‘What are you working to achieve?’
Working out loud is not a common enough experience yet. Many people are still reticent to share their goals, their challenges and their work.
That makes a question about what people are working to achieve a very powerful one, because it:
- helps people clarify their purpose and goals
- separates wishes from tangible action
- moves beyond appearances, titles and surface issues to form the basis for a deeper context, connection and conversation
- enables you to identify how you or others can contribute to help
I ask this kind of question a lot. I find it is incredibly valuable for simply building rapport. You have a lot more to discuss when you know where someone is devoting their efforts.
However, it also enables further action to help. Just this morning I asked the question of somebody that I did not know well. Turns out I have networks that will assist them to achieve their goals more quickly. That makes the question a powerful engine of collaboration. You can’t help if you don’t know.
If others are not sharing their work, ask them what it is that they are working to achieve.
