When I started out in my career, the key to success was having the right answers. If the boss had a question, he expected me to have the answer\u2014or know where to get it. It seemed like the ones who advanced in their careers the quickest were those with the most answers.<\/p>\n\n
But as I began to ascend the corporate ladder, I discovered that the key to success had begun to shift. It became less and less about having the right answers and more and more about having the right questions.<\/em><\/p>\n In the age of Google, answers are the easy part. You can look up virtually anything and have the answer almost instantaneously. But this only happens if you know how<\/em> to ask the right questions.<\/p>\n\n If you\u2019re going to be a successful leader, you are going to have to learn how to ask good questions. Here are seven tips for taking this skill to the next level.<\/p>\n Questions you can answer “yes” or “no” are closed-ended. They don't generate discussion and they rarely yield any insight. By asking open-ended questions, you get far more interesting insights.<\/p>\n For example, instead of asking, “Are you happy with your results?” you might ask, “Why do you think you got the results you did?” The first question can only be answered “yes” or “no.” The second question invites reflection and starts a discussion.<\/p>\n\t\t1. Ask open-ended questions<\/h3>\n