1 - Bob Tiede

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Bob Tiede Founder & CEO of Leading With Questions Leadingleadingwithquestions.com

“Leadership is not as much about knowing

the right answers, as it is about knowing the right questions.”

“Questions are the golden keys that unlock hearts and minds.” :: 2 ::

103 QUOTES YOUR MENTOR WILL SHARE WITH YOU, SOONER OR LATER...

Ask and

IT WILL BE GIVEN TO Y O U.

— Jesus Matthew 7:7

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BOB TIEDE


BOB TIEDE

“Instead of a ‘to do’ list, consider creating

a ‘to ask’ list, to see what questions you really need answers to.” — Andrew Finlayson, author of Questions that Work

“Questions are one sure means of turning

the focus back where it belongs—on the people with whom we desire to connect.” — Jedd Medefind & Erik Lokkesmoe, authors of The Revolutionary Communicator—Seven Principles Jesus Lived to Impact, Connect & Lead

“Questions pry open problems.”

— Andrew Finlayson, author of Questions that Work

“Successful questioning is one of the most

powerful skills not just for leaders but for all people.”

— Keith Halperin, Senior V.P. Personnel Decisions International

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BOB TIEDE

You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers.

YOU CAN TELL WHETHER A MAN IS WISE BY HIS QUESTIONS.

— Naguib Mahfouz (1911-2006), Egyptian writer who won the 1988 Nobel Prize for Literature International

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BOB TIEDE

“I started my career as a communications

consultant working with managers. Most were intelligent, motivated individuals who were having problems communicating with their team. I kept asking myself, “Why aren’t they as effective as they want to be?” The answer came back loud and clear—they were telling, not asking.” — Dorothy Leeds, author of The 7 Powers of Questions

“When

the question is asked and the communicator pauses, suddenly the listener is once again the focal point.” — Jedd Medefind & Erik Lokkesmoe, authors of The Revolutionary Communicator—Seven Principles Jesus Lived to Impact, Connect & Lead

“Great leaders others.”

draw great ideas out of

— Rick Warren, Senior Pastor Saddleback Church

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When you want to persuade, you’ll always get further by

ASKING A QUESTION than by

MAKING A S TAT E M E N T — Dorothy Leeds author of The 7 Powers of Questions

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BOB TIEDE


BOB TIEDE

“Poor

leaders rarely ask questions of themselves or others. Good leaders, on the other hand, ask many questions. Great leaders ask the great questions.” — Michael Marquardt, author of Leading with Questions

“Organizations

and leaders that avoid questions are actually losing opportunities to learn.”

— Noel Tichy, Director, Global Leadership Program & Professor of Management and Organizations Michigan Ross School of Business

“A lot of bad leadership comes from an inability or unwillingness to ask questions.” — Michael Parker, President and CEO of Dow Chemical

“If

you want to make a statement, ask questions.”

— Jedd Medefind & Erik Lokkesmoe, authors of The Revolutionary Communicator—Seven Principles Jesus Lived to Impact, Connect & Lead

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ASKING is better than

TELLING

— Andrew Finlayson author of Questions that Work

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BOB TIEDE


BOB TIEDE

“If you want to convince, ask questions.” — Jedd Medefind & Erik Lokkesmoe, authors of The Revolutionary Communicator—Seven Principles Jesus Lived to Impact, Connect & Lead

“You don’t have to have all the answers.

But what’s not negotiable is that you have the questions.” — Beverly Kaye & Julie Winkle Giulioni, authors of Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go

“I start every morning with, ‘Does anyone

have an idea of how we can make money today?’ If you don’t make money, you go out of business. I don’t care where the idea comes from. If anybody’s got an idea, I’m smart enough to have an open mind.” — T. Boone Pickens, American Business Magnate and Financier

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We run this company

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ON QUESTIONS not answers.

— Eric Schmidt CEO of Google

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BOB TIEDE

“Lead

people with statements, and they will follow. Lead people with questions, and they too will lead.” — Dr. Brett Hulett, Pastor in Prosser, WA

“Socratic

leadership attracts and keeps stronger talent than autocratic leadership does.” — Joel Manby, President & CEO Herschend Entertainment

Family

“I kept six honest serving men; they taught

me all I knew. Their names were What and Why and When and How and Where and Who.” — Rudyard Kipling journalist and poet

(1865-1936), English author,

“Revolutions begin when someone asks a question.” — Jedd Medefind & Erik Lokkesmoe, authors of The Revolutionary Communicator—Seven Principles Jesus Lived to Impact, Connect & Lead — 12 —


BOB TIEDE

The greatest compliment that was ever paid me was when one asked me what I thought, and

AND ATTENDED TO MY ANSWER.

— Henry David Thoreau (1817- 1862) American author, poet & philosopher

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BOB TIEDE

“When you say, ‘Tell me about you,’ you

invite people to talk about whatever is most important to them—what they care about, what they dream about, what they hope for, what they fear. It’s a brilliant question. It’s the key that unlocks another’s soul.” — Dan DeVos, President and CEO of DP Fox Ventures and Chairman of the Orlando Magic

“What do I get from asking questions? The

ability to quickly learn what others have learned already, so as not to reinvent the wheel.” — Douglas W. Melton

“In

every age, the truth is—When you want to deliver the right answers, ask good questions.” — Jedd Medefind & Erik Lokkesmoe, authors of The Revolutionary Communicator—Seven Principles Jesus Lived to Impact, Connect & Lead

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BOB TIEDE

If you ask profound questions, you get profound answers. If you ask shallow questions, you get shallow answers. If you ask no questions,

YOU GET NO A N S W E R S AT ALL.

— Bobb Biehl President of Master Planning Group International

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BOB TIEDE

“Statements generate resistance, whereas

questions generate answers. Questions allow the other side to get their points across and let you understand them. Questions offer them no target to strike at, no position to attack. Questions do not criticize, they educate.” — Roger Fisher, Professor of Law, Harvard Law School

“If you want to change hearts and minds for the long haul, ask questions.” — Jedd Medefind & Erik Lokkesmoe, authors of The Revolutionary Communicator—Seven Principles Jesus Lived to Impact, Connect & Lead

“It is better to know some of the questions than to know all of the answers.”

— James Thurber (1894-1961), American author, cartoonist and celebrated wit

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BOB TIEDE

I never learn anything talking. I only learn things

WHEN I ASK Q U E S T I O N S.

— Lou Holtz former football coach, active sportscaster, author, and speaker

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BOB TIEDE

“Leading with Questions has been always

part of my leadership because I believe that leadership is not telling, but inspiring and showing others new places where they haven’t been earlier.” — Pentti Sydanmaanlakka, former head of H.R. at Nokia

“A

major stimulant to creative thinking is focused questions. There is something about a well-worded question that often penetrates to the heart of the matter and triggers new ideas and insights.” — Brian Tracy, Author and Motivational Speaker

“Ask the right question may be the most important part of thinking.”

— Edward de Bono, Maltese physician, author, inventor and consultant

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A question not asked is a

DOOR NOT O P E N E D.

— Marilee Adams author of The Art of the Question

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BOB TIEDE


BOB TIEDE

“From the day of Socrates, our ability to

ask the right questions has been revered as one of the greatest skills a person should possess when leading others.” — Professor Eric Charoux, Executive Director of the Charles Telfair Institute Telfar, Moka Mauritius

“Something

remarkable happened to people when Jesus—the self-proclaimed answer—began asking questions.” — Jedd Medefind & Erik Lokkesmoe, authors of The Revolutionary Communicator—Seven Principles Jesus Lived to Impact, Connect & Lead

“For

most companies, their greatest resource is their people. If leaders don’t ask what they know, a valuable corporate resource will have been wasted.”

— Steven Segal, founding partner J.W. Childs Associates

“Would you rather be asked for your input or told what to do?” — Gary B Cohen, Just Ask Leadership — 20 —


BOB TIEDE

No man really becomes a fool until he

STOPS ASKING Q U E S T I O N S.

— Charles Steinmetz German-American mathematician and electrical engineer

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BOB TIEDE

“When

you are talking, you are only covering what you already know. The only way to learn what the other person needs (and what you don’t already know) is to ask questions.” — Tom Hopkins, author of How to Master the Art of Selling

“A

prudent question is one-half of wisdom.” — Francis Bacon (1561-1626), Attorney General & Lord Chancellor of England

“Good questions and active listening are

the hallmark of great leaders in the private, public and non-profit sectors.” — John C. Read, president and chief executive Outward Bound

“If

you aren’t asking questions, it means you are not naturally curious—a clear sign of someone mired in the past.” — GL Hoffman, president and CEO JobDig — 22 —


BOB TIEDE

When you are an individual contributor, you try to have all the answers. When you are a leader, your job is to

H AV E A L L T H E Q U E S T I O N S.

— Jack Welch Chairman and CEO of General Electric from 1981 to 2001

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BOB TIEDE

“I

discovered long ago that it is more important to ask the right questions rather than pretend that you have the right answers.”

— Harsh Pati Singhania, managing director JK paper Limited

“A

prudent question is one-half of wisdom.” — Francis Bacon (1561-1626), Attorney General & Lord Chancellor of England

“The

heart of what real leadership is all about--dropping the ego and using the power of questioning to stimulate others to think for themselves.” — Audi Dunham, COO The Arthur Group

“If you want to honor your listeners, ask questions.”

— Jedd Medefind & Erik Lokkesmoe, authors of The Revolutionary Communicator—Seven Principles Jesus Lived to Impact, Connect & Lead — 24 —


BOB TIEDE

The average four-year old asks three hundred questions a day. The average college graduate

A S K S T W E N T Y.

— Larry Wilson entrepreneur, organizational consultant

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BOB TIEDE

“The person who knows ‘HOW’ will always

have a job. The person who knows ‘WHY’ will always be his boss.”

— Diane Ravitch, Research Professor of Education at New York University

“Questions

draw others to places where new answers can be found.” — Jedd Medefind & Erik Lokkesmoe, authors of The Revolutionary Communicator—Seven Principles Jesus Lived to Impact, Connect & Lead

“Administrators

can empower teachers and teachers can empower students, simply by asking thoughtful, open-ended questions.” — Arne Duncan, United States Secretary of Education

“Asking

questions is not just about decision making, it is what leaders use to lead!” — General Jack Chain, retired U.S. Air Force — 26 —


No one ever

BOB TIEDE

LISTEN HIMSELF OUT OF A JOB.

— President Calvin Coolidge

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BOB TIEDE

“95 percent of leaders prefer to be asked

questions rather than told what to do. And yet, according to a survey I conducted, these same leaders give instructions 58% of the time rather than asking coworkers for their input!” — Gary B Cohen, author of Just Ask Leadership

“Successful people do two things regularly: 1) Ask Questions 2) Listen.”

— Alan Stein, Professional Basketball Strength and Conditioning Coach

“Statements

alone can be rigid, easily picked apart, and then disregarded in a debate over details. They tend to make demands of the audience rather than requests.” — Jedd Medefind & Erik Lokkesmoe, authors of The Revolutionary Communicator—Seven Principles Jesus Lived to Impact, Connect & Lead

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One who never asks

BOB TIEDE

EITHER KNOWS EVERYTHING OR N O T H I N G.

— Malcolm Forbes 1919 –1990 was Publisher of Forbes Magazine

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BOB TIEDE

“One of the best things a leader can do

is ask the right questions. I love to say, ‘A leader can only see what a leader can see’. The leader can often be the last to know where there is a problem or what others are thinking, so asking questions is critical to good leadership. Great leaders ask great questions.” — Ron Edmondson, Senior Pastor Immanuel Baptist Church Lexington, Kentucky

“Knowledge is not gained by flapping your lips, but by removing your ear wax.” — Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer at N2Growth

“Never be afraid to ask questions.”

— Joel Madden, American singer, record producer, and actor

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BOB TIEDE

The best question a manager can ask his subordinates is

“WHAT IS YOUR OPINION?”

— smh.com.au The Sydney Morning Herald

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BOB TIEDE

“Jesus’

questions invited others to participate in the activity of discovery, to take hold of the truth for themselves.” — Jedd Medefind & Erik Lokkesmoe, authors of The Revolutionary Communicator—Seven Principles Jesus Lived to Impact, Connect & Lead

“Good questions generate thought, focus, and action from the listener.” — Gary B Cohen, author of Just Ask Leadership

“Great leadership is not about having all

the answers—it is, more often, about having the courage to ask the critical questions.” — Robert Steven Kaplan, Professor of Management Practice Harvard Business School

“Leaders

are learners. Learners ask the right people the right questions. Who/what are you asking?” — Hunter Wright, Lead Pastor, Ignition Church

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A fool finds no pleasure in understanding, but

BOB TIEDE

DELIGHTS IN SHARING HIS OWN OPINIONS.

— King Solomon Proverbs 18:2

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BOB TIEDE

“Real leaders ask questions and never stop

learning. Learn from those under you, over you, and from those around you!”

— Dustin Woodward, Lead Student Pastor at Copper Pointe Church

“Jesus’ way stood in sharp contrast to a

dictate-and-command approach. Instead, his questions invited listeners to embark on a search, candle in hand, rummaging through the attic of their minds for an adequate answer.” — Jedd Medefind & Erik Lokkesmoe, authors of The Revolutionary Communicator—Seven Principles Jesus Lived to Impact, Connect & Lead

“Would you rather be asked for your input or told what to do?” — Gary B Cohen, author of Just Ask Leadership

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BOB TIEDE

Asking lots of questions opens

NEW DOORS TO NEW IDEAS, which ultimately contributes to your competitive edge.

— Michael Dell Founder & CEO of Dell

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BOB TIEDE

“When my employees learned that I will

not give answers at the beginning, but that I will first ask questions, then they learn to ask questions themselves and find solutions alone.” — Pentti Sydanmaanlakka, former head of H.R. at Nokia

“My most effective questions were when

anyone disagreed with me. I would simply say, ‘Obviously you have a reason for saying that. Would you mind sharing it with me?’ It’s a nice way to say, ‘hey, I’m not disagreeing—but tell me more.’”

— Tom Hopkins, author How to Master the Art of Selling

“By asking questions, we honor the listener,

conveying a respect for her autonomy and a trust in her ability to choose.” — Jedd Medefind & Erik Lokkesmoe, authors of The Revolutionary Communicator—Seven Principles Jesus Lived to Impact, Connect & Lead

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BOB TIEDE

You ask questions and pretty soon

YOU COME UP WITH ANSWERS.

— Theodore Leavitt American economist and professor at Harvard Business School

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BOB TIEDE

“Great leadership is not about having all

the answers—it is, more often, about having the courage to ask the critical questions.” — Robert Steven Kaplan, Professor of Management Practice Harvard Business School

“Astute leaders use questions to encourage

full participation and teamwork, to spur innovation and outside-the-box thinking, to empower others, to build relationships with customers, to solve problems, and more. The most successful leaders lead with questions” — Michael Marquardt, author Leading with Questions

“Question-asking

slashes against this status quo. It places the other at the center point, undermining the corrosive institution of self-centeredness.” — Jedd Medefind & Erik Lokkesmoe, authors of The Revolutionary Communicator—Seven Principles Jesus Lived to Impact, Connect & Lead

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BOB TIEDE

An effective leader will….

ASK QUESTIONS

instead of giving direct orders.

— Dale Carnegie author of How to Win Friends and Influence People

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BOB TIEDE

“A question evokes an almost irresistible

response. It invites hearers to places they may have never ventured before— places where they can scrutinize life from unexpected vantage points, rethink deeply rooted assumptions, and probe unexamined motives and values.” — Jedd Medefind & Erik Lokkesmoe, authors of The Revolutionary Communicator—Seven Principles Jesus Lived to Impact, Connect & Lead

“Questions

give you the knowledge you can’t learn any other way.” — Sam Albert, former IBM executive

“Leadership

is not about telling people what to do, it is about asking people what they should do.” — Gary B Cohen, author of Just Ask Leadership

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BOB TIEDE

Telling creates resistance.

ASKING CREATES RELATIONSHIPS.

— Andrew Sobel and Jerold Panas Authors of Power Questions and Power Relationships

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BOB TIEDE

“Sometimes the question is more important than the answer.” — Plato

“If

you want to make a statement, ask questions. If you want to convince, ask questions. If you want to honor your listeners, ask questions. If you want to change hearts and minds for the long haul, ask questions. And the better the questions, the more remarkable the result.” — Jedd Medefind & Erik Lokkesmoe, authors of The Revolutionary Communicator—Seven Principles Jesus Lived to Impact, Connect & Lead

“If we tell our coworkers how to do their

jobs, we are essentially limiting their options and stifling their initiative. We’re not leading.” — Gary B Cohen, author of Just Ask Leadership

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BOB TIEDE

Good questions outrank

EASY ANSWERS.

— Paul Samuelson American Economist First American to win theNobel Memorial Prize in Economic Studies — 43 —


“Remarkable Questions.”

Leaders

Ask

BOB TIEDE

Great

— Kevin Eikenberry, Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a leadership and learning consulting company

“The biggest challenge you will face as a

leader is not finding the correct answer – it is asking the right questions.” — Joel Mark Witt, Social Media Marketing Coach & Publisher of Folk Media

“It

is exceptional leaders not all leaders that understand the power of asking questions.” — Gary B Cohen, author of Just Ask Leadership

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I have no special talents.

I A M O N LY PASSIONATELY C U R I O U S.

— Albert Einstein

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BOB TIEDE


“When

BOB TIEDE

Greg Dyke became DirectorGeneral of the BBC in 2000 he went to every major location and assembled the staff. They came expecting a long presentation. He simply sat down with them and asked a question, ‘What is the one thing I should do to make things better for you?’ Then he listened. He followed this with another question, ‘What is the one thing I should do to make things better for our viewers and listeners.’ He knew that at that early stage he could learn more from his employees than they could from him. The workers at the BBC had many wonderful ideas that they were keen to share. The fact that the new boss took time to question and then listen earned him enormous respect.” — Greg Dyke, General Director, BBC

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Find the right questions. You don’t invent the answers

YOU REVEAL THE ANSWERS.

— Dr. Jonas Salk developer of first Polio vaccine

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BOB TIEDE


BOB TIEDE

“If I only had the right questions... If I only had the right question.” — Albert Einstein

“Did you ask any good questions today, Isaac?”

— Nobel Prize winning Physicist Isidor Isaac Rabi’s Mother’s daily question she greeted him with after school

“Questions give you the ability to sail safely in a sea of uncertainty.” — Andre Finalyson, author of Questions that Work

“Being

heard is so close to being loved that for the average person, they are almost indistinguishable.” — David Augsburger, Senior Professor of Pastoral Care and Counselling, Fuller Seminary

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BOB TIEDE

If you ask profound questions, you get profound answers. If you ask shallow questions, you get shallow answers. If you ask no questions,

YOU GET NO A N S W E R S AT ALL.

— Bobb Biehl President of Master Planning Group International

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We thought that we had the answers, it was the

BOB TIEDE

QUESTIONS WE H A D W R O N G.

— Bono

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