Channel Your Inner Socrates

Profile Picture of Post's Author King Hickman | Posted June 26, 2023

“The goal is to find the best answer; not to give the best one you have.”

This quote by Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater – one of the best performing hedge funds in the world – leads me to Socrates.  This ancient philosopher holds the key to an essential leadership skill: ask great questions.

“The leader of the past may have been a person who knew how to tell, but the leader of the future will be a person who knows how to ask.” – Peter Drucker

Socrates, Peter Drucker and other great leaders know that questions are one of your most powerful leadership skills. Socrates continuously asked his students questions until they arrived upon the answer – together. He knew that learning comes from the inquiry rather than from the answer.

To adopt a Socratic leadership style, you will need to shift your mindset from being a teller to a learner. Tellers have a closed mindset – they answer questions and give specific directions. Learners, on the other hand, are curious so they ask great questions and engage in discussions. Rather than give the answer they have, they arrive upon the best answer – together. Always providing answers to those you lead trains them to stop thinking on their own and to ask you for the “correct” answer. Asking questions, however, sends a message that you don’t have all the answers and it motivates them to solve their own problems. Your curiosity demonstrates to others how important their time, opinion and energy is to you.

Here are six types of questions posed by the Socratic method:

Clarifying concepts. These questions get others to think more about what they are asking or thinking about and gets them to go deeper.

  • What do you mean by…?
  • Can you expand upon that?
  • How does this relate to what we have been talking about?
  • Can you give me an example?

Probing assumptions. These questions make others think about the concepts on which they are founding their argument.

  • Why would someone make this assumption?
  • What else could we assume?
  • What would happen if…?

Probing rationale, reasons and evidence. When others give a rationale for their arguments, dig into that reasoning rather than assuming it is a given.

  • Why is that happening?
  • Why?
  • What evidence is there to support what you are saying?
  • Is there a reason to doubt that?

Questioning viewpoints and perspectives. Most arguments are given from a particular position. Use questions to show that there are other, equally valid, viewpoints.

  • What would be an alternative?
  • What is another way to look at it?
  • Who benefits from this?
  • Why is it better than or different from…?

Probing implications and consequences. The argument given may have logical implications that can be forecast.

  • Do these data make sense?
  • What are you implying?
  • Are they desirable?
  • How do [these assertions] fit with…?
  • What are the consequences of that assumption?

Questioning the question. You also can get reflective about the whole thing, turning the question on itself. Bounce the ball back into their court.

  • What was the point of my question?
  • Why do you think I asked this question?
  • What does that mean?

Being an effective leader is never about being the smartest person, or being the one who always has the right answer. Effective leaders know their primary role is to help grow and develop the skills of the people around them. The first step to that end is teaching them how to find answers for themselves. This is the path to growing a highly effective team. So, stop being so quick to hand out the answer. The next time someone comes to you for help, sit back and channel your inner Socrates.

    Categories
    Latest Articles
    Archive