What One Question You Should You Ask Yourself?
Apr 18, 2022
What One Question You Should You Ask Yourself?
Is there just one question that you can ask yourself to improve your performance?
Perhaps as an individual governance leader or as the not-for-profit agency itself?
Well, apparently there is.
Well, alright, maybe more than one.
There is some research to suggest that you can make better decisions if you put the problem and solution in a more personal context.
So, around the board table, when faced with a difficult decision, or perhaps being the outlier to the herd mentality, you might ask yourself the question:
What would I tell my best friend to do?
Alternately of course, one can coach and advise by projecting the question this way:
What would you tell your best friend to do?
In each case, you know that you would want to offer the best solution possible -- ethical, rational, considered, reasonable, realistic.
Similarly, to gauge your success, frame the question in a more personal and immediate fashion, such as:
Would you recommend us to a friend?
Or, would you recommend this program/service to a friend?
This raises issues of accountability and consequences. As well of course of being, again, ethical, rational, considered, reasonable, realistic…
And a simple question can be made more nuanced with a gradation of possible responses:
Yes. Yes, With Reservations. Maybe. No.
Please elaborate!
Sometimes we make decision-making too complex and certainly we make evaluation and assessment more challenging than they need be with limited time and money.
So, the next time you are wondering about what to do next, ask yourself:
What would I tell my best friend to do?
Would I recommend this program to a friend?
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Oh… hey!
Would you recommend this blog and newsletter to a friend?
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