Vervago

Skill Sharpener Library

“Great Question”

CATEGORIES | Groups and Teams, Meetings

David, a Sr. Finance Manager who participated in a recent Discover Your Best Thinking with Precision Q+A workshop in Silicon Valley, asked: “Sometimes I say ‘That's a great question' before I answer questions in meetings. Should I be more direct and just answer?" It depends on the type of meeting. This month’s Skill Sharpener addresses David’s question in relation to collaborative problem-solving meetings. Next month we’ll address his question in the context of review … [Read more...]

Preparing for Review Meetings

CATEGORIES | Building Confidence, Credibility, Meetings

This Skill Sharpener summarizes what most leaders expect in review meetings, and how you can best prepare for them. It also answers a question that was asked by a senior manager who recently attended a Discover Your Best Thinking with Precision Q+A workshop: “Sometimes I say ‘That's a great question' before I answer questions. Should I be more direct and just answer?" It depends on whether you are in a review meeting or a collaborative problem-solving meeting. Read on to learn more about … [Read more...]

So Much To Say, So Little Time

CATEGORIES | Complexity, Credibility, Precision Answering, Social Intelligence

Developing expertise in our work is fulfilling, and when customers and colleagues call on us it feels gratifying. As we spend time in a domain, we come to see all the nuance and detail. But expertise also comes with a hidden cost: we are inclined to share all that detail with others who don’t need or understand it. If we don’t disrupt this dynamic, it hinders us from effectively making use of our expertise. The 4Practices of Precision Answering offer a helpful path toward making our expertise … [Read more...]

Three ways to build your credibility right now

CATEGORIES | Credibility, Groups and Teams, Leadership, Skill Sharpener

Have you noticed that we live in a work world that is consistently presenting us with a thorny communication challenge? Tasks are more complex, while people seem less able to focus. In the face of this challenge, how do you build your credibility and stand out as a thought leader? Revisit these cornerstone concepts from Precision Q+A: Crisp, clear, and concise. They will help you successfully present your best thinking, even in a distracted world. Speed is at a premium in our communication … [Read more...]

Escape from unnecessary meetings with grace

CATEGORIES | Categories of Analytic Questions, Groups and Teams, Meetings, Precision Questioning, Skill Sharpener, Social Intelligence

We don’t mean to sound irreverent, but when was the last time you asked: “Do I need to be here?” Go/NoGo Questions are invaluable in helping us examine the bigger picture of how we use precious resources at work. Almost all of us feel like we have too many urgent things to do, too many meetings to attend, and too many channels of communication to monitor. So, we need to be asking ourselves and our colleagues more often: Do I need to be here? And do you? It is easy to work in a reactive mode, … [Read more...]

Conquering the fear of the stupid question

CATEGORIES | Building Confidence, Credibility, Meetings, Precision Questioning, Skill Sharpener, Social Intelligence

Ever catch yourself saying something like, "I'm sorry if this is a stupid question, but..."? We all use mindless preambles, usually without thinking about the impact on our credibility. But as with many things in Precision Q+A, preambles can become more precise and powerful. A preamble is a short statement preceding a question, that makes our intent or motivation clear. Preambles are useful because they defuse a potentially awkward moment (such as the worry about a "stupid" question) and they do … [Read more...]