HBR On Leadership

The Questions Leaders Need to Be Asking Themselves


Listen Later

What makes a leader truly effective? Is it about strategic vision, time management, confidence?

Robert Steven Kaplan says the best leaders are exceptionally good at asking tough questions so they can make the right decisions. He is the author of the book What to Ask the Person in the Mirror: Critical Questions for Becoming a More Effective Leader and Reaching Your Potential.

He explains how to frame better questions to get the answers you need to make decisions. He also discusses how to use questions to clarify your key priorities and how to make sure you’re then spending your time in service of them.

Key episode topics include: leadership, managing yourself, critical questions, decision-making, tough questions, analysis. 

HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week.

  • Listen to the original HBR IdeaCast episode: Key Questions for Leaders (2011)
  • Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast
  • Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org
  • ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    HBR On LeadershipBy Harvard Business Review

    • 4.7
    • 4.7
    • 4.7
    • 4.7
    • 4.7

    4.7

    136 ratings


    More shows like HBR On Leadership

    View all
    The McKinsey Podcast by McKinsey & Company

    The McKinsey Podcast

    388 Listeners

    The Look & Sound of Leadership by Essential Communications - Tom Henschel

    The Look & Sound of Leadership

    1,162 Listeners

    Coaching for Leaders by Dave Stachowiak

    Coaching for Leaders

    1,455 Listeners

    The Strategy Skills Podcast: Strategy | Leadership | Critical Thinking | Problem-Solving by FirmsConsulting.com & StrategyTraining.com

    The Strategy Skills Podcast: Strategy | Leadership | Critical Thinking | Problem-Solving

    109 Listeners

    HBR IdeaCast by Harvard Business Review

    HBR IdeaCast

    1,825 Listeners

    Cold Call by HBR Presents / Brian Kenny

    Cold Call

    197 Listeners

    Women at Work by Harvard Business Review

    Women at Work

    1,382 Listeners

    Dear HBR: by Harvard Business Review

    Dear HBR:

    743 Listeners

    Worklife with Adam Grant by TED

    Worklife with Adam Grant

    9,202 Listeners

    Speak Up: Develop Your Executive Presence & Leadership Communication Style by Laura Camacho

    Speak Up: Develop Your Executive Presence & Leadership Communication Style

    86 Listeners

    The Modern Manager by Mamie Kanfer Stewart

    The Modern Manager

    184 Listeners

    Inside the Strategy Room by McKinsey & Company

    Inside the Strategy Room

    169 Listeners

    The Anxious Achiever by Morra Aarons-Mele

    The Anxious Achiever

    575 Listeners

    Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques by Matt Abrahams, Think Fast Talk Smart

    Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

    803 Listeners

    Coaching Real Leaders by Harvard Business Review / Muriel Wilkins

    Coaching Real Leaders

    667 Listeners

    HBR On Strategy by Harvard Business Review

    HBR On Strategy

    77 Listeners

    New Here by Harvard Business Review

    New Here

    81 Listeners