7 Powerful Questions That Drive Better Decisions
A practical guide to asking better questions in any leadership conversation
Confirmation bias is one of the biggest threats to a leader's decision quality. We adopt an interpretation early, then look for evidence that proves we're right — often without realizing we're doing it.
The fix is simple, but not easy: stop assuming you know the answer. Start asking better questions.
In our Forbes article on the topic, we laid out the criteria for what makes a question powerful in the first place - and how to recognize one when you're about to ask it.
A recap on what makes a powerful question
A powerful question evokes clarity, creates possibility, reveals new learning, and generates action. It also:
- Is open-ended - ask what, when, or how, not yes or no
- Comes from a beginner's mindset - tell yourself "I don't know the answer" before you walk in
- Is clear and succinct - simple words, no jargon
- Is impactful - aim for 2-3 powerful questions in a 30-minute conversation, not every question
- Happens in the moment - you can't script it, you have to be present
The leaders who ask the best questions aren't the ones with the best memory. They're the ones who walk into conversations curious about what they don't yet know.
7 questions to drive better decisions
Michael Bungay Stanier's The Coaching Habit identified seven questions that consistently outperform the rest. They work in 1-on-1s, board prep, retention conversations, feedback moments - almost every leadership conversation that matters.
Here's how to use each one:
1. The Kickstart Question: "What's on your mind?"
- Why it works: It's a better opener than "How are you?" — which almost always gets a polite, surface-level answer. "What's on your mind?" gets you straight to what actually matters.
- When to use it: Start any 1-on-1, skip-level, or check-in with this question.
- In practice: asking "How are things going?" assumes everything's fine, but asking "What's on your mind?" uncovers what they actually came to talk about.
2. The AWE Question: "And what else?"
- Why it works: The first answer is rarely the most important one. Bungay Stanier calls this "the best coaching question in the world" — because it gives the other person space to surface what they didn't say first.
- When to use it: After someone shares a concern, an idea, or an objection. Especially powerful in retention conversations, where the unspoken issue usually matters more than the spoken one.
- In practice: "I'm feeling stretched." You could assume they need fewer projects. Or you could ask, "And what else?" and find out they actually feel unseen by senior leadership.
3. The Focus Question: "What's the real challenge here for you?"
- Why it works: Surface problems usually mask deeper ones. This question forces the other person to slow down and identify what they're actually wrestling with — not just the first symptom they noticed.
- When to use it: Any time someone brings you a problem to solve.
- In practice: "My team can't hit the deadline." You could assume it's a workload issue. Asking the question might surface that the team doesn't believe the deadline is realistic — a very different conversation.
4. The Foundation Question: "What do you want?"
- Why it works: Most conversations stall because no one's named the actual ask. People come to leaders with problems, frustrations, and updates — but rarely with a clear request. This question forces clarity.
- When to use it: When someone brings you a problem, and you can tell they want something, but haven't said what.
- In practice: "I'm worried about the product launch." You could assume they want you to fix it. They might just want to be heard, or they want you to escalate. Each calls for a different response.
5. The Lazy Question: "How can I help?"
- Why it works: It's direct, generous, and disarming. When you're trying to get someone on board with a new direction, asking what they need from you to feel supported is one of the most trust-building moves you can make.
- When to use it: Getting buy-in. Supporting someone through change. Or any moment that you feel tempted to start offering solutions.
- In practice: A team lead is clearly uneasy about a reorg. You could assume they need convincing. Asking "How can I help you navigate this?" moves them from resistance to partnership.
6. The Strategic Question: "If you're saying yes to this, what are you saying no to?"
- Why it works: Every decision has a tradeoff, but most teams don't surface the cost until it's too late. This question makes the tradeoff visible before the commitment is made.
- When to use it: Board pitches. Prioritization conversations. Hard resource decisions.
- In practice: A team wants to launch a new initiative. You could assume they've thought through the tradeoffs. Asking this question clarifies what's actually getting deprioritized — and whether they're willing to make that call.
7. The Learning Question: "What was most useful for you?"
- Why it works: Learning doesn't happen during the conversation — it happens when someone reflects on it afterward. This question creates a moment of reflection that locks in what mattered. It's especially valuable after delivering tough feedback, when you want to know whether the message actually landed.
- When to use it: Closing any meaningful conversation like a 1-on-1, a coaching moment, a hard feedback session, or even a team meeting.
- In practice, after a tough feedback conversation, you might assume the message landed. Asking "What was most useful for you in this?" tells you what actually did.
How to use these questions
There's no script for asking powerful questions. They happen in the moment, and they take practice - pick one, use it in your next meeting, and notice what changes.
The leaders who consistently ask powerful questions aren't the ones with the best memories. They're the ones who walk in curious - and that's the real antidote to confirmation bias.
"And what else?" and "What's the real challenge here for you?" are the two that show up most often for us, because they unlock so much of what gets left unsaid. We'd love to hear which of these you tried this wek, and what changed when you did.
