Questions that create change

Recently, I worked with the CEO of an online service provider invoicing his clients +600K per year. Over the course of half-a-day, he problem-solved two separate teams managing through a crisis [server-side coding error] that negatively impacted a client.

When we debriefed at the end of the process, he said that TWO questions made it easier for him to focus in and solve the problem:

Before you go on today, PLEASE these answer TWO questions:

1. "How do you start your day?"
2. "How do you decide you're done at the end of a day?"

I facilitate discussions for leaders (click here) on workplace productivity and performance.

Over and over again, I follow up with EVERY person who emails me for 5 days and I ask the SAME question:

"How did you start your day?"

If they answer that email, I’ll follow it up a few hours later and ask:

“How did how you STARTED your day impact the next few hours?"

Give it a try. Add a question or two to YOUR calendar, and see what happens!