When you are given your first Leadership position, you get to lead because of your title. 

I remember in my early days as a Leader how I revelled in being the person who knew it all. I basked in the sun of the person who had all the answers and to whom everyone would come to with their questions. I was the Wizard of Oz.

Since I had all the answers, I also was the person to be right all the time. I would debate with teammates, friends and family to prove that I was in the right. I wonder if I was the only one with these behaviours. 

I have learned since then that being what I called the Super Hero Leader was not the effective path of Leadership.  

I recently listened to Adam Grant’s Podcast Take It for Granted where he interviewed famed author Brenée Brown ( Daring Greatly, Rising Strong ), it reminded me of the importance of the Limitless Leader First Principle

In that session, Renée shared this gem:

There are leaders who want to appear to know it all so they can be right. And there are Leaders who want to Learn it All so They Can Get It Right.

Brenée Brown

Often, the art of asking questions can appear to be annoying. How often have we seen an adult telling a curious child to stop asking so many questions? Yet the opposite is what the adult should teach a child. The teaching lies in showing how to ask impactful questions, meaningful questions. Questions who will lead the other person to think, to ponder than share her insights/thoughts. 

To learn it all the Limitless Leader must get skillful at asking impactful questions. Typically those are opened ended questions and they are not leading questions. Meaning that they are not questions where the answer is what you want it to be.

It’s worthwhile repeating this thought from Brenée, I will take some liberties to paraphrase:

Which one are you becoming? I know I made a change many years ago to become an Eternal Apprentice - Always Be Learn