News & Updates:

Like the website?
Recommend Us To a Friend

6 • Use Creative Questioning - Part 2

Here are some general types of questions that may suggest pro­ductive avenues of inquiry that you can follow in pursuing your problems:

Ask about What Is Around You. These questions will largely concern the "which," the "what," and the "how" of things. Such questions help you uncover problems—or opportunities. As ex­amples: Questioning your present methods may lead to the elimi­nation of unnecessary operations or to simplications of your pro­cedures. Asking about working conditions can lead to improved safety measures or to the elimination of accident hazards. Such a simple question as "How can we reduce the waste on this par­ticular manufacturing operation?" may lead the way to more profitable production throughout the plant.

Maintain a Healthy Skepticism. Ask questions about the "why" of things to keep yourself (and others!) from getting into ruts. This kind of question can, of course, make you highly unpopular with certain types of people because it forces them to think. And, frequently, a "why" challenge to an accepted procedure can un­cover the fact that the only reason for doing something a certain way is that "We've always done it this way." If that "always" covers a period of more than six months, a whole salvo of ques­tions may then be in order to establish whether or not this is still the best way to handle that particular problem. It may well be that it is—but if you question it, then you know!

Ask When and Where. In business, good timing can often be the crucial factor in the success or failure of a venture. Marketing, sales, and advertising efforts are especially vulnerable to mistakes in timing—and just as susceptible to help through good timing. ("Timing," of course, includes termination of an effort as well as initiation.) Asking "where" is logical in the case of a new plant location, new markets to be opened up, new sources of raw materials, and even the location of a new water fountain in the shop (Where are the largest number of workers located? Where does the traffic flow? Where are the present water pipes? Where are the drainpipes? Considering these, just where is the best place for the water fountain?)

Learn about Personalities. The acceptance or rejection of any new idea or new method of doing things is largely dependent upon the people involved. So is the degree of probable success in getting an order carried out. So ask about the "who" of things —Who will have to approve this? What are his likes, dislikes, strengths, weaknesses? What are the qualities we need in a man to handle this operation? Who comes closest to filling those qualities now? Who could be trained? Probably every executive believes in Harriman Hill's advice, "Never do anything yourself you can get someone else to do for you," but if you hold the responsibility for the success or failure of a venture, you should be very con­cerned with questioning the "who" of things!

And don't be afraid to go "off-beat" with your questions. The story is told about what happened in the metal-fabrications de­partment of a major manufacturer when they were trying to weld a tricky new aluminum assembly. The aluminum had been ano-dized, for reasons peculiar to the application, and the develop­ment people had about given up the whole project because it seemed impossible to get satisfactory welds on the material. At the meeting, where the vote was to abandon the project, one engineer dissented. He said, "Let's not quit. Why don't we try doing it the way an Indian would?"

"What do you mean, do it the way an Indian would?" asked the engineering manager. "What do you have in mind?"

"I don't have anything in mind except that I know an Indian wouldn't weld it," replied the engineer.

To make a long story short, the engineer was given the assign­ment of seeing "what you and the Indians can do." He began working with people who knew how to fabricate from wire—by crimping, bending, forming, and so forth. Three months later the problem was solved, and the company began enjoying savings of $2.5-million a year!

Related terms include business guidelines implementation management practical process successful and business information system.