Do people often come to you with a problem or a question? They are trying to figure out what to do and they want clarity.
Help! I don’t know what to do!
Questions people frequently ask you may include:
- How can I grow as a leader in my area of ministry?
- What is God calling me toward next?
- How can I handle this problem on my team or in my group?
You can help
In cases like these, simply slow down and listen. Then ask the person the following questions, taking time between each to let them process aloud. The conversation will likely take about 20 minutes, more or less depending on the complexity of the issue.
Next time someone comes to you in need of clarity, try this exercise out. Ask them these five questions and really listen to their answers. Don’t make suggestions or shift the focus or provide feedback. You’ll be surprised to find that about 80% of the time, people will come up with their own great conclusions and courses of action… and they’ll have buy-in because the ideas and insights were their own.
5 Questions that Help People Get Clarity
1. What’s working?
Starting on a positive note helps people in 2 important ways:
- It reminds them that even if it’s not going as planned something has gone right and that is worth celebrating!
- Bolstered with the positive, they can look at the negative more objectively.
2. What’s not working?
People tend to think the whole thing isn’t working and they need to start something entirely new. However, it’s often that one or two aspects that are holding up success. Help them identify those aspects.
3. What are you learning?
A negative becomes a positive when you learn from it. Help them identify why things didn’t work.
4. What needs to change?
It may be a major move or just a small shift but something needs to change before the situation can improve.
5. What are the next steps?
When people are looking for clarity they want to know what to do. Confidence in even just the next best step is empowering.