journey and what shaped them — the good, the bad, and the ugly — is crucial for becoming a better version of themselves.”` Vistage Chair and  executive coach Niels Lameijer

You can politely let others know your ideas differ, but to be effective you need to allow others to actively participate in the conversation.  Vistage Chair Chris Quinn stated it well, “The process of communicating to others opens the leader up to additional questions, which in turn often lead to deeper self-discovery.” I think we are all looking for that deeper self-discovery within ourselves.

 I encourage anyone looking to improve their communication skill with their peers and teams in general to read this article. 10 thought-provoking questions to ask other leaders.