What If You Asked Better Questions? 

Many leaders feel like they’re supposed to have all the answers.

But what if the most powerful thing you can do as a leader is ask better questions?

Recently, fellow comms pro and coach Joe Brennan and I had the opportunity to facilitate a session at the PRSA Counselors to Higher Education Senior Summit on leading with a coaching mindset.

Honestly, it was one of the most fun sessions I’ve ever led. We kicked things off with some improv to model the difference between managing and coaching. But the real energy came when we moved from talking about it to actually practicing it.

About 50 senior communications and marketing leaders role-played through real-world scenarios and experimented with using a coaching approach.

And that’s when the lightbulbs really turned on. 💡

These are people who counsel others for a living. They’re expert problem solvers.

But when they resisted the urge to immediately jump in with answers, something interesting happened. Their team members in the exercise started thinking more deeply. New ideas emerged. Conversations shifted from direction to discovery.

In fact, many participants said their favorite part of the session was doing the work in real time — trying out questions, hearing different perspectives, and recognizing where they might be missing valuable input from their teams.

Adopting a coaching mindset isn’t about shirking responsibility or pushing decisions back onto others. It’s about asking thoughtful questions, empowering people to think through challenges, and demonstrating the trust that helps others grow as leaders themselves.

As Michael Bungay Stanier explains in The Coaching Habit, a coaching approach can reduce your workload while increasing your impact by helping leaders break three common cycles:

• Creating overdependence
• Getting overwhelmed
• Becoming disconnected

When leaders stop feeling like they have to carry everything themselves, teams become stronger — and the work gets better.

So here’s a question for you this week: Where might you pause before offering the answer and ask one better question instead?

If you ever want help thinking through a leadership challenge like this one, I’m always in your corner!

Brain Food

On The Learning to Lead Show, fellow Demon Deacon and host Mark Cundiff talks with Coach Jim Johnson about the inspiring story of J-Mac, an autistic basketball team manager whose unforgettable senior night performance earned him an ESPY! What stuck with me most is this: at a pivotal moment, Coach Johnson chose curiosity over control. Instead of directing, he asked. It’s a powerful reminder that the right questions can unlock far more than a leader's agenda ever could.

Real Talk 

Delivering difficult news is one of the most common — and most avoided —leadership challenges. In my new workshop, Say the Hard Thing, we’ll explore how to approach those moments with clarity, confidence, and intention. If a conversation has been weighing on you, this is your nudge. Join us Friday in Georgetown!

In the Spotlight

1:1 Coaching

When was the last time you took an hour to talk about yourself and your growth? For most leaders I coach, our sessions together are the only time they do this outside of their official performance reviews. Your career deserves more than biannual conversations. Why not schedule a complimentary strategy call and give yourself the space to step back, think strategically, and move forward with greater clarity and confidence?

Before You Answer... 

Let's be real. Answering a question with a question doesn’t always win you points in everyday conversation. But in leadership? It’s often the move.

The next time someone brings you a challenge, resist the urge to jump in with the answer. Try responding with a thoughtful question instead — and let me know what shifts.