“‘How do you know so much about everything?’ was asked of a very wise and intelligent man; and the answer was ‘By never being afraid or ashamed to ask questions as to anything of which I was ignorant’.”

                                                                                                                                         -John Abbott

If you have ever been around a three-year old child you know they are experts at asking questions.  Questions like:  “Why is the sky blue?  Why do we have two holes in our noses?  Why don’t dogs eat the same food we do?”  We are born curious.  Our basic instinct is to ask questions until we understand something.  However, as any parent can tell you, before long, answering “why” questions grows old and pretty soon we find ourselves curbing a child’s appetite for knowledge.  We respond with, “It’s just that way.  I’m not sure, ask your mom.  It’s not important, eat your peas.”

Next to three year olds, the most curious people on the planet are new employees.  They are always asking “why” questions to better understand what their job is and how they fit with the rest of the company.  Here again, we tend to stifle those questions with, “That’s the way we’ve always done it.  You don’t need to worry about that, it’s not part of your job.”

As well meaning parents/adults, managers and co-workers we don’t realize how our responses inhibit the natural instincts we all have as human beings; to ask questions.  Some of the greatest advances in science have come from people not accepting the standard answer and continuing to ask questions.  Columbus asked, “What would happen if we sailed past the horizon?”  The common response at the time was, “You’ll fall off the edge of the earth.”  Well, you know the rest of the story.

So does all this mean we should just start asking more questions?  Yes, but not just any questions.  Questions are very powerful.  On a physiological level, something happens to our brains when we hear or pose a question.  Our brain seeks to fill the natural gap that occurs when an answer is not readily apparent.  Our brain just can’t rest until something fills the gap whether it be a valid answer or non-answer; a positive or negative response.  Similarly, questions have the power to shape our thoughts.  Depending on how we pose the question, we can get mired in past failures or on the path to new opportunities.  For example, asking “What could go wrong?” vs. What can we do to avoid and manage any problems that might arise?”  Although these questions are similar they lead to very different outcomes.

Profound changes can take place in an organization, and the underlying culture, by simply re-framing the questions we ask.  Below you’ll find examples of what we call “blame” questions and “opportunity” questions.  Both questions will yield an answer.  What is important here is understanding which type of question skips over blame and provides a framework for improvement.  Here are some examples of how to re-frame a “B” question into an “O” question:

B:  Why aren’t we making money?

O:  What activities are critical to the profitability of this business and how are we performing in these areas?

B:  How can we get our employees to be more productive?

O:  Have we given our employees the tools, training, and information they need to be productive?

B:  How come things never get done right around here?

O:  Is this a recurring problem?  Is it a people or process issue?

B:  Why do they always come to me for the answers?

O:  How well are our systems/procedures documented?  Do we reward initiative or punish it?

Before we even open our mouths, we need to determine if we are asking a “B” or “O” question.  We need to train ourselves and employees to ask more “O” questions.  “O” questions tend to lead to “ownership.”  People are more willing to step up and work on solutions when problems are addressed from an “O” vs. “B” perspective.

Imagine now that you have instituted a “B.O.” program.  (Go ahead and giggle.  The initials B.O. are easy to remember an lighten the mood when used.)  Roll the tape forward a year and imagine that all your managers and employees only ask “O” questions.  How has that changed your organization?  How has that change impacted the culture of your organization?  What happens when people are no longer on the defensive but are instead focused on improvement?

It takes some time and conscious effort to train our brains to ask “O” questions.  You can start by holding a company wide meeting to introduce the “B.O.” concept.  You can play a game by having people jot down the most common “B” questions they hear everyday.  Use post-it notes - have everyone contribute at least one “B” question.  Gather the post-its, place them on a wall at the front of the room.  You’ll likely see some common themes.  Break everyone into smaller groups of 4-5 people at most.  Have each group select 4-5 “B” questions.  Ask each group to come up with answers to their “B” questions and then re-frame them into “O” questions.  Then have each group come up with answers to the newly re-framed “O” questions.  Allow time for discussion within the small groups.  Have each group share one or two examples from their re-framing efforts.

You can round out the discussion with a big picture question like, “If we were to only use “O” questions, how would that improve our organization?”  Be sure to have someone capture the group’s responses and post them somewhere highly visible following the meeting to serve as a reminder of the group’s commitment to the program.  Going forward, encourage everyone to work on using “O” questions and when a “B” question pops up (and they most certainly will in the beginning) give everyone permission to ask for an “O” re-frame before answering the question.

Your managers may resist having employees challenge their “B” questions, but in the long run a managers job will improve as employees take a greater role in finding and implementing solutions that improve the company.   You’ll also see a very positive impact on the culture as people maintain a focus on opportunities vs. blame.

Ultimately, as the leader of your organization, you will set the tone for the “B.O.” program.  Look for situations where you can facilitate and model the right behavior for your team.  For example, a shipment went out late yesterday.  Everyone is upset.  Lead the team in a process of posing “O” questions that will serve to resolve the issue.  Make sure people remain open to new ideas.  Bring the group to consensus about what needs to be done to address the problem.  Before closing the session, be sure someone has captured the outcome of the session and will be responsible for seeing any suggested changes through to completion.  And finally, report back to the team the outcome of that session.  This will help reinforce the value of their “O” contributions.

With consistent effort, a “B.O.” program can transform an organization.  Asking the right questions leads to the right outcomes.  However, changes don’t happen overnight.  It takes time to re-ignite our natural curiosity and form new habits.  Your team’s commitment to the program will depend greatly upon the example set by you and your managers.  Take a few extra minutes at each management meeting to practice re-framing a question specific to an issue brought up at the meeting.  Finally, keep asking yourself, “am I asking the right questions?”

For parents:  It’s not too late to re-ignite your child’s curiosity.  Next time your child comes home from school, instead of asking, “How did your day go?” Ask, “What good questions did you ask today?”  In the beginning (especially if you have teenagers) they will look at you funny.  You will likely have to coach them a bit to talk about what they are studying and what they might be curious about, given the topic.  Over time, if you keep asking them “What good questions did you ask today?” they will begin to focus on asking good questions in school.  Just as you can implement a “B.O.” program at work, it’s equally (if not more) valuable in a home environment.

“We should not only master questions, but also act upon them, and act definitely.”

                                                                                                              -Thomas Woodrow Wilson

For additional information on Performance Accounting please contact Sergio Fernandez or Richard Rackers.