Tech Leaders: Is Your Expertise Holding You Back?
Use curiosity to evolve from problem-solver to strategic leader
I sat there, frozen, watching the energy drain from my team's faces. Moments before, a team member meticulously explained their solution, a technical workaround to a highly visible customer production issue we were grappling with. However, I became stressed and impatient and stopped listening about a third of the way through their detailed proposal. My mind was already set on what I thought was the 'right' answer.
Before I knew it, my 'advice monster,' the tendency to jump in with solutions and advice, reared its head. I took over, disregarding their work and telling the team what to do despite no longer being in the position to recommend the best path forward. It hit me as I scanned the surprised faces around the table: I'd just made a classic leadership mistake. Instead of maintaining curiosity, I'd fallen into the trap of telling rather than asking. I wished I could rewind and have a do-over.
Later, when discussing the situation with my leadership coach, they introduced me to the Johari Window, a framework for developing better self-awareness and the concept of a leadership blindspot. The insights I gained in that conversation became a turning point in my journey from technical manager to inspiring technical leader.
This experience highlights a common pitfall many leaders face; as an executive coach, I've guided over 100 technical leaders through similar transformations as they grow to more senior roles, highlighting a crucial leadership lesson: asking questions is more powerful than giving answers.
This lesson is particularly crucial for technical experts transitioning into leadership roles. Let me explain why.
Why Technical Experts Struggle in Leadership Roles
Picture this: You're a brilliant software engineer recognized for your technical prowess. Your expertise has earned you a leadership position. Sounds like a natural progression, right?
Wrong.
The very skills that propelled you to leadership can become your greatest weakness. It typically unfolds like this:
You see a problem.
You know the solution (you're the expert, after all).
You tell your team exactly what to do.
This approach might seem efficient, but it's far from effective leadership. As the saying goes, "Knowledge is power." But in leadership, there's a more potent force at play.
"The most powerful tool in a leader's arsenal isn't knowledge—it's curiosity."
The hidden costs of the "telling" approach are significant and often underestimated:
Disempowerment: Your team feels it can't solve problems independently, which can lead to a lack of initiative.
Reduced Innovation: You close off opportunities for creative problem-solving, potentially missing out on groundbreaking ideas.
Stunted Growth: Team members miss crucial learning experiences, which hinders their development.
Decreased Engagement: People invest less in solutions they didn't help create, resulting in lower commitment and productivity.
The Key Takeaway: Your technical expertise can become a leadership liability if you're not careful.
Let's explore the essential practice of asking the right questions and how they can transform communication with your team and stakeholders, unlocking potential you might never have known existed.
The Power of Asking: Curiosity as a Leadership Superpower
Leading with curiosity is more than gathering information—it’s also empowering your team, fostering innovation, and creating an environment where everyone can contribute their best ideas.
Imagine instead of telling your team how to solve a problem, you ask:
"Can you say more..." (about that idea or thinking that led you to this solution), which invites a deeper explanation and helps you understand their thought process.
"What approaches have you considered?" This encourages thorough analysis and demonstrates your trust in their problem-solving abilities. It's a way of saying, 'I believe in your expertise, and I trust you to find the best solution.'
"How might we look at this problem differently?" sparking creative thinking and can lead to innovative solutions.
"What would success look like for this project?" aligning expectations ensures everyone is working towards the same goal.
These kinds of questions spark creativity, inspire innovation, and create an environment where each team member feels valued and empowered to contribute their best ideas. They also foster a culture of curiosity, where new ideas are constantly being explored and developed.
One of my clients, a CTO at a rapidly growing startup, initially struggled with constantly telling his team the best way to refactor the product he’d built to support scale requirements.. He didn’t realize that his detailed instructions stifled the team's creativity and slowed their progress. As he experimented with demonstrating curiosity and asking insightful questions, he noticed significant improvements in engagement and was pleasantly surprised by the innovative approaches and increased team velocity. Within months, his team delivered a more scalable product ahead of schedule with creative solutions, and team satisfaction scores skyrocketed.
So, how do you make this leadership shift? Let's break it down.
Navigating Transition from Technical Expert to Visionary Leader
Shifting your approach from telling to asking requires practice to overcome ingrained habits and embrace a new paradigm. Here are some strategies I've found effective:
Pause before responding: When faced with a problem, take a breath. Is this an opportunity for your team to grow?
Embrace the power of silence: After asking a question, resist the urge to fill the silence. Give your team time to think.
Practice active listening: Focus on understanding your team's perspective, not formulating your next response.
Be comfortable with uncertainty: Remember, your job isn't to have all the answers but to guide your team to find solutions.
"Leadership isn't about knowing everything; it's about creating an environment where others can flourish."
The Key Takeaway: Effective leadership often means stepping back and creating space for your team to step up.
When the pressure's on, how do you avoid asserting solutions when deadlines loom and stakeholders demand answers? Let’s discuss how building a culture of curiosity can lead to innovation.
Build a Culture of Curiosity and Innovation
As leaders, our behavior sets the tone for the entire team. By consistently asking rather than telling, we cultivate an environment where curiosity is valued, and innovation can thrive. To build this kind of culture, you can:
Set Clear Expectations: Communicate that you value questions and diverse perspectives.
Lead by Example: Demonstrate vulnerability by asking questions yourself, even when you think you know the answer.
Recognize and Reward Curiosity: Celebrate team members who ask insightful questions or challenge assumptions constructively.
A tip is to think of your team as a garden. Your role isn't to be the tallest plant; instead, your role is to be the gardener who creates the conditions for every plant to thrive.
Accelerating Team Performance by Asking Questions
I've seen the positive impact of teams that adopt a leading with a curiosity mindset. Asking more questions can transform team members from passive executors to dynamic innovators. Problems that once seemed impossible become opportunities for breakthrough thinking.
Remember the CTO I mentioned earlier? As his team grew more confident, they innovated, increasing their ability to do more with their budget and developing cutting-edge solutions ahead of competitors. Now, their company is positioned for the next round of funding, and market share doubled within a year.
Here are some ways you can start developing this skill today.
Practical Strategies for Developing Your "Asking" Muscles
Like any skill, becoming adept at asking powerful questions takes practice. Here are some techniques I recommend to my clients:
Keep a Question Bank: Maintain a list of go-to questions. Some of my favorites include:
"What's the real challenge here for you?"
"If we were to solve this problem, what would change?"
"What's the unsayable thing that we're not saying?"
Use Visual Reminders: Place sticky notes with questions on your monitor or desk.
Practice in Low-Stakes Situations: Use these techniques to build confidence in less critical meetings or one-on-ones.
Seek Feedback: Ask your team how they perceive your leadership style and be open to their input.
The Key Takeaway: Developing a questioning mindset is a practice, not a one-time shift.
Embrace Your Role as a Catalyst for Growth
The journey from technical expert to visionary leader is ongoing. It requires continuous reflection, adjustment, and growth. But by embracing curiosity and mastering the art of asking, you’ll position yourself as a problem solver and a catalyst for your team's growth and innovation.
As you reflect on your leadership style, consider:
How can you shift from telling to asking and transform your team's performance and culture?
What's one question you could start asking more often?
Remember, leadership is more than having all the answers. Asking the right questions can help you cultivate an environment where your team can discover innovative solutions together and thrive.
Are you ready to unlock the power of curiosity in your leadership? The next breakthrough could be one question away.
If you or your team are struggling with any of these challenges, let’s connect and strategize on ways to cultivate your curiosity and elevate your leadership approach.