Ask, Don't Tell
Inspired by Ken Norton episode
Ken Norton's coaching secret: Great PMs (and parents) get better results by asking questions than giving answers.
Ken Norton says ask questions instead of giving orders. Builds ownership on your team.
You know what also builds ownership? Asking your kid "What should we do about the juice you just spilled all over the couch?" They stare at you like you've asked them to explain quantum physics. Thirty seconds of silence. Then: "...Call Grandma?"
But here's the thing—when you just bark "Go get a towel!" they move like they're walking through quicksand. When you ask the question, suddenly they're a consultant. "Well, FIRST we need paper towels. THEN we need to check if it soaked through. THEN—"
Yeah, it takes four times longer. Yeah, you could've cleaned it yourself by now. But they're thinking instead of resenting you, which I guess is the goal?
The PM gets ownership. You get a six-year-old who won't stop asking questions back. "Why can't we use a regular towel?" Cool, cool. We've invented Socratic dialogue for juice spills.
