Get to the Point

3 minute read

One of the most important skills in your professional tool belt is the ability to get to the root of an issue. Throughout my career, I’ve seen countless instances where people dive headfirst into solving a problem without truly understanding what they’re tackling. Often, when people attempt to find a solution, they’re asking the wrong questions. This leads them on a wild goose chase for answers that don’t actually address the core issue. Here’s an example. 

Once, a manager strolled into my office and inquired about our performance review process: how we determine who's eligible for promotion and who makes the final decisions. At first glance, you might think, 'Great, they're taking an interest!' and launch into a detailed explanation of your stellar evaluation process. But chances are, you'd be missing the point. We’re often so eager to dive into solutions that we forget to ask ourselves what we’re really trying to achieve.

Rather than delivering my very detailed response to their question, I paused to consider why they were asking. I replied, “Thanks for asking about our performance reviews, I appreciate your interest! Could you clarify if you need a refresher on our process or if there’s a specific aspect you’re trying to understand?” After a few more probing questions, it turns out they were dealing with an employee performance issue and wanted to ensure their feedback was considered for promotion decisions.

Now, you can see that guiding them on what to do with their feedback is a different solution than simply explaining the process of performance reviews. The more context you have, the better you can address their real concerns.

In another scenario, I had a boss peppering me with random employee data requests. They seemed sporadic and haphazard, leaving me confused and frustrated. Finally, I asked, “What exactly are you trying to achieve with this data?” Once I grasped the desired outcome, I could pinpoint where to look and which reports were most relevant.  

Mastering the art of getting to the point takes practice. I encourage you to practice getting to the point both as the one asking questions and the one fielding them. Having been on the receiving end many times, I make it a point to be clear with my requests. Often, I start with the problem I am trying to solve or the question I need answered and work backwards from there. 

For instance: 

Instead of asking, “Where do we keep our exit interview data?” consider framing it as “I’m trying to understand our high turnover rates. Can you provide all exit interview data for the past 12 months?” This way, you give the person you’re asking more context and clear direction.

The next time you’re faced with a question that starts with who, what, when, where, or why, take a moment to consider if you need more information before responding. Need help? Let us know!