Become an Approachable Manager

Workplace Leadership

Some years ago I was watching a tv program on a business channel where a bunch of reputed businessmen were the judges for a young business entrepreneur program. Each young participant (college students) was expected to present a business case for the winning entry. However, the program was going nowhere as the judges weren’t allowing any participant to complete their presentation or go beyond a couple of sentences, and would constantly attack them with questions after questions. The judges were even firing questions at each other and answering every question with another question. Every young participant, half their age, were being ripped to pieces with their incessant and often cynical questions. Finally, one of the participants was awarded a ceramic pot of un-definable shape with something inscribed on it, while the others walked out dazed and gasping for breath. Mercifully, the program ended soon.

What the above incident teaches you is the world today is full of people who love to ask tough questions. Interviews, talk shows, blogs, corporate seminars, meetings, vendor discussions, business strategies, IT support, journalism, service level agreements, etc., all love bombarding someone with truckloads of smart and intelligent-sounding questions. Today, asking questions that others cannot answer is the favorite hobby for many people.

Hence, many executives nowadays take great pride in asking complicated and smart questions that can make others squirm, shut their mouths, or run away from the scene. Also, many people believe just asking a tough question settles the matter without the need to get involved to solve the issue. Secondly, a large percentage of people ask tough questions just for the heck of it, especially in meetings.