{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"The Questions That Reveal What\u2019s Really Driving You With Ken Proctor","description":"What if the biggest obstacle in your business isn\u2019t the problem you\u2019re trying to solve\u2014but the question you haven\u2019t been willing to ask? In this episode of The Story Engine Podcast, I sit down with executive coach and Vistage chair Ken Proctor to explore the power of asking better, tougher questions. Ken shares how his own failures taught him that leaders don\u2019t necessarily need more answers\u2014they need someone willing to challenge them, uncover their blind spots, and help them see what\u2019s really driving their decisions. We dive into the \u201cghosts\u201d that can quietly shape the way leaders operate, from fear and insecurity to old stories carried from childhood into business. Ken explains why asking uncomfortable questions can create more respect than simply trying to be liked, while I explore my own experience of discovering how a single comment from my father influenced years of decisions in my career. This conversation is ultimately about using honest questions to break out of familiar patterns, create greater self-awareness, and move toward more alignment and integrity as a leader. Highlights (01:03) \u2013 How Ken\u2019s failures turned into the foundation for his \u201cArt of the Question\u201d methodology (01:25) \u2013 The question that uncovered a CEO\u2019s deepest fear\u2014and revealed the connection to his micromanagement (02:29) \u2013 Why challenging leaders with questions can create movement when advice and answers fall short (03:29) \u2013 The difference between asking questions to be liked and asking questions that earn respect (03:45) \u2013 A powerful CEO question: If you fired yourself, what qualities would you want in your replacement that you don\u2019t possess? (05:00) \u2013 How tough questions can uncover hidden constraints affecting executives, sales teams, and company culture (06:30) \u2013 Why the \u201csting\u201d of an honest question can be the thing that finally wakes someone up (08:10) \u2013 The hidden cost of avoiding uncomfortable truths inside a company (09:50) \u2013 How an old comment from a parent can become a \u201cghost\u201d that silently drives years of business decisions (11:00) \u2013 Recognizing the moment when a familiar pattern repeats\u2014and realizing the ghost may still be running the show (12:50) \u2013 Turning painful business experiences into greater self-awareness, significance, and alignment (13:20) \u2013 Why leaders need to be willing to ask themselves the same tough questions they ask everyone else (14:00) \u2013 Moving from constantly circling the problem to finally confronting what\u2019s driving it ","author_name":"The Story Engine Podcast","author_url":"https:\/\/podcast.thestoryengine.co\/","html":"