10 questions to boost your professional credibility

There's a reason every job interview asks the dreaded question: "So, do you have any questions for us?" Gulp. I've got butterflies just thinking about it. Asking questions shows that you're a critical thinker.

Hiring managers ask this to determine how curious you are and whether you have critical thinking skills. Given that, according to the WEF, those skills are the most in-demand future career skills, I'd say it pays to grow and show them.

If you want to stand out in your next interview, meeting or pow-wow with your boss, here are 10 killer questions to get you started...

1. What are our customers/ clients/ community struggling with?

It's easy to go down the garden path of operational improvement and forget what it's all for. Always start with the end in mind.

2. What is the minimum viable decision or next step?

Ask someone to make a decision, build a process or write a project brief, and they'll almost certainly make it too big and complicated. Become known as the loveable pragmatist that keeps everyone moving. 

3. Do we need to do this?

Peter Drucker once said, “There is nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency something that should not be done at all.” Many of your steps, approval processes, projects, and ideas should be deleted. Be the ruthless one, and watch the rewards pile up.

4. How does this impact our other projects?

Modern organisations are siloed vacuums of misery, meaning it doesn't take much for you to stand out. Regularly check in on what's happening outside your area, and BAM! You'll look like a super-connected genius (plus you'll get fans across the entire business by saving them from further overwhelm, which is nice).

5. How can we do this in a way that targets *key priority or customer issue*

It's easy to forget why we're doing something. Products, services, and processes serve all the wrong masters, and we forget that, above all, we're aiming for great service and strategic progress. Be the person who pulls everyone on track with tiny tweaks. Become their strategic Jesus.

6. Is this what our customers/ clients/ community want?

I am consistently amazed at the assumptions powering entire teams and organisations. HAS ANYONE ASKED LATELY? Be the one who asks.

7. Who does this serve? 

Further to the above two questions. It's easy to do things because our CEO likes the idea or Finance wants it - but they're not who you're here to serve. Check who benefits, and most importantly... who doesn't. If you'll make the lives of front-line staff, customers, or vulnerable people harder with your choices, and there's no proportionate benefit attached... don't. 

8. Are we clear on the purpose of this? 

Alternatively, just record yourself screaming "WHYYYYYYYYY!?!?!?!" in a voice memo and hit play every 3 minutes in your meetings and conversations. 

9. Who else is affected by this? Have we talked to them?

Modern leaders are astonishingly bad at seeing the entire chain of events they unleash with a decision or project. Follow the thing to the rainbow's end, and you'll look like a wizard.

10. Does this align with our values? Is there a way we can make sure it does?

Be the person who treats your core values as more than an infographic and establish your reputation as the wisest leader. of them all 

TL;DR: Ask killer questions, look cool, get more money.

Til next week,

A

PS - If you're an ambitious leader who found this useful and exciting, you should join the next intake of Not An MBA. You'll be surrounded by other clever, curious thinkers taking their careers to the next level.