The Types of Questions Every Leader Should Ask

September 17, 2025

Leslie K. John and Alison Wood Brooks, professors at Harvard Business School, say people in business can be more successful by asking more and better questions. They talk through what makes for a great question, whether you’re looking to get information or get someone to like you. They’re the coauthors of the article, “The Surprising Power of Questions,” in the May–June 2018 issue of Harvard Business Review.

Key episode topics include: business communication, persuasion, behavioral science, decision making and problem solving

  • Listen to the original HBR IdeaCast episode: Ask Better Questions
  • Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast
  • Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at hbr.org

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Lawanda Damron

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