Marnie Green

Powerful Plurals



Posted: Wednesday, October 07, 2009

by
Management Education Group

Recently, E-Tips have been focusing on the power of questions to build relationships and to engage employees in performance conversations. This month we offer a very subtle but powerful trick for expanding the possibilities of your conversations. Here's the trick:

Use plural nouns to open or extend the other person's perspective.

I don't want to get all "English teacher" on you (that's my husband Steve's job). Still, an awareness of the words you choose will allow you to have a greater impact on the conversations you initiate with employees. You use nouns in all of your open-ended questions anyway. That's how our language works. Now, when you ask for input ask for more than one response. Here are some examples of useful plural nouns:

Goals rather than goal

Options rather than option

Perspectives rather than perspective

Ideas rather than idea

Alternatives rather than alternative

What does this look like in a sentence?

What options have you considered to meet the customer's needs?

rather than

What option have you considered to meet the customer's need?

What perspectives can you share about the project?

rather than

What is your perspective about the project?

What ideas do you have for solving the problem?

rather than

What idea do you have for solving the problem?

Plural nouns encourage the employee to consider multiple options and convey your openness to unique approaches. The singular nouns in these examples (option, perspective, idea) limit the response you will receive and do not encourage the employee to participate in the resolution of the issue. Simple, huh?

This month, try to consciously ask more open-ended, option-filled questions and see what you get. Let me know how it goes. Next month we'll talk about how to avoid the "off the wall" or unreasonable answers you may get. Marnie E. Green is Principal Consultant of the Chandler, AZ-based Management Education Group, Inc. Green is a speaker, author, and consultant who helps organizations develop confident leaders. Contact Green at phone: 480-705-9394 email: mgreen@managementeducationgroup.com web site: http://www.managementeducationgroup.com. We offer this article on a nonexclusive basis. You may reprint or repost this material as long as Marnie Green's name and contact information are included.
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