When the Inevitable Surprises Occur. . . Are You Ready to Diffuse the Situation with the Right Questions?

This Element is an excerpt from The Art of Asking: Ask Better Questions, Get Better Answers (ISBN: 9780137144242) by Terry Fadem. Available in print and digital formats.

Ask the right questions to recover from any surprise and transform shocks into breakthroughs!

CEO: Earl, can we count on you to reduce your costs by 20%?

Earl: You’ll have to do it without me.

CEO: Did you just resign?

Earl: Yes.

Would you be prepared to deal with such an unexpected response? Most of us aren’t. Here’s an effective, question-based strategy for handling surprise....