Stop answering people’s questions

When someone asks you a question, the worst thing you can do is immediately respond.

In a fast-paced meeting, we have virtually no time to think up well-constructed questions. 

This means that the questions people ask often aren’t exactly what they want to know.

So next time someone asks you a question, take a moment to explore where they’re coming from. You could:

👉 Repeat back their question in your own words (so they can reflect on whether that’s really what they want to know)
👉 Ask them to expand on their question with a bit more detail
👉 Tell them they sound concerned (or however they seem to you) so they explain things in more detail

Then, when they get to the crux of what they do want to know… Go ahead and answer their question.