Latest / Safe As Podcast / E50: Ed Schein's Humble Inquiry - “The Gentle Art of Asking Instead of Telling” (quickisode)

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E50: Ed Schein's Humble Inquiry - “The Gentle Art of Asking Instead of Telling” (quickisode) · Safe As Podcast

• 0:07
  Welcome to the next quickest site of Safe, as we're delving
• 0:11
  into Humble Inquiry from Ed Shine, which is defined as the
• 0:15
  gentle art of asking instead of telling.
• 0:19
  It's fundamentally the fine art of drawing someone out, of
• 0:23
  asking questions to which you don't already know the answer,
• 0:27
  of building a relationship based on curiosity and interest in the
• 0:30
  other person. Well, humble inquiry is at the
• 0:33
  core and attitude reflected in various behaviours.
• 0:36
  Rather than a strict formula, mastering involves specific
• 0:40
  practical shifts aimed at mastering trusting
• 0:43
  relationships. These relationships are crucial
• 0:46
  for effective and safe task performance in our rather
• 0:50
  complex, interdependent world. The practise of humble inquiry
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  starts with three core requirements.
• 0:57
  We must consciously do less telling and instead do more
• 1:03
  listening and importantly learn to do more asking.
• 1:08
  And we also have to do a better job of listening and
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  acknowledging. Telling is discouraged because
• 1:13
  it implies that the other person is maybe ignorant and can be
• 1:17
  seen as condescending or offensive.
• 1:20
  Asking questions is really important because it temporarily
• 1:23
  empowers the other person and makes the ask of vulnerable.
• 1:27
  This self exposure, this investment of attention is a key
• 1:32
  to building an equitable and trusting relationship.
• 1:34
  To develop this approach, especially when operating in a
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  culture of do and tell, Sean provides some guidelines for
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  action. He says to you, first slow down
• 1:46
  and vary the pace. How?
• 1:48
  Cultures don't necessarily teach the art of deceleration, but
• 1:53
  slowing down allows us to observe carefully and take stock
• 1:56
  of what's happening. Second, we should reflect more
• 2:00
  by asking ourselves humble inquiry questions before leaping
• 2:04
  into action. Leaders especially should ask
• 2:08
  themselves internally, on whom am I dependent and what is going
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  on here? This approach taps into the here
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  and now humility, the recognition of temporary
• 2:19
  dependence on others to accomplish our committed task.
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  3rd, we should aim to become more mindful.
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  Adopt the instant assessment mantra.
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  What else is happening? This ensures you honour your
• 2:32
  capacity to deal with complexity and minimise perceptual biases.
• 2:37
  Finally, use truly open questions in conversations with
• 2:41
  honesty and not loaded questions that you're really just trying
• 2:44
  to fish for the answer, such as what's happening Or can you give
• 2:48
  me an example? These questions don't steer or
• 2:52
  influence the content of the other person's response.
• 2:55
  So let's create the sychological safety necessary for team
• 3:00
  members to speak U and share critical safety information.
• 3:03
  This is a very quick overview but that's it on this quicker
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  side of safe as.