The "Art of Asking" in Management: From "Afraid of Asking" to "Knowing How to Ask"
Zixia said, "Extensively learn and firmly uphold your aspirations, earnestly inquire and closely reflect, and benevolence lies therein." When this statement is applied to the management scenario, the two characters "" (earnestly inquire) cut to the very essence. It's not about the general "greeting-style questions," but rather about slicing through the surface of the problem like a scalpel and digging out the root hidden beneath layers of buck - passing and vague expressions. It's not about the leader saying "Let me give the answer," but about leading subordinates to "reach the answer on their own" through follow - up questions. The dilemma that many managers face actually lies in their "inability to ask questions." Some are afraid to ask (for fear of showing their ignorance), while others fail to ask relevant questions (resulting in "ineffective conversations"), ultimately leading to an impasse where "the layman can't manage the expert."
Pain points of layman supervisors: Why are we afraid to speak up?
Newly transferred supervisors almost all have had similar "moments of speechlessness". For example, when transferred from the quality system position to the production department, facing the "craft experts" in the workshop saying "the pH value of the pretreatment liquid should be controlled between 5 and 6" and "the adhesion test should pass the cross-cut method", their minds go blank instantly. They want to ask "how does the temperature of the pretreatment liquid affect adhesion", but swallow the words back as soon as they reach the lips - "will they think I don't even understand this?" If they pretend to understand reluctantly, they can't get to the core of the "solutions" reported by their subordinates (such as "two heating devices should be added"). It's not until the products are unqualified and customer complaints break out that they realize they have long become a "signing machine": approving whatever their subordinates say because "anyway, I don't understand".
What's even more fatal is the "cognitive misunderstanding": Many supervisors assume by default that "leaders should know more than their subordinates". However, in reality, the more detailed the division of labor in an enterprise is, the less likely it is for supervisors to understand all the business. For example, the minister in Huangming who switched from management of 9000 employees to production knew how to write the "Quality Manual", but didn't understand that "the drafty workshop door would lower the temperature of the pretreatment liquid"; he knew that "sub - standard adhesion was a quality accident", but didn't understand that "the quality of the temporary electric heating tube would affect the water temperature". At first, he didn't dare to ask and blushed as he said, "I'm an outsider" - what he was afraid of was not "not knowing", but "being looked down upon by subordinates" and "losing authority".
But it is precisely this "fear of asking questions" that causes the supervisor to completely lose control: The subordinates figure out that "the boss doesn't understand." When faced with problems, they "fudge" - report a vague "reason" (such as "low environmental temperature") and wait for the boss to make a decision. Anyway, you can't ask for more in - depth details. When a real problem occurs, the subordinate just says, "I've long said there were problems with the environment," and the supervisor can only swallow the bitter pill.
The "Questioning at the Scene" in Huangming Workshop: Digging deeper layer by layer to let the answers surface on their own
In the winter of 2002, the powder coating line of Huangming water heater brackets malfunctioned: the inspection showed that the unqualified rate of adhesion for the batch exceeded 20% — this was no small issue. The powder coating layer was the anti - corrosion armor of the brackets. If it peeled off, the brackets would rust and break during the rainy season. In severe cases, the water heaters would fall off the roofs and injure people. The leaders of the production factory were extremely anxious. I took the newly - appointed production minister to the workshop. As soon as we opened the door, we felt the cold wind blowing into our necks. The workshop door was wide open, and the employees were walking back and forth wrapped in cotton - padded clothes. The pointer of the water temperature gauge in the pre - treatment tank stopped at 18°C (the technological requirement was 25 - 30°C).
I called the technical supervisor, the process technician, and the production line team leader to the trough. Pointing at a pile of sticky unqualified brackets, I asked, "The adhesion of this batch doesn't meet the standard. Where does the problem lie?"
The technical supervisor scratched his head and said, "The pre-treatment wasn't done well. The oil stains on the workpiece surface weren't completely removed, so the powder coating won't adhere firmly."
"Why wasn't the pre-treatment done well?"
"The temperature of the pretreatment solution is too low, resulting in poor degreasing effect."
"Why is the temperature low?"
"The workshop is too cold, and the bath solution dissipates heat quickly."
"Why is it cold in the workshop?"
"The gate is always open, and the wind blows in."
"Why is the gate always open?"
"Employees should use this door as it is close to the production line."
"Can't we go through other doors?"
"Yes, but people think it's too circuitous."
"Can this door be closed?"
"It's no use closing it. The gap between the doorframe and the door is two centimeters wide, and the wind can still get in."
"Can the gap be sealed?"
"It was sealed with tape, but the door is made of iron, which conducts heat quickly, so it's still cold."
"What should we do then?"
"You have to hang up a cotton curtain to block the cold wind."
"Can the temperature rise after hanging the cotton curtain?"
It's still not enough. There used to be auxiliary electric heating, but now it's broken. The manufacturer said it would take two weeks to fix it
"Is there any temporary alternative solution?"
"I bought a temporary electric heating tube, but its quality was so poor that it burned out after only two hours of use."
"Why buy things of poor quality?"
"There's no time for testing. We're in a hurry to use it."
"Do we have any electric heating tubes of good quality ourselves?"
"Yes! The auxiliary heating tube of the solar water heater can last for three years. It's just that the power of a single tube is a bit low (2KW)."
At this point, the scene suddenly fell silent. The technician suddenly slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Why didn't I think of it? If we connect three solar heating tubes in series, the power will be 6KW, which can just make up for the heat dissipation loss of the tank liquid!"
I didn't respond and stared at them. The production line team leader immediately jumped in, "Right! There's stock in the warehouse. We can go and collect it right now!"
"What about the problem with the gate?"
"Add rubber strips to the cotton curtain and then seal this door. Employees should use the safety exit beside it!"
"How long will it take to finish?"
"Finish installing the heating tube within half an hour and complete the door sealing within one hour!"
I patted them on the shoulder and said, "What are you standing there for?" Several people ran away with smiles. In less than three hours, the temperature of the pre-treatment tank rose to 28℃, and the adhesion tests of the next batch of brackets all passed.
The essence of management: It's not "I understand", but "letting you understand"
Later, the production minister told me, "I'm convinced. It turns out that I don't need to know 'how to adjust the temperature of the pretreatment liquid', but rather let those who know say 'how to adjust it' themselves." This sentence reveals the core of the "in - depth inquiry method": the essence of management is to "activate people", not to "replace people".
Why should we "get to the bottom of things"? It's not to "hold subordinates accountable" but to "reveal the truth of the problem." When subordinates report problems, they often tend to mention "superficial reasons" (such as "low temperature") rather than "underlying logic" (such as "the heating tube is broken and there is no replacement"); they talk about "objective excuses" (such as "the manufacturer can't fix it") instead of "subjective omissions" (such as "forgetting about their own spare parts"). The process of asking follow - up questions is to turn "vague statements" into "specific facts":
- Instead of saying "the ambient temperature is low", say "the temperature in the workshop is 10℃ due to air leakage from the gate".
- Instead of saying "The temporary heating tube is broken", say "Bought inferior goods without inspection".
- Instead of saying "There's no way", say "We have solar heating pipes, but we haven't considered connecting them in series."
More importantly, "probing" enables subordinates to "solve problems on their own." In the case, why did the technician run to the warehouse to pick up the heating tube? Because he thought, "This is my idea," rather than "The leader ordered me to do it." When subordinates come up with solutions through their own thinking, their execution ability will be ten times stronger than when they are "assigned tasks by the leader." After all, no one will resist "the solutions they come up with themselves."
For supervisors, there is also a hidden benefit to "getting to the bottom of things": quickly becoming an "insider." Although you don't understand the "temperature curve of the pretreatment liquid," through the line of inquiry of "low temperature → air leakage from the door → broken heating tube → alternative solution," you've sorted out the logic of the problem clearly. You don't need to know "how to adjust the temperature," but you know "how to get those who know to adjust the temperature." You don't need to be a "process expert," but you are a "problem diagnosis expert" and a "thinking guidance expert."
Back to Zixia: The Management Wisdom in "Asking Earnestly and Thinking about What is at Hand"
What Zixia said, "Ask earnestly and think about what is at hand," exactly corresponds to the two cores of the "In - depth Inquiry Method":
"Asking penetrating questions" means "asking questions that get to the core". It's not about asking "Why didn't you do it well?" (blaming), but rather "What are the main causes of the problem?" (diagnosing); not asking "How much money do you need?" (the result), but rather "Why do you need this amount of money?" (the logic). For example, in the case, instead of asking "How could you let the temperature get so low?", I asked "What's the cause of the low temperature?" Blaming will make subordinates defensive ("I can't help it"), while diagnosing will make them cooperative ("Let's find the cause together").
"Thinking in the near term" means "thinking close to reality". It doesn't involve asking subordinates to think about "how to improve in the future" (which is vague), but rather to think about "what can be done now" (which is feasible). For example, in the case, I didn't ask "how to prevent air leakage from the main door in the future", but rather "can the door be sealed now"; I didn't ask "when the manufacturer will repair the heating pipe", but rather "is there an alternative solution now". Because only through "thinking in the near term" can there be "earnest practice". Subordinates can immediately take action to solve problems instead of saying "wait until tomorrow" or "wait for others".
What about "being extensively learned and having a firm will"? Through "inquiring earnestly", the supervisor can quickly accumulate business knowledge (for example, "the temperature of the pre - treatment liquid affects adhesion"), which is "being extensively learned". Through "pondering over what is at hand", the supervisor can firmly adhere to the goal of "putting consumers at the center" (for example, "sub - standard adhesion can cause the water heater to fall and hurt people"), which is "having a firm will". Zixia said, "Benevolence is therein." The "benevolence" in management has never been "currying favor with subordinates", but rather "letting subordinates do the right thing" and enabling the company to provide valuable products. This is the greatest sense of responsibility towards consumers, employees, and the enterprise.
Appendix: Recommended articles for reading
The following article supplements the management logic of the "root-cause analysis method" from the perspectives of talent development, team communication, and cultural foundation. It is recommended that you think about it in combination.
- Be vigilant about the "29-year-old phenomenon": the "growth bottleneck" of young people essentially lies in "not learning to think deeply" – which is consistent with the thinking of "getting to the bottom of things".
- Don't punish yourself for others' mistakes: The emotional exhaustion of managers often stems from "not getting to the root of the problem" —— Only by learning to ask follow - up questions can you break out of the "blame cycle".
- Appreciating others paves the way for oneself: "Getting to the bottom of things" is not to deny subordinates, but to appreciate their professional abilities, so that they are more willing to contribute their wisdom.
- Thoughts on the "Day of Tolerance": Tolerance is not "laissez - faire" but "guidance" —— It is more effective to let subordinates realize their mistakes through questioning than to directly criticize them.
- Two sides of China's orthodox culture: For management to be implemented effectively, it is necessary to turn culture into a "workable problem - solving method" just like "getting to the root of the matter".
- Charity should be run as a cause: Just like management, charity also requires "inquiring earnestly and reflecting on what is at hand" – it's not about "donating money" but asking "what do the recipients really need?"
- Starting a business: The past is too painful to look back on. Entrepreneurs often "fall into pitfalls" because they "fail to dig to the root". For example, they don't ask, "Do users really need this function?"
- Superiors should not take out their anger on subordinates! Taking out anger is "avoiding problems", while asking questions is "facing problems" —— The maturity of managers lies in evolving from "not taking out anger" to "knowing how to ask questions".