How to Ask Questions That Matter!

 

GREAT leaders ask GREAT questions. 

Asking smart questions is one of the most powerful tools in a leader's toolbox. The right question asked at the right time can bring answers that help you understand better, think differently, and move your organization forward.

Leaders who think they have all the answers often become so absorbed in trying to be the smartest person in the room that they avoid asking the questions that will actually make them smarter.   

Questions Make You Smart

Some leaders fear asking questions. They believe that if they ask, they will appear weak and uninformed. The direct opposite is true. 

People go through a cognitive process as they search for answers. Insights are more powerful when they reach conclusions independently.

Improving your questioning skills will make you a better manager, employee, parent, teacher, student or community leader through empowering your team.

Leaders who ask questions also show respect for their teams. Questions contribute to building relationships because they often lead to further conversations, which play a key role in getting to know someone better. 

Asking questions …

·       Adds perspective because you receive information from a different view

·       Empowers the person being asked to think for themselves

·       Tells people you value what they say

·       Provides a path to deeper conversations 

The Top Brandit Posts for 2024 - Branding, Writing, Speaking, Sales, Body Language, MORE

Learning, stories, insite, practical information - even entertainment! 

The official last weekend of summer makes me sad but also glad. I’m sad that summer is over, but glad for all the fall's new beginnings.

Whether in the mountains, at the lake, in a prairie campground, on an ocean beach, or relaxing in your backyard, this is for you. I’ve selected the top Brandit Blogs from the past year for your reading pleasure.

Deep Seated Love

I write and speak about branding, marketing and communications because I love helping people! In fact, I can truly say helping others is a major reason I get up in the morning. Another would be breakfast, but that’s another story.

My annual ‘Best of Post’ links to the most popular articles I’ve written this past year. Posts are chosen based on readership analytics, timeliness, and reader comments.

Continue to Grow

I try to include a mix of Brandit topics about social media, marketing, brand-building, the latest trends, and relationships. This year I will write several posts explaining Artificial Intelligence.  It’s not as complicated as you think.

Top 10 Posts

Below are the most-read Brandit posts of 2023-2024 for you to enjoy once again. While reader numbers are gratifying, I love the personal conversations they bring through telephone calls, emails, or comments below the post.

I also receive personal comments during business meetings and social occasions, which is cool. The conversation usually gravitates to how to blog and analytics in particular.

Storm Warning! RAT Rain May be in the Forecast

The Florida rat story has a fascinating sponsorship chapter!  

Written by Robyn T. Braley

Tonight is the night! The Stanley Cup will be awarded to whichever team perseveres. The question is! Will the ice surface be covered with orange and blue Oil, or will there be a Rain of Rats?

If Mathew Tkachuk and the Florida Panthers win, it will be rats! If Conner McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers win, it will be rabid fans who have flown 4,120 km on an 8-hour flight to spill onto the ice dressed in colorful orange and blue costumes the minute the final whistle blows. Either way, the cup finals have been the stuff sports legends.  

Rat Legend

As the Florida Panthers emerged from the NHL's Eastern Conference to meet the Western champion Edmonton Oilers in the 2024 Stanley Cup final, the story of the rat storm of 1996 bubbled to the surface.

Do you remember the story? A legend grew out of a single, slightly disgusting act involving a rat! Disgusting, that is, unless you are a fan of rat extermination.

Sponsorship Basics: What You Need to Know

 

Sponsorship can play an important role in your marketing strategies. 

Written by Robyn T. Braley

Do you find sponsorship confusing? If you are a business or community leader, you must understand how and why it works.

I was the sponsorship manager for several years for Alberta's provincial educational TV and radio network, ACCESS NETWORK. Later, with my company, Unimark Creative, I set up and managed client sponsorship funding. Finally, as a Rotarian and community activist, I have helped package sponsorships supporting various projects.

Brand Synergy

You must ask two questions before digging too deeply into sponsorship function or structure.

1. Is there brand synergy between the sponsor and the cause or event?
2. What could go wrong?
3. What would the consequences be? 

The Big Question

Does sponsorship work? That's a good question.

Master the Art of Writing for an Online Audience

 

Practical ways to help readers better understand what you mean.

Written by Robyn T. Braley

Tips for improving audience engagement when writing emails, social media content and website posts!

We’ve all received them—emails with random subject lines and content that rambles on forever. We’ve all seen Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Blog, or website posts, which are one big blob that is a challenge to read!

Writing online content requires a different approach than writing for essays, reports, magazines or newspapers. What I share will also make information in printed proposals or reports easier to read. 

Why is this Important?

Strong online communication skills are important for leaders and frontline workers. We want to be better understood by others and to better understand them as we exchange ideas online.