The "non-answer" ... it's mostly about the questions you ask.

If you are, or have ever been in sales, you will know how important questions are. They are at the heart of the selling process - Understanding the situation, understanding customer's needs, and for identifying opportunities. The type of questions you ask will advance the conversation or bring it to a crushing halt; when I say this, I don't necessarily mean everyone will stop talking... I mean something far worse.

My experience is that people do not want to leave the perception that they do not know the answer; I most definitely include myself and when needed I can be a master at the "non-answer".

There are generally two types of questions you can ask:

1. Those questions that elicit a "yes" or "no" answer, and commonly called closed-ended questions*. These questions mechanically bring the conversation to a natural conclusion and don't develop any conversation. Just a series of yes or no answers. Yes or no will always be an easy and knowable answer. 
2. Those questions that elicit an explanatory answer and commonly known as open-ended questions*. These questions bring with them a transfer of information, facts, opinion and general thoughts. It is here where you can gain the most information regarding a situation and the answers to help formulate understanding - As well as decisions for the next course of action. It is here that the non-answer can, and usually comes alive.

What do I mean by the non-answer? You know those meetings or conversations that involve a dialogue with questions and discussions and in the end you are no further ahead regarding tangible answers to your questions or problems - That is the description of a non-answer situation. No doubt there are situations where answers are deliberately withheld, but I am not referring to those. Rather to those situations where, even with the best of attentions, the answers never come to light. Some reasons immediately spring to mind - 

The correct question simply does not get asked and never leads to the answer, or changing a person's way of thinking.

• This is actually a difficult situation to work through as you build your questions from a personal foundation of knowledge and experiences; you may not have the capability to ask the correct question. This is why it is important to have a number of people with diverse backgrounds helping you get to the answers. We have all been in meetings or situations where you figuratively see the light bulb go on and the person says, "Oh, now I understand what you are asking".

There is a perceived obligation to say something and everything... sometimes answering the question and sometimes not.

• There are those who think fast, talk fast, and share it all. It is here that the term "baffle them with bullshit" originated I believe. More often than not, the answer is somewhere in the grand story that has been presented. The solution here may be as much about subtle people management and facilitation, as it is with asking the correct question. My experience here is using a series of closed ended questions can drive focus or simply asking, "could you summarize your answer to the question in three bullet points?" 

A person, for a variety of human reasons, does not want to admit they do not know the answer.

• The manifestation of this can look very much like the earlier points, but unlike their primary drivers of not understanding the question, this is driven more by human emotions such as pride, fear, and so on. This is a very difficult situation to detect (particularly if someone is a master at it), and will not be solved by a question... it will be solved by creating an environment where - 1) Knowing how to find the answer is much more important than having it, 2) Saying you don't have the answer is a positive quality, and 3) understanding that action can not be driven from "non answers".

So remember, "Confidence never comes from having all the answers; it comes from being open to all of the questions." And also remember, for those of us with adult ADHD, those long, rambling non-answers are killers.

gpe

* Open and Closed ended questions have been referred to by many different names over the decades and the subject of countless books on sales.

A business lunch and insights into dealing with a business truism.

I was at a business lunch recently, and inevitably someone began to discuss the challenges that come with business; I was instantly reminded of a core business truism... something fundamental to all that is defined as business and very complex. It goes like this - 

 Profit = Revenue - Cost*

• Revenue: money generating from the products or services you sell.
• Cost: the money needed to run your business (tangible and intangible)
• Success is defined as profit moves towards, and ultimately above zero.

Reflecting back on my salad and our conversations around the table, this is what I walked away with. 

Business is a people activity

No single person can run a business alone... it's simply too complex to have all the skills and knowledge needed, let alone the time. This is where building strong business relationships are important with trusted, smart and reliable people. As the old saying goes, "If you want to go fast go alone, but if you want to go far go together". 

Asking the right question is more important than having the right answer

Asking the right question that uncovers the answer to a better "line of sight" or understanding of a situation is key. It is much better to say, "I don't have the answer, but will find it", than not know what question to ask and in turn not get the answer you need. The old adage of "You don't know, what you don't know" rings true here, and remembering that business is a people activity, will help. The more good people involved in the discussion, the better chance you will ask the "right questions".

Listening is much more important than talking

Sharing thoughts, perspectives, knowledge and insight are important for you when tackling this truism. Let someone else have a turn sharing their thoughts. It will serve you well.

The Customer

If your business lunch doesn't include talking about the customer, then what you are having is just a lunch. Customers are - 

• The people who will buy your product and/or service contributing to revenue generation.
• The employee who will implement activities that either generate revenue, or help pull cost out of your business activities.
• The community where your business operates and is involved... this indirectly generates revenue and reduces costs, as well as supports sustainability.
• The shareholder who looks for profit and good governance.

Revenue is not easy to generate

Great ideas lead to great products... however, contrary to that popular saying, "great products sell themselves", they in fact don't. Generating revenue involves a large amount of work to develop customer relationships, communicate the value of your product, overcome aggressive competitors, and offer a service proposition that will have the customer purchase from you again. It is hard work.

Patience

Just because you want it really, really badly, doesn't mean others do; it takes time to communicate ideas, change perspectives and influence behavior. Endurance, persistence, risk tolerance and dedication are also other characteristics that will serve you well when dealing with this truism. 

In the end, it is your decision

Depending on your position in an organization, your decisions may or may not have direct ramifications on revenue or costs (or both). But we all have a part to play and responsible for the decisions we make; stand by them, and make them work. 

Revenue versus Cost

There is an attractive "bunny hole of a discussion" with regard to whether revenue generation is more important than effective cost management and governance. This is a pointless debate and is analogous to arguing that the heart is more important than the lungs in terms of keeping the body alive. It's best to focus on what you need to do and be as effective as you can be. 

One of the stories around the table involved someone working through a complex situation and they metaphorically said, " It just seems like every time we turn over a new stone we find a 'squiggly'"**. I laughed and laughed... not because of the problem they were dealing with, but because a very accomplished individual used a word like "squiggly". And this is why I like business.

Business is not easy and the truism of "Profit = revenue - cost" can take a lifetime to solve. But as you work through it, you are challenged, rewarded, learn something new everyday, meet amazing people who use the word "squiggly" - When you look back on it all, you will more often than not be proud of what you have accomplished, had fun and laughed. 

gpe

* If you believe this truism doesn't apply to you, then you are either not in business or you have "some" work ahead of you.

** Saying squiggly instead of worm as a metaphor for a "problem" just struck me very funny and also illustrates that they weren't necessarily nice looking problems (with all due respect to worms).

It's all going according to plan... but is it really?

We'll it's April 1st; not only is it April Fools Day, but this signals the end of the First Quarter (assuming you manage to the calendar year). This is very exciting day!

As an aside, April Fools Day is a day that you can play harmless practical jokes; these jokes, as well as the victims, are known as "April Fools". In theory, there are no consequences, harm or foul for your humorous activities, but remember, some people don't have a sense of humor and long memories, so tread with care. Apart from the obvious merriment, it is also a natural point in the calendar (particularly in business) to determine if you are "on target" to meet your plan objectives for the year.

There is a Six Sigma* saying that goes something like this, "In God we trust, everyone else bring data." I've always liked this saying, as it reminds us that hard, objective information lets us understand a situation and by extension, measure how we are doing against our objectives. Measuring first quarter results against your objectives gives you insight in to how you have started the year - Are you off to a great start, or are you falling a little short and need to course correct?

 Measuring how you are doing relative to expectations is key; it is a main reason why plans, goals and objectives need to be developed... as well as physically written down. It's all about having them down on paper in "black and white", and is the reason for the "M" in a S.M.A.R.T Objective**. "M" is for measurable - Measuring performance to your goals after the first 90 days -

• Develops an objective view of how you are performing to your goals.
• Indicates how effective your initial implementation has been.
• Offers an opportunity to"course correct" or initiate new activities with time enough to be impactful.

Data does not feel or think...it just is; having data and measuring it against your planned objectives eliminates these two statements: "I feel everything is going according to plan" or "I think everything is going to plan"; it allows you to say, "I know everything is going according to plan!"

If you find yourself saying "I think" or "I feel", there is a good chance you are not working from data. Data is knowledge, and knowledge is KING.*** 

gpe

* Six Sigma is a set of techniques and tools for process improvement and functional excellence. It was developed by Motorola and popularized by Jack Welsh who made it central to his business strategy at General Electric; it has been adopted by many businesses to drive improvement.

** SMART is an acronym, giving criteria to guide in the setting of objectives:

• Specific – target a specific area for improvement.
• Measurable – quantify a target of progress.
• Achievable – can the objective realistically be achieved, given available resources.
• Relevant – is the objective in-line with your strategies and plans
• Time-bound – specify when the result(s) can be achieved.

*** I know a dear geophysicist who is probably gritting her teeth over my loose definitions of data and knowledge. My only defence... the use of artistic license to hopefully illustrate a point.