If You Could, How Would You?

I walk into the boss’s office one day only to find his exec about in tears, he was so frustrated. I ask him, “Are you okay, Sir?” “No, Chief, I’m not,” he replies. “What’s up and how may I help you?” I ask him. “I’m incredibly upset at those folks in the finance department. I’m trying to get them to pay for a guest we’ve invited to speak to the team. We have the money. It was designated for exactly this function. They just keep telling me that they can’t do it,” he tells me.

“Sir, maybe you need to ask from a different angle, ask a different question of them,” I suggest. “I’ll try anything, Chief. What do you suggest?” he asks. “Call them back and ask them this: ‘If you COULD do it, how would you?’ When they give you the answer, ask them to do it then.” His eyes still watery from his previous conversation with the folks in the finance department, he almost smiles and says, “I’ll try it. The boss will see you now.” I walk in to see the boss.

As I come out of the boss’s office, I notice his exec smiling. He comes up to me and shakes my hand. “Thank you, Chief! I called them back and asked them your question. They told me exactly how they could make it happen. I “asked” them to do it just as they told me. They made it happen! Thank you!”

INSIGHT: Sometimes, we have to ask a different question to get people to think differently. Especially when the answer to the first question is no. There’s always a way. But the path to that way may be obstructed by old paradigms and methods. If you could, how would you?

Chief bob vásquez!

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