In both Sports and Business, it is important for your players to “Keep their Eye on the Ball”. Top sports coaches accomplish this by using great questions.
Notice a skillful coach never yells, “Keep your eye on the ball !”
Now, lots of Coaches do yell that exact phrase on schoolyards all over the country … and the Skillful Coaches know that a Question is MUCH more powerful than a Command.
They use higer order questions like:
“What spin does the ball have as it comes over the net”
Think about that question for a moment. This question assures that the student:
- is compelled to observe the ball very closely
- is focused at a higher level than simply watching the ball
- must respond with descriptive answers that have more value than “yes or no”
- has created a feedback loop… the coach can verify the answers and therefore the quality of the student’s observation
This is MUCH more valuable than the command, “Keep your eye on the ball” and has direct implications for Business Leaders as well.
Here is another example of the power of higher order questions.
If you play with your children or coach a sports team, try this out.
My favorite with smaller children is this … “Where is the ball?”
When the child hears “Where is the Ball?”… they are instantly focused and on task … and you didn’t have to tell them to do anything. As soon as the question is asked, they search the field and smile as they point the ball out to you. The question is so simple and elegant … it works SO MUCH BETTER than the classic, “Watch the ball Timmy!”
As a team leader in the business world, it is also possible to ask these higher order questions of your team … questions where the answer requires a higher level of observation and understanding and creates a feedback loop that helps you plan your next steps.
SOME HIGHER ORDER QUESTIONS FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM:
Think about the numbers you currently track in your business … this is the business equivalent of the “Ball” you keep your eyes on.
- What questions do these numbers answer?
- What more important question would you like answered?
- What do you need to track in order to answer this more important question?
- Where is the best place to focus your team’s attention this month?
- What is “the ball” they should be watching?
- What question will help them maintain that focus at a higher level? (Hint: it is NOT, “Watch the Ball, people!”)
REMEMBER: The quality of your Questions determines the quality of your Team’s Observations and Performance.
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