Business Skills for Good: Questioning
You may have heard the common phrase “There’s no such thing as a bad question.” Some people may consider these words to live by, whereas others may consider this to be poor advice they would never follow or promote. Whether it is good advice or not, what is less debatable is that good questions can lead to great outcomes. In some instances, if the right question had never been asked, then a beneficial solution might not have come into existence. In this Discussion, you will consider the role of questioning—the Business Skill for Good featured in this course—in effecting positive social change within an organization.
To prepare for this Discussion:
- First, review the following video on Questioning. As you watch, consider that Questioning is not just about seeking answers; it serves as the cornerstone for critical thinking, as it encourages individuals to analyze information, assess options, and make well-informed decisions—all of which are essential for success in the modern workplace. Asking pertinent questions to clarify information, expectations, and goals enhances one’s communication skills, leadership and management skills, as well as interpersonal, social, and people skills. Questioning also drives innovation by challenging established norms and exploring alternative perspectives, thereby driving positive change within organizations.
- Walden University, LLC. (2021). Questioning [Video]. Walden University Canvas. https://waldenu.instructure.com
- Then, think about a time in your professional life in which you asked one or more critical questions that helped to bring about positive change within your organization.
Post an analysis of the role of questioning in affecting positive changes within an organization, to include the following:
- Describe a time in your professional life in which you asked one or more critical questions that helped to bring about positive change (i.e., played a significant role in a favorable outcome) within your organization. In your description, include what question(s) you asked.
- In addition to identifying what your questions were, analyze the way in which you asked your question(s) in the situation and its impact on the outcome.
- Specifically, describe in what ways you tailored your approach to how you asked the question(s) based on your specific audience (i.e., to support open dialogue and information sharing in order to keep the other party or parties from getting defensive).
- Reflecting on the situation, and based on any insights gained from the video, analyze what you might do differently if faced with a similar situation in the future.
