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Atiba’s Musings 🤓

5 Types of Questions Great Leaders Ask

Success often comes down to the questions we ask rather than luck or just having a vision. Great leaders don’t simply tell people what to do—they ask powerful questions that help others see the vision, think differently, and take ownership. There are five key types of questions leaders should use: investigative (“What do we know?”), speculative (“What if?”), productive (“Now what?”), introspective (“So what?”), and subjective (“What’s unsaid?”). Each plays a unique role in guiding people toward better understanding and action.Missing important questions—especially the “unsaid” ones—can lead to costly mistakes. For example, not asking about the right of refusal when buying a franchise resulted in unexpected competition later. The takeaway is clear: asking the right questions is critical to leadership and success. And there’s potential value in having tools to help leaders know which questions to ask in any situation.

I've found myself returning to Wattles' "Science of Being Great" because it cuts through self-help fluff to reveal a profound distinction: being great versus merely doing great things. His core insight is that greatness flows from aligning with what he calls the "advancing life" - an inherent creative force moving through everything - rather than forcing outcomes through willpower alone. This shifts you from asking "How can I control this?" to "What wants to emerge here, and how can I serve it?" What makes this different from positive thinking is that Wattles grounds greatness in service to something larger than ego, which is why truly great people elevate everyone around them rather than diminishing others. The book feels timeless because it addresses our deepest question: how do we become who we're truly capable of being through continuous conscious alignment rather than arrival at some final destination.

Community Spotlight ✨

Some people naturally have sweet and kind souls—Elise Giddings is one of them. Being around her feels like wrapping yourself in comfort—I always light up when I see her at events and when I have her at my Dinner with Friends.

As a COO, Elise channels this authentic warmth into building exceptional teams. She understands that genuine connection isn't just nice to have—it's essential. When her teams feel that support and care, they naturally extend it to their clients, creating a ripple effect of trust and understanding. When you're coaching some of the world's most accomplished entrepreneurs and scientists to excel even further in their craft, you need someone who can truly connect and help others do the same. Elise masters this beautifully.

They guide people to either find the resources they need or overcome self-imposed limitations.

These are already high performers who learn to reach even greater heights.