#156: Michael Bungay Stanier, Founder of Box of Crayons — Be curious

How Leaders Lead with David Novak

Picture this:

Someone on your team comes to you with a question about how to approach a problem theyr’e facing. 

What do you do? 

If you’re like most leaders, your first instinct is to dispense some advice. And that’s understandable! You’re sitting in that leadership role precisely because you’ve got all kinds of great wisdom and insight to share.

But according to today’s guest, that approach can backfire.

Michael Bungay Stanier is a bestselling author and the founder of a company called Box of Crayons that equips leaders to become better coaches.

He’s on a mission to help leaders move away from giving advice and instead leverage the power of curiosity to draw out their team.

For Michael, curiosity is a leadership superpower that helps you find better ideas, pinpoint the right problems, and get more from your teammates.

And this conversation is jam-packed with practical ways to help you do ALL that. 

You’ll also learn:

  • One three-word question that will change the way you coach your team
  • The three different kinds of “Advice Monsters” (and how to tame yours!)
  • How to use the power of silence
  • The one thing you need to do in a difficult working relationship
  • A practical framework to navigate a big company leadership transition 
  • One specific question that will help you dig deeper in any relationship
  • Three principles to improve your communication skills

———

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

  • Get coaching from David by signing up to receive his Weekly Leadership Plan. It builds on each podcast episode by offering actionable steps you can take each week to incorporate the learnings from the episode into your leadership style. It only takes about 5 minutes and is a great way to start off your week!
  • Become a better leader in 5 days with our free, 5-Day Leadership Tune Up. This five-minute-a-day program is designed for the busy leader – it cuts right to the chase and gives you the practical know-how you’ll need to boost your confidence as a leader.
  • Subscribe to the How Leaders Lead podcast to ensure you never miss an episode!

Hosts & Guests

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes and get the latest updates.

Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada