MDRT Global Services

Good communication is a two-way street, where all sides take turns talking and listening. Questions are the traffic signals that direct participants toward their destination. According to Harvard ManageMentor, “Coaching is a dialogue, and asking questions is an important way to spark additional thinking.”

Giving team members a chance to explain themselves not only makes them more comfortable, but also allows them to reflect on their decisions by outlining the thoughts behind their actions. And because few managers have all the answers, leaders can also benefit from the greater understanding that comes from a question-based dialogue.

Open-ended questions

The most powerful questions in the coaching toolbox are those that can’t be answered with a simple yes or no. Open-ended questions require an opinion or an explanation. By their nature, responses can’t be right or wrong. Asking enough open-ended questions will penetrate even the most cautious and guarded employees, often leading to productive conversations. 

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Some people would rather act first and leave the talking to others. But leaders are only leaders if they can inspire followers.

Stories are the best shortcut to synchronize minds. A colorful example can cut through misunderstandings and illuminate a leader’s hopes, fears and instructions. A great story can inspire people to zig where they might have instead zagged.  

“One of my strongest beliefs is that how we communicate directly links to how we operate,” said Ryan Avery, a speaker at the 2021 MDRT Annual Meeting Virtual Event. “If you have poor communication skills, you’re going to have poor operations skills.”

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Sounds like a dream come true, right? The accomplishment would not only increase their own income, but it would raise the success and prestige of your agency while likely increasing client satisfaction.

But getting there isn’t as easy as insisting your team members reach MDRT-level production — it also takes some work on your part. After being active in MDRT herself, Wu Shuk Ping Joyce, an agency leader in Hong Kong, China, decided to create an MDRT culture that would include all her advisors. Here are the three things she focused on:

1. Culture. She speaks daily with her team about MDRT, focusing on personal growth and ethics. “I explain to them that if you are MDRT, you have to follow the Code of Ethics,” Wu said. “I also use a lot of Round the Table (MDRT’s magazine) articles. We read one of the articles and share and learn.”

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Early in his career, Jason Hunt believed two myths about leadership. The first: Leaders must have all the answers. And number two: Leaders have to solve all their problems on their own.

“As I’ve worked with new leaders, I have found these myths, these mistakes, these falsehoods, are actually  very common,” says Hunt, author, leadership consultant and an MDRT Global Services speaker at the 2021 MDRT Annual Meeting Virtual Event. “So question yourself here. Do you believe these two myths?”

If you’re a believer, take a minute to think more closely, Hunt says. “If leaders are able to solve all the problems and have all of the information, then why do you need employees? Why would you need a team around you? Because we don’t have all the information, and we can’t solve all the problems.”

Fortunately, there are only two simple steps needed to advance past this mentality, Hunt said.   

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