Ask Questions Before Making Recommendations
Fostering a culture of asking questions before prescribing solutions can create a competitive advantage. Research shows that decision-makers frequently jump to conclusions based on incomplete data. Prompting individuals to explore alternative explanations significantly increases accuracy (Milkman, Chugh, & Bazerman, 2009). Asking questions before offering an opinion is an evidence-supported technique for improving business decision quality. When leaders ask clarifying questions prior to making recommendations, they collect more diagnostic information and reduce confirmation bias (Nickerson, 1998). In team settings, leaders asking questions prior to providing opinions also improves the quality of decisions by reducing conformity pressures, anchoring bias, and groupthink. When leaders withhold initial recommendations, team members are more likely to share dissenting perspectives or unique knowledge. Theoretically, teams generate more accurate judgments when leaders speak last,...