Try This Leadership Experiment: Only Ask Questions for 30 Days

Marlo Lyons
Jul 7
3 min read

Most leaders think their value comes from having the answers. But what if the real power of leadership came from asking better questions instead?

Here’s a simple leadership experiment that can fundamentally change how your team operates:

For the next 30 days, only ask questions.

No fixing.

No jumping in with solutions.

No immediately telling people what to do.

Just questions.

It sounds simple. But this one shift can transform how your team thinks, collaborates, and solves problems.

Question-based leadership aka coaching Leadership is one of the most powerful tools a leader can use.

Why Leaders Who Ask Questions Build Stronger Teams

When leaders constantly provide answers, something subtle happens. Their teams become dependent. Instead of thinking through problems themselves, people start waiting for direction.

Over time, the leader becomes the bottleneck.

But when leaders ask thoughtful questions instead, something very different happens.

People start thinking more critically.

They take ownership of their decisions.

And teams begin solving problems faster without waiting for permission.

Questions shift leadership from control to empowerment.

The One Rule On Asking Questions

There’s one important guideline in this experiment. Avoid questions that begin with “Why.” Even when leaders mean well, “why” questions often trigger defensiveness.

Think about how this sounds:

“Why did you do it that way?”

“Why didn’t you do A, B, C?”

“Why wasn’t he included in this meeting?”

Most people immediately feel the need to defend themselves.

Instead, try reframing your question in a way that encourages reflection rather than defense.

Examples of stronger leadership questions include:

“What led you to that approach?”
“How did you come to that conclusion?”
“What options did you consider?”
“What do you think the next step should be?”

These questions invite thinking rather than justification. And that’s where real leadership growth happens.

What Happens When Leaders Stop Giving Answers

When leaders start asking powerful questions instead of giving answers for just 30 days, they experience three surprising shifts.

1. Your Team Starts Thinking for Themselves

When people aren’t handed answers, they begin working through problems more deeply. Ownership increases. Confidence grows. And team members become far more capable decision-makers.

2. Better Ideas Surface

Leaders often unintentionally shut down creativity by speaking first. When leaders ask questions instead, they create space for perspectives that might otherwise never appear. Many leaders discover that their team’s ideas are often better than their own.

3. Leaders Learn More

Constantly giving answers limits what leaders learn. Asking questions reveals insights about:

hidden obstacles
team dynamics
new opportunities
how work is actually happening on the ground

Questions expand a leader’s understanding of their organization.

Examples of Powerful Leadership Questions

If you’re trying this experiment, start with questions like these:

“What does success look like here?”
“What might we be missing?”
“What’s the hardest part of this challenge?”
“What options are you considering?”
“What support do you need from me?”

These questions encourage reflection, ownership, and collaboration. They also help leaders coach rather than control.

The Leadership Skill Most People Overlook

Many leadership development programs focus on strategy, decision-making, and execution. But one of the most underrated leadership skills is curiosity. Curious leaders create cultures where people think, innovate, and take initiative. And it often starts with something deceptively simple:

Asking better questions.