Power Questions

Questions that Work and Don’t Work

The CEO of a $12-billion company offered a simple explanation about how he forms an opinion of other people in the early stages of a business relationship. He gauges “the quality of their questions and how intently they listen.” This CEO confirmed that good questions open doors and offer more insight than good answers. “Power questions” help you elevate your conversations, unlock new opportunities and “get directly to the heart of the matter.”

“What Would You Like to Know About Us?”

In a meeting, three consultants tried to convince five senior executives to hire them for their firm. One prospective client started, as expected, with a softball question: “Tell us a bit about yourselves.” The lead consultant described his firm’s history, its team approach and how well its consultants listen. After he talked for 30 minutes, the client’s VP closed the meeting, saying she had another appointment. The consultants had learned nothing about the client’s goals or challenges.

A year later, one of the consultants was on a similar sales call with a senior partner, DeWitt, a veteran of hundreds of such meetings. The prospect asked...