Organisations need leaders and teams who can navigate uncertainty, untangle complex challenges, and make well-informed decisions. In this context, asking smart questions is not a luxury but a strategic necessity. However, unlike professionals such as doctors, lawyers, or psychologists, leaders in organisations rarely receive formal training on how to structure questions effectively.
A three-year research project, as reported by Harvard Business Review, aimed to shed light on this critical skill. Researchers worked closely with executives across various industries, asking them to reflect on the decision-making techniques they employed..
Through these reflections, they identified the types of questions that leaders used and how these contributed to arriving at stronger, more creative solutions. The result is a practical framework that establishes five essential types of strategic questions any leader can adopt.
What will I read about in this article?
Why Do Questions Matter? A Look at Decision-Making Techniques
Before diving into the framework, let’s explore why questions are so powerful. Questions shape our thinking by creating a conceptual framework. A good question does not just seek answers; it also uncovers unnoticed problems, challenges biases or limiting assumptions, and opens up new avenues for exploration. Without the right questions, we risk skimming the surface of data rather than addressing the core issues that truly matter.
This ability is particularly crucial in today’s competitive landscape, where organisations face both predictable and unexpected challenges more frequently. The capacity to investigate, redefine problems, and explore fresh perspectives becomes a key driver of strategic advantage.
The Five Types of Strategic Questions to Improve Decision-Making Techniques
1. Investigative questions
These questions are designed to gather key information. Their purpose is to define the context and understand practical details. Examples include: “What do we know for certain about this problem?” or “What factors are contributing to this challenge?”.
How they help:
These questions prevent leaders from rushing into solutions too quickly. Instead, they encourage gathering reliable data, understanding the full scope of a problem, and examining the dynamics at play.
2. Speculative questions
These questions invite teams to imagine alternative scenarios or explore out-of-the-box possibilities. Examples include: “What if we approached this from a completely different angle?” or “If we removed our current limitations, how would we solve this?”.
How they help:
As part of decision-making techniques, speculative questions act as a catalyst for creativity. They help break mental barriers, explore seemingly unreachable options, and spark innovative ideas.
3. Productive questions
These questions focus on concrete solutions. They revolve around action and the necessary practical steps. Typical examples include: “What resources do we need to mobilise to implement this decision?” or “Who should lead this initiative, and how should we structure it?”.
How they help:
They connect abstract ideas to real-world execution. These questions ensure that decisions translate into feasible plans and measurable outcomes.
4. Interpretative questions
These questions encourage leaders to reflect on the implications of their decisions. Some examples include: “What does this decision mean for different departments?” or “How will this impact our organisational culture?”.
How they help:
They go beyond technical aspects to address the human and strategic factors that may be overlooked. These questions help anticipate resistance, build consensus, and ensure alignment with organisational values.
5. Subjective questions
Finally, subjective questions are introspective and often personal. They prompt decision-makers to consider their own biases, emotional perspectives, and risk tolerance. Examples include: “How confident do I feel about this decision?” or “How will this affect my reputation or my relationship with the board?”.
How they help:
They encourage leaders to pause and reflect on the emotional and psychological dynamics influencing their decisions. Within decision-making techniques, these questions foster self-awareness and can prevent errors driven by impulses or fear.
A Framework for better decision-making
Integrating these five types of questions into team discussions offers multiple benefits. Firstly, it ensures that no critical aspect is overlooked. By diversifying the types of questions asked, teams can address everything from hard data to the more personal and subjective angles of a given issue.
Secondly, this framework promotes collaboration. Each type of question brings different perspectives into the conversation, fostering inclusion and constructive debate. Lastly, these questions help uncover crucial information that may not be immediately evident, providing a key competitive advantage in an unpredictable market.
By adopting this practical framework of five strategic question types, leaders and teams will be better equipped to tackle complex problems with greater depth, creativity, and empathy.
In a world where business moves at a relentless pace and uncertainty is constant, mastering techniques that enhance decision-making through questioning can make all the difference. Questions are not just a communication tool; they’re a method for navigating complexity.
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