The question “How?” can be a defense against taking action or of declining accountability. When we are truly empowered, we look for the answers ourselves. “How?” attempts to hand back the initiative and with it our power. The “How?” question is a cry for a recipe, a formula to follow that takes away our responsibility to search for and craft a solution. But it is in that search for solution that we are given the opportunity to grow and enlarge our understanding, to learn and master new skills.
Empowering Questions:
Is there a preferred method or do you wish me to find a way? What resources are available? What constitutes an acceptable outcome? What is the desired time frame? How often do you wish to have me report? Who are the stakeholders whose needs must be kept in mind and in what proportion? Are there any known failure paths?
Closing Quotes
“Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking.” – William Buell Sprague, 1795-1876
“Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome.” – Samuel Johnson, 1709-1784
“Without inspiration the best powers of the mind remain dormant. There is a fuel in us which needs to be ignited with sparks”. – Johann Gottfried Von Herder, 1744-1803
As always, I share what I most want/need to learn. – Nathan S. Collier