Ask, don't answer

The power of questions for effective meetings is undeniable, I think. Yet we usually approach strategy meetings, in particular, focusing on answers, not the questioning process itself. There's a great post on Fast Company Now about how approaching meetings with a questioning process, rather than an answer-focused one, can make a huge difference. A snip:

Questions, not answers, are the seeds of success. Someone focused on answers says, "This is the way." Someone focused on questions asks, "Is there a better way?" Questions force you to explore - to stretch, to learn, to grow, and to be creative. Answers let your mind go to sleep. You get lazy when you think you've found the answer. You haven't. And you never will because things always change. To stay vibrant and relevant, keep living the questions.

There's also a good list of things to try to get a meeting on track through questioning. And do try Q-Storming, which I've found to be incredibly interesting. It may be frustrating for those who are action-driven, but for those of us who roll around in process and come up smiling, it's very cool.