"To what end?"
That and other questions I ask, on repeat.
A big part of my job is asking good questions. Whether it’s on coaching calls or while reviewing intake forms for those calls or in the in-between times when ideas, opportunities, and issues arise.
This is something I enjoy. Digging in to get to what’s really going on. Peeling back the onion. Getting to the heart of what’s being said to get to the right answer.
Also, I’m a person who needs context. Without it, I’m nowhere near my best. Often that means me asking a lot of questions to get the background I need to provide the desired advice. It’s scaffolding or a nest of facts coming together to provide the foundation on which an answer naturally falls into place.
Then, there’s the questions that are begging to be asked in the natural process of us working on various aspects of their businesses.
Here are some of the questions I ask A LOT. If they hit home for you, you’re in good company.
To what end?
This is a question that comes up when I’m working with clients on their service offerings. I’ll ask them what they do. To which, nine times out of ten, they respond with how they do it.
When I ask “What do you do?”, my intention is to understand the outcome they deliver for their clients.
Once we get clear on that, they’ll answer again. This answer is closer to revealing the real work they’re doing. But often, it’s still not quite there. It’s not revealing what the client is gaining in the process.
At which point I ask, “To what end,” often more than once. For example, “I design branding that elevates their business.” Excellent… To what end? What does “elevating their business mean”?
I’ve heard another version of this question that also works, “So what”? ”I create on-brand websites for service-based businesses.” So what?
The next time you’re describing what you do (not how you do it), push yourself to ask one of these questions and keep asking it until you get to the true outcome you deliver for your clients.
When and how did this come about?
When I read a client intake form and see business development opportunities listed or deals closed — I add to my notes, “Tell me more.”
Why? Because it’s so easy to skip over the learnings. And trust me, there is gold to be mined here.
You’ve been doing the work and now things are starting to move. You’re creating opportunities and you’re ready to gloss over them. Stop!
Dissect it. When did it come about? How did it come about? Was it a referral? From whom? How do you know this person? Did you recently and proactively (re)connect with them? Was it via a networking event? A social media platform? Your email list?
Dig deep to mine the gold… and spend it.
How did you leave it?
When any business conversation, text exchange, or email exchange ends, and I’m asked to advise on the next steps, this is the question I ask. “How did you leave it"?”
Why? Because there are clues written all over the communication, no matter the format, that tells you how to appropriately respond.
When we go back through it together, you’ll see what you need to do next to move you in the direction of your goals.
What do you want to do?
You’d think that this might not be a necessary question or one that I ask fairly often. But it is. Because it’s easy to get caught up in what you think you should do.
So, we “slow the roll” a bit and dig into the opportunity or issue. We lay out the facts (yes, facts — the truths that cannot be avoided) and the options based on those facts. Then I ask, “What do you want to do?”
Give yourself permission to want what you what. No explanation necessary.
Until next time.
Katherine
#ICYMI
What’s driving you? - It may be time for a change
On doing the right things, repeatedly - Approach the fundamentals like a pro
On doing the work you want to be doing - With the clients you want to be doing it with
March Resource Roundup - What to read, listen to, and watch, in one place
How to build resilience in your business - Because resilience builds business
10 business lessons to learn sooner rather than later - From someone who’s been there, done that