In last week’s post, Dave introduced our summer of reruns—a season of returning to the ideas that struck a chord with us the first time around. So I’m joining in, returning to a theme that continues to stir both my intrigue and your interest: the power of asking better questions.
In Do You Have All the Right Questions?, I explored how strategic inquiry becomes the backbone of effective leadership—from self-reflection questions that expose blind spots to coaching questions that unlock team wisdom.
In The Essential Skill, I considered how innovation isn’t about inventing better answers but about discovering better questions.
Today, we go deeper. Welcome to the Question Revolution—a leadership shift from having answers to cultivating curiosity.
Why Questions Matter More Than Ever
Leadership used to mean having all the answers. We celebrated the problem-solvers, the fixers, the go-to experts. But today’s most effective leaders understand something different:
"When you're an individual contributor, you try to have all the answers. When you're a leader, your job is to have all the questions." — Jack Welch
That simple insight flips the leadership model. From telling to asking. From commanding to collaborating. From knowing to exploring.
Great leaders ask questions that challenge assumptions, stir imagination, and create space for new thinking.
Better Questions > Better Answers
Here’s what I’ve learned: When we’re stuck, we’re often asking the wrong questions. We default to familiar patterns:
“How do we get more people?”
→ Instead: “What kind of community are we creating that people want to be part of?”
“How do we fix our morale issue?”
→ Instead: “What would make this the kind of place we’d invite friends to work?”
Same problem.
Different question.
Different result.
Brain Power: The Neuroscience of Questions
Neuroscience helps us understand why questions are so powerful.
When we hear a statement, our brains process passively. But when we hear a question, something shifts. Neural activity increases. We begin to search for patterns, solutions, meaning. This is called cognitive arousal—and it explains why questions engage us more deeply than directives ever could.
For leaders, this means:
A statement creates a task.
A question creates a thinking partner.
Instead of “We need to increase engagement,” try:
👉 “What would make our team excited to come to work each day?”
Feeling Stuck? Ask a Better Question
Every major transformation begins with a better question.
Netflix didn’t try to build a better video store.
They asked: “What if people didn’t have to leave their homes to get entertainment?”
Amazon didn’t start with improving bookstores.
They asked: “What if we could sell anything to anyone, anywhere?”
In ministry, these breakthrough questions sound like:
“What if church wasn’t just on Sunday?”
“What would it look like to serve the community before inviting them to a service?”
“If we were starting from scratch today, what would we build?”
These are invitation questions—they unlock possibility and collaboration.
They move us from defending what is to imagining what could be.
Looking for a question rich environment with your peers?
Consider applying to join a Leadwell Cohort.
The wisdom of seasoned mentors and expert insights (all shaped by asking your questions by the way) equip participants to tackle today’s most pressing challenges and opportunities. In this collaborative community, leaders break through growth barriers and develop actionable strategies for accelerated results. And you don’t have to do it alone.
Now accepting applications for fall cohorts:
Leadwell Senior Pastors: Next Gen - launches October 7
Leadwell Executive Pastors - launches October 21
Leadwell Senior Pastors: Finishing Well - launches October 28
Explore the cohort overviews here.
Note: Cohorts are application-based. If you're interested, reach out to me at greg@ligongroup.com or schedule a call by selecting a time that works for you here.
Facing Forward: Questions for the Season Ahead
As we lead through ongoing change, the ability to ask transformative questions is critical. The old answers may not work anymore. The strategies that brought us here may not take us where we need to go.
Here are the kinds of questions I believe every leader should be asking right now:
• What assumptions need to be challenged?
• What new possibilities are emerging?
• How can we stay rooted in our values while adapting our methods?
• What is this season asking of us that previous seasons didn’t?
These aren’t questions with quick answers. They require patience, discernment, and the courage to lead through uncertainty. But they’re also the questions that will shape our future.
Coming Up Next...
In my next post, I’ll share insights on levels of leadership questions and how to build a question rich culture.
Until then, here’s the challenge:
Ask one question this week that you’ve never asked before.
Then watch what happens.
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