{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"#117: The Power of Questions","description":"In Episode #117 of The Executive Commute, Jayson Krause is joined by Level 52 coach and facilitator Chris Foy to explore the power of questions and why strong leadership often requires letting go of the need to have every answer. Chris explains the shift many leaders must make after being promoted for their expertise: moving from the person who solves the problem to the leader who creates the conditions for other experts to think, decide, and grow. Questions can build agency, accountability, curiosity, and capability, but only when they come from genuine wonder rather than an attempt to steer someone toward a predetermined answer. Jayson and Chris unpack the difference between high-impact questions and leading or "ninja" questions, why "what" often creates more exploration than "why," and when asking too many questions can actually undermine leadership. They also examine the role of clarity in crisis moments and situations where a leader simply needs to set direction. Chris introduces the WATCH framework for stronger questions: Wonder, Accountability, Transformation, Challenge, and High Impact. The conversation also explores discovery listening, the danger of rescuing people or "stealing the lift," and the shift from problem solving to solution enabling. Episode timestamps: 00:00 The power of questions 00:31 Chris Foy's path to leadership coaching 01:28 Why leaders need to ask more and answer less 03:16 Defining high-impact questions 03:50 Questions as a quest for understanding 04:48 Leading with wonder 07:00 Leading questions and micromanagement 08:44 From expert leader to leader of experts 10:03 The pressure to signal certainty 12:35 Good questions versus bad questions 14:19 Creating safety and agency 16:02 Helping people find their own answers 18:13 Rescuing people and stealing growth 20:33 What it means to "steal the lift" 23:46 Questions that activate growth 25:17 Why "what" can work better than "why" 26:10 Ninja questions and the need for clarity 27:42 Do more questions equal better leadership? 29:29 When too many questions hurt leadership 32:53 Great leaders do not have all the answers 35:09 Finding the right question before the answer 36:00 Leading outside your technical expertise 39:07 What makes a question hard? 40:43 Chris Foy's WATCH framework 42:00 The pause after a powerful question 43:35 Simple questions, significant impact 43:54 Challenge, discomfort, and ego 46:07 Smartest person or best question asker? 47:41 Problem solving versus solution enabling 48:41 Where leaders should start 50:01 Discovery listening 51:56 The worst advice about questions 53:05 Balancing questions with clear direction 54:05 Pushing the frontiers of your leadership Follow Jayson Krause YouTube: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC3Voc2qOmcqGKfqy6CDiZOw LinkedIn: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jayson-krause\/   ","author_name":"Executive Commute With Jayson Krause","author_url":"https:\/\/jaysonkrause.libsyn.com\/","html":"