Dec. 8, 2020

Ep181: Tell Me The Truth

“Tell me the truth” – are there any four words more fraught with potential discord than those?  But if someone asks you a “tell me the truth” question, it’s important to consider that might not be the question you should be answering...

“Tell me the truth” – are there any four words more fraught with potential discord than those? 

But if someone asks you a “tell me the truth” question, it’s important to consider that might not be the question you should be answering at all.

Why is that important for business? 

If someone asks you a “tell me the truth” question in business, there is the potential to do a lot of damage, regardless how you answer. But almost always, there is an opportunity to ask more questions and gain more clarity, without ever answering the original question. Be curious and find out what they are really asking before you answer. When you ask the right questions, you can help bring them to the conclusion they want to reach, without risking the relationship. It can be the difference between “you’re right” and “that’s right”.

The honesty question is the wrong first question - the first question should be other questions. It might be the question laid on the table, but it is not the question that needs to be picked up. If you keep probing, you can usually find the right question. Because your answer isn’t going to be helpful if you aren’t answering the right questions. 

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