Just Ask Leadership : Why Great Managers Always Ask the Right Questions

John T. Chain, Jr., rose from a second lieutenantto four-star general and led ournational missile defense program.

Mike Harper led ConAgra Foods from$636 million to $20 billion in 20 years andincreased its stocks value 150 times over.

Ask Gary Cohen what these remarkable leadershave in common and his answer will bestraightforward: They use questions to generatefresh ideas, inspire committed action, andbuild an army of forward-thinking leaders.

In Just Ask Leadership, Cohen steers you awayfrom the all-too-common idea that if youdon’t assert yourself with strong statements,you will not be respected. On the contrary,statistics prove that 95 percent of employeesprefer to be asked questions rather than betold what to do. Involving employees andcolleagues in decision making processesbuilds an environment rich with energy, excitement,and innovative problem solving.

Just Ask Leadership outlines not only specificquestions to ask in certain contexts, but alsohow to implement question-based leadershipas a whole. Learn how to

• Spend more time onlong-term goals―and lesson short-term crises
• Build a culture of accountability
• Create unity and trust throughoutyour workforce
• Steer decision making to the mostappropriate parties
• Develop rapport while instillingrespect

When you ask questions, you show respect―and you are respected in turn. It is thatsimple.

A combination of Cohen’s proven expertiseand interviews with nearly 100 highly effectiveleaders, Just Ask Leadership explains howto harness the power of questions to makeyour organization more competitive, moreprofitable, and a better place to work.

Gary Cohen, president and cofounder ofACI Telecentrics, Inc., expanded the companyfrom two people to 2,200 employees,took the company public, and reached $32million in revenues at the company’s peak.ACI grew at an average compounded rateof over 50 percent for almost 13 years. Currently,he is partner and founder of CO2Partners, LLC, in Minneapolis, where heworks as an executive coach and consultant.
Eric Vrooman is a freelance writer living inMinneapolis. He has taught creative writingat Tulane University and Gustavus AdolphusCollege.