Surf the wave 2: Living in the Questions

Is Your Leadership Team Rushing to Answers? Try Living in the Questions Instead!

Uncertainty. It’s the elephant in every boardroom right now. When challenges arise—whether it’s restructuring, market disruptions, or internal resistance—the instinct is almost always the same: 

Find the fix. 

Move fast. 

Solve it now.

What if the answers you need are not ready to be solved yet?

Here’s a real-world scenario:

A C-suite team is leading their company through a major digital transformation. Employee resistance is high, systems are clashing, and customer satisfaction is dipping. Every meeting ends in a frenzy of proposed solutions—none of which seem to stick. The energy is hectic, and the team feels stuck in a cycle of quick fixes and rising frustration.

The real problem? They’re rushing to answers instead of living in the questions.

What if this team paused, took a breath, and shifted their focus? 

Imagine starting their next meeting with open-ended questions like:

- What questions are we not asking about this transformation?

- What makes our employees behave so resistant, and what might this resistance be telling us?

- What would success truly look like—not just for the business, but for the people who are part of this journey?

By sitting with these questions instead of leaping to conclusions, the team could unlock fresh perspectives:

->They might discover that resistance isn’t just fear—it’s insight into gaps in communication, clarity or training.

-> They might realize their metrics for success are too narrowly focused on systems, not people.

-> They might even redefine the transformation itself, making it more aligned with their true long-term goals.

Living in the questions feels counterintuitive, especially for results-driven leaders. 

And you know what, here’s the paradox: The best answers emerge when we’re patient enough to stay with the questions for a while.

How Can Your Team Start Living in the Questions?

In your next meeting, resist the urge to jump straight to solutions. Instead:

1. Ask: "What questions are we avoiding", and "what makes us choose to do so?"

2. Let the discomfort of uncertainty linger. It’s where innovation begins.

3. Balance curiosity with action—use open questions to guide deeper, more thoughtful decisions.

In volatile times, clarity isn’t immediate—it’s uncovered. So, embrace the uncertainty and give your team permission to explore.

What’s one question your team should be asking right now?