ok.. today i'm going to post something on leadership.. got tis article frm Recruit section of The Straits Times by a well-known management writer Peter Drucker and i find it very useful. here are extracts of the article:


To effectively manage the increasing complexity of organisational life, it may be more important for leaders to ask questions than to give answers.


Such a statement is likely to turn the conventional concept of leadership on its head. The stereotypical leader is a tough guy, seldom in doubt and with the whole gameplan all mapped out. All that is needed now is for the rest of his troops to fall in line. The leader of the past is the person who knows how to tell and the leader of the future is the person who knows how to question.


Why ask?

• Questions get us valuable information.

With changes happening constantly, leaders really need to be updated or run the risk of making decisions based on inaccurate or wrong assessments. By asking the right kind of questions, you examine the issues in greater depth. When a leader asks meaningful questions, he is seeking both facts and feelings.

• Questions stimulate thinking and creativity.

A powerful question has an effect on the mind and will inspire you into thinking for answers.


At a recent sales meeting, the sales manager were upset by the aggressive price actions of their competitors. All of them recommended to drop prices punitively.


Finally, the manager asked: "What will be the final outcome if we all engage in a price war?"

There was silence. The meeting soon went on to explore other counter measures that they could take to regain their market position.

• Questions drive commitment.

Most people have pride in their ability to manage their own situations and therefore do not like to be told what to do. If you tell them what they should do, chances of acceptance will be low. They may go along with you, but there will be little commitment. Worse, if telling is your style, they may develop a sense of dependency. In other words, they will come running to you for solutions each time they encounter a problem.

If you now ask him for the solution instead, the effect can be quite dramatic. Imagine having to think for oneself for a change!

By applying the questioning technique in a consistent and respectful way, he will soon realise that you expect him to think through the challenges and develop ideas and options of his own.

As these ideas are his, his sense of ownership will help him see through their execution.

• Questions get people to persuade themselves.

When someone is in a dilemma about something, listen to him and judiciously raise some clarifying questions. You will be surpirsed when he appears to have sorted things out at the end of the conversation.

What you have done is to act as a sounding board, playing back to him issues and ideas that he is grappling with. The decision that he finally comes to may even be similar to what you may have recommended in the first place.

But as he comes to it on his own, he feels that he is in the driver's seat when he persuades himself about what he should do.

• Questions connect you to the organisation.

Leaders who want to feel the pulse of their people need to find time to go out, mingle and ask questions.

The very act of asking a concerned question changes the relationship between an employer and employee, creating a more empathetic and egalitarian workplace. The employee will feel good as he is being heard.

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I always believe a powerful leader is someone who has an attitude problem. Yes, attitude problem. He is one who dares to challenge authority (of course only when he thinks it's right and had considered the consequences). I have read of cases of great leaders (I forgot who) who dared to stage strikes and and oppose teachers when they were young. I dun see anything wrong with tat.

Also, I believe a good leader is one who is willing to sacrifice for his followers and come to the level of his followers. I always tell my cadets that in a hierarchy system, there is the so-called leader up there and then followed by people under his charge. Although the leader has his own roles and responsibility, it is impt tat he comes to the level of his followers to understand their role and help them personally when problems arise. If you remain there as the mighty leader that u think u are, what will the followers see when they look up the hierarchy system?



They will only see an asshole.