Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/1107571
32 WAC Magazine | wac.net club life professional innovation By Teri Citterman, Executive Coach e first day I sat in a classroom, I learned that right answers get rewarded. We all did. But as a kid, the best compliment I could receive was being told, "at's a good question." at's still the highest compliment I can receive, and it fuels my drive. As an executive performance coach, I have a courtside seat into how leaders think. My job is to ask the questions no one else is asking. ose are the ques- tions that challenge a CEO's thinking, hold a leader accountable, and move a company forward. Turns out, that's the same approach required for a company to innovate. Innovation is only possible when people ask the "good questions" that no other company is asking. And that comes from admitting there are things we don't know. ese questions break estab- Questions that count For leaders, asking the right things is the best place to start EXECUTIVE FORUM The first From the CEO's Perspec- tive executive forum at the WAC will take place at 7:30 am on Thurs- day, May 9, in the Johnson Lobby Lounge. WAC members are invited to attend. The event will include a panel discussion with Rahul Sood of Unikrn, Shauna Swerland of Fuel Talent, and Bill Shihara of Bittrex, as well as breakfast and a networking period. Cost: $50 members, $60 nonmembers. For more information and to check on seat availability, visit wac.net/ceo-forum. lished thinking to reveal new truths and different solutions to the same set of problems. It seems so simple. Yet so many peo- ple with a predisposition for leadership fall into the well-formed habit of pro- viding answers. It's understandable. We learned to operate in a narrow-minded, closed mindset that allows us to feel smart, demonstrate our knowledge, and feel valued. But answers are not what opens thinking to improve and innovate. For that, we need good questions. Here are some questions you and your company might consider asking: • What do we not know that we need to know? • What becomes possible if we figure this out? • What companies in other industries have had success doing something similar? Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt said: "We run this company on questions, not answers." I challenge you to think about and ask those questions others may be thinking but no one else is asking. —Executive performance coach Teri Citterman is hosting a new series of leadership forums at the WAC. She will also be leading a leadership book club and offering personal leadership coaching ses- sions. Visit wac.net/leadership-coaching for more information.