HIGH AQThe elevated answers blog.
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 Why use In-house leaders as trainers?With no stop in sight, a trend is to use In-house leaders as trainers. For example, Merck & Boeing regularly use leaders as trainers (see endnote 1). Merck partners leaders as trainers with academic faculty to co-teach classes, and Boeing vice presidents teach 2+ leadership classes a year. Teaching the classes is part of the performance evaluation for vice presidents. There are several benefits of using leaders as trainers:
Preparing leaders to become trainers is challengingAccording to to the Association for Talent Development (atd) (see endnote 2), it takes 38 hours on average to develop 1 hour of face-to-face training. The time burden increases in the online environment to 42 hours for passive instruction, and over 110 hours for active instruction that use scenarios for role playing. Teaching a course is difficult, made more difficult if a leader does not have experience as a trainer. Leaders (as do-ers) have done it, but they may not be self-aware of how they succeeded in ways that others can follow. Or leaders may mistake training as a forum to just tell stories. These and other challenges confront the leader, who is all too often an inexperienced trainer. To address this inexperience, train the trainer programs are designed to educate leaders on how to be an effective trainer. The list of topics covered in the typical train the trainer program is long:
In summary, transforming leaders into trainers is not easy. A train the trainer program can last days and dozens of hours at a minimum of a leader’s valuable time. Not surprisingly, a common push back is that it takes too long. Use AQ to transform a leader into a trainerIf you are like many organizations that have implemented train the trainer programs to develop leaders into trainers, you know time constraints prevent the course you really want to run the leaders through. Given a premium on leaders’ time, it is important that your train the trainer programs are efficient and effective. To speed up and make the transformation from leader to trainer, try Answer Intelligence (AQ)™ as a learning framework. AQ is a new science of answers (story, metaphor, theory, concept, procedure, action) that fully incorporates questions (what, why, how, where, where, who) to reimagine communication. Put simply, business leaders use questions and answers everyday. The AQ framework codifies an approach toward communicating (and learning) that is fully accepted by leaders. The framework is simple, (everyone has a basic understanding of questions and answers) requiring minimal time to learn.  AQ is consistent with well accepted aspects of learning. For example: AQ + knowledge. Training is about providing knowledge. AQ is built upon knowledge. Specifically, how-questions are associated with procedural knowledge that are addressed with procedure and action answers. What-questions are associated with declarative knowledge that are associated with concept and metaphor. Why-questions are associated with structural knowledge (cause-and-effect) associated with theory and story. Appealing to the left-side of the brain, procedure, concept, and theory are associated with objective knowledge (codifiable, exist outside the person). Finally, appealing to the right-side of the brain, action, metaphor, and story are associated with objective knowledge (often referred to as tactic knowledge that cannot be separated from the experiences). In sum, AQ is a theory of knowledge that you can use in your next train the trainer session. For example, you can challenge a leader to distill their theory of “leadership” into a simple cause-and effect diagram. Or encourage leaders as trainers to identify a metaphor to share their experiences into a compact package that others can easily absorb. AQ + skills. Training is about skills. Central to skill development is application and role playing. AQ works very well with role playing exercises. In fact, question and answer exchange is the heart of most role playing. Consider a sales role playing, where a sales leader (as the trainer) can ask “Why should I hire you?” or “How does the service work?” These questions can be answered with AQ. The application of AQ is a learned skill that relates to 5 High AQ Practices. For example, Answer Twice is High AQ practice 2 that holds that an important why, what, or how question should be answered twice to make an emotional connection (right-sided answer: story, metaphor, action) and a logical connection (left-sided answer: theory, concept, procedure). For example, the “How does the service work?” can be answered twice with a procedure and action(s). The procedure is the steps in a process. Actions are associated with any given step, in terms of best practice or unique actions. Using the 5 High AQ practices is a skill. In other words, to Answer Twice requires effective and concise delivery. AQ + Learning Styles. Answer With Style, High AQ Practice 4, holds that every teacher and student has distinct communication styles that impact learning. Specifically, there are three styles: Relational (preference for story + metaphor), Analytical (preference for theory + concept), and Practical (preference for procedure + action). If a trainer knows the style of the students, questions and answers can be anticipated and responded to. Additionally, the teacher should know their own style to amplify strengths and guard against shortcomings. For example, if a teacher has a relational style, a potential gap is avoiding practical or analytical answers needed for learning. (1) E. Betof, L. Owens, and S. Todd, "The Keys to Success in a VUCA World," T+D (July 2014), pp. 38-43. (2) R. Defelice, "How Long to Develop one Hour of Training? Updated for 2017" (January 9, 2018) from www.td.org/insights. If you found Answer Intelligence (AQ)™ an interesting framework, please share this post with others. Also, try our FREE AQ test to gauge your AQ.
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 Tracy L. Baumann is Director of Marketing at The Brooks Group, an award-winning Top 20 Sales Training Company. This article is part of the High AQ Interview Series where executives, academics, and thought leaders discuss elevated answers. The following interview is edited for clarity. DiSC® and CommunicationDiSC® is a personality framework that identifies four basic personality types:
Dr G: “How do you think DiSC® is related to Answer Intelligence (AQ)™?” Tracy Baumann: “DiSC® provides a personality profile for others that you need to keep in mind when communicating. When you speak with a High-D, you want to keep communication short and to the point… No emojis. In contrast, the High-I wants emojis… they want to use feelings to connect with others. The High-C wants practical and evidenced based information such as charts and graphs.” Dr. G: “In contrast to DiSC®, Answer Intelligence (AQ)™ is a communication framework with implications for traits. Specifically, Answer with Style (High AQ Practice 4) holds that individuals have distinct communication preferences. The practical style is associated with a preference for procedure and action answers to achieve results. The analytical style is associated with a preference for concept and theory answers to explain and predict in a complex world. Finally, the relational style is associated with a preference for story and metaphor answers to emotionally connect. A big difference between AQ and DiSC® is that with AQ, only 1 of the 5 High AQ practices is focused upon traits, and the other 4 High AQ practices are focused upon question-and-answer principles you can apply across personality types. For example, if you are asked “Why should I hire you?”, High AQ practice 1 holds you have six answer types to choose from (concept, theory, story, metaphor, procedure, action) and that either a theory or concept answer is most important.” Tracy Baumann: “I agree. Regardless of the questions being asked, the AQ styles make sense based upon my experience of how individuals prefer to communicate regardless of the specific questions being asked. Then, there also is a recognition that every conversation has unique questions that must be effectively answered by all personality types.” Dr G: “Leaning into the personality core of DiSC®, can you explain how The Brooks Group uses personality as you consult with your sales clients?” Tracy Baumann: “We use DiSC® to hire the right people for the right positions. We use it as a reliable source to narrow down the pool of applicants. Certain personality types fit better for certain roles. For instance, in sales the typical seller is a High-D and High-I (friendly and relationship oriented, but dominant). We rarely hire someone in a sales role at The Brooks Group that is not the established benchmarked DiSC® profile. We have made mistakes in the past hiring the wrong person for a role.” Dr G: “So if you hire on personality traits, how does any given communicator adapt to the unique questions and answers that flow in real time during a conversation? For example, I did a workshop for a sales organization selling enterprise software. In DiSC® terms, you could describe the sales reps as D-I types. In AQ terms, the D-personality related to practical answers (procedure and answers) they would prefer to provide others. The I-personality related to story and metaphors the sales reps like to use to connect to others. The problem, as underlined by the sales director at the workshop, was that many of his reps were being asked “why-questions” by senior executives, and the executives wanted strategy answers (theory in the AQ framework) and the sales reps were missing the mark. Often, they would default to answering the why-question by doing a feature and function dump (procedure and action dump in AQ vernacular). Not responding with the right answer was a big problem.” Tracy Baumann: “When we teach IMPACT Selling, something we do is teach sellers that whatever your style is, you should approach your prospect or client in neutral and adapt to the person you are communicating with. In your example, the executives may have preferred analytical communication [theory and concept] and sellers should go to neutral and communicate with answers the executive buyer prefers. More generally, of course, your point is that personality is not the same thing as communication. Personality frameworks, like DiSC®, and communication frameworks, like Answer intelligence (AQ)™, overlap, but have distinct implications that stem from their vantage points. Applying the AQ lens to other aspects of sales and marketing, I’m reminded of buyer personas. You must have an understanding of the buyer to make sure you are communicating products and services to address their pain points. Our research department regularly examines the current challenges of sales leaders. These challenges could relate to questions and answers the buyer and seller exchange in a conversation. In other words, personas could be mapped to specific questions and answers they provide. Second, buyers are more educated now, and earlier in the sales process—they have more answers. There is more of an emphasis in getting the conversation right, right away, or else you are out as a seller. AQ provides a lens to inform personas.” Dr G: “Your extension of AQ to personas underscores the general point we have been discussing—different frameworks (personas, DiSC®, Answer Intelligence (AQ)™) each hold different assumptions, principles, and practices about the world that inform unique, but partially overlapping, perspectives about the world. Personas and AQ are distinct but can inform each other. In similar terms, DiSC and AQ are distinct, but can inform each other. DiSC® is a personality framework, first and foremost, and a communication framework second.” Implications of AQ (a communication framework) for DiSC® (a personality framework)To close this article, Dr G and Tracy Baumann compiled a short list of communication implications of Answer intelligence (AQ)™ that could inform our understanding of DiSC®. The purpose of this list is not to provide solutions, but simply to suggest how AQ (a new communication framework) can push our understanding of DiSC® (a personality framework). If these AQ implications are wrestled to the ground, the effectiveness of communicating to distinct personalities can be improved. 1. Which question types (why, what, how) are most associated with each DiSC® type (Dominance (D), Influence (i), Steadiness (S), Compliance (C))? 2. Which answer types (theory, concept, story, metaphor, procedure, action) are most associated with each DiSC® type? 3. How are questions and answers sequenced over a conversation depending on the DiSC® profiles of the conversation participants? 4. How do the 5 High AQ practices inform our understanding of communication for each DiSC® profile? This article suggests at least one High AQ Takeaway. High AQ Takeaway: Business frameworks are based upon distinct assumptions. Ultimately, DiSC® is a personality framework with implications for communication. To better understand DiSC®, it can be combined with Answer Intelligence (AQ)™, a communication framework. Effective consultants, coaches, and trainers will use multiple frameworks in combination to meet the needs of their clients. It is important to understand how each framework can inform the other framework, as well as the limitations of any existing framework. If you found Answer Intelligence (AQ)™ an interesting framework, please share this post with others. Also, try our Sales AQ free test to gauge your AQ.
 Richard Harris is the Founder of the Harris Consulting Group. Richard teaches salespeople how to earn the right to ask questions, which questions to ask, and when. He is a 5x top 25 inside Sales Professional and strategic advisor. This article is part of the High AQ Interview Series where executives, academics, and thought leaders discuss elevated answers. The following interview is edited for clarity. Sales Role-PlayingDr G: “You are known for your use of role playing during sales training. How do you conduct role playing?” Richard Harris: “There are three steps: First, I teach a key concept. Second, I role play as a salesperson. Third, the trainees role play as the salesperson.” Dr G: “It is interesting you start with concept. I interviewed theatre directors and my stated objective was to better understand the procedures and actions actors used to prepare for their roles and to perform on stage. To my surprise, the directors shifted the focus away from procedures and actions to concepts. In short, effective actors need to have an indwelling into concepts that formed the identify of a character. For example, a character could be “jealous”, a “martyr”, or “honorable.” It was the actor’s job to understand their character’s motivations and harness that motivation into a performance visible to the audience (as procedures and actions in AQ terms). Can you give us an example of concepts relevant to a sales role play?” Richard Harris: “Yesterday I was working with a global organization. The topic of a difficult negotiator came up. The client always wants 50% off. These are sizable deals; each one is worth $200K to $300K. The client organization is a Fortune 500 brand that has been a client for years. The buyer is new to his role…. Let’s role play this.” Dr G: “I’m game.”  Seller (Richard): “Hi Brian, good to catch up with you. The goal is to answer your questions regarding your concerns. I want to answer them directly. You have been with us for 10 years. We want to keep the partnership going. We are going to talk about commercial terms. Is there something else?” Buyer (Brian): “Thank you, Richard. I know we have had a great relationship. I want to be sensitive to your time. I really need to get a better deal. We've invested a lot of time and energy in this relationship. I don't want to look elsewhere. I don't want to put this out to bid. Can you work with me?” Seller (Richard): “The challenge is 50%. We want to keep working with you. The challenge is that 50% does not feel fair. I can appreciate your need to be treated fairly. My question to you…Are you stuck at 50% or is there flexibility?” Buyer (Brian): “50% is my number.” Seller (Richard): “I would hate to have you go out to bid. When you think about going out to bid, have you been able to justify this need in the marketplace?” Buyer (Brian): “It’s been over 2 years and a lot has changed, so I really don’t have a good sense of where pricing is at.” Seller (Richard): “Our pricing is dictated on what the market dictates, not a finance person with spreadsheets. I'm stuck to trying to justify 50%. How could I do that?” Buyer (Brian): I'm assuming you have taken a look at the marketplace… can you share the prices with me in the marketplace? I know you’re trying to get the best deal on your side. I'm trying to do that on my side. That’s business.” Seller (Richard): “Yes, business. Not personal. We’re so embedded in 16 depts in your organization. How long will it take you to scope the project and write the bid, not just bid it out?” Buyer (Brian): “It will take 4 months, if I'm being realistic.” Seller (Richard): “Would it just be you, or 3 others from other areas?” Buyer (Brian): “It would be a few on my side and an analyst devoting a few weeks of work.” Seller (Richard): “5 people.” Buyer (Brian): “That is realistic.” Seller (Richard): Just to scope out the bid, my guess there is more than 40 hours of work per person, 200 hours. Is that reasonable? Buyer (Brian): “Yes.” Seller (Richard): “Then you have to get 3 bids.” Buyer (Brian): That is our standard practice. Seller (Richard): “Do you do 1 meeting with each person? Or multiple meetings, including a security review, among others?” Buyer (Brian): “There will be multiple meeting layers; of course.” Seller (Richard): “In terms of meeting times that is 10 hours (10 meetings with each vendor). 3 persons on your side with each of these calls. Every meeting is 30 hours of time. Then there is another 30 hours after the meeting. We are quickly getting to 500 hours even before we talk implementation. When we do this, there are 6 months of install (hundreds of hours), and then hundreds of hours (un-installing our solution). At this point I broke character because I felt the pressure as my character; the economic impact wheels were spinning in my character’s head. I could sense, in a visceral way, the implausibility of my position as the buyer character. We proceeded to debrief the role-playing exercise. Richard Harris: “It is all about economic impact. In the role play, the buyer had a list of 10 things, and his team has 10 things. All the projects get delayed. What is the impact of that? This is the opportunity cost.” Dr G: “You’re framing the conversation in unobjectionable terms… As a seller, you could have said we can save you $X, but that is not believable (every seller can make these out-of-thin air promises), you have put the costs in terms that the client can see.” Richard Harris: “That is part of it. It is not costs, it is opportunity costs and economic value. In the buyer’s eyes, if things don’t go well, he is on the line. It is a 10-year project. I’m painting the buyer into a corner.” Dr G: “This is fascinating. In AQ terms, which concepts are important to this negotiation?” Richard Harris: “There are a couple of important concepts. First, in the setup we discussed a “difficult negotiator.” It takes two to negotiate. If we start with the seller, we can understand important ideas that are holding the negotiations back. The seller’s organization had a mandate to ‘never walk away’ from a deal. This is recipe for disaster. Classic negotiation theory would suggest this is a lose-win orientation [Yielding]. Using the role-play, it illustrated a win-win approach [Problem Solving] by a seller. Also, the role play demonstrated how to move a buyer from win-lose [Dominating] approach to a win-win [Problem Solving] approach.” Dr G: “In AQ terms, you’re pointing out key concepts to avoid, such as Yielding by a seller, and the importance of shifting the seller and buyer both toward Problem Solving.”  Richard Harris: “Unless you do role-playing, the salespeople don’t connect in a deep way to things they should change. Never walk away from a deal [an action in AQ terms] is connected to Yielding [a concept in AQ terms]. To a person, the sales organization might say we don’t engage in “lose-win” negotiating, but that is exactly what they are doing when they have a tunnel-vision tactic like never walk away. Only in a role play, does the big gap [disconnect between action and concepts in AQ terms] become real to the point they realize they need to change. Also, I want to point out that as a seller you have to not only be focused on important concepts like Problem Solving, but the most effective sales people will help orient the buyer toward concepts they need to be successful as a buyer, in this case, Problem Solving. In other words, both the buyer and seller need to focus on Problem Solving. From my perspective, customers don’t know how to buy. Customers must be guided and instructed on how to buy your product and service. In this role-playing, you as the buyer, became oriented toward problem-solving, a key concept. Thoughtful selling extends beyond concepts associated procedures and actions [answers in AQ terms]. For example, it is not just what you do, but how you do it. In the prior role play, I painted the buyer into a corner. But, in terms of how I did it, I could have pulled many other tactical levers. For example, I did not get into legal costs associated with going out to bid. So on and so forth, the effective seller gets the actions right. Finally, I want to make one last point regarding role-playing. I think there is a difference between ‘having a script’ and ‘sounding scripted.’ You want to have a script, but you want to remain authentic. This means that role-playing forces the conversation to be natural and for the seller to find their own voice.” High AQ Takeaway: Those with High AQ get role-playing right. The following points are a summary of what makes for an effective role play in AQ terms.
If you found Answer Intelligence (AQ)™ an interesting framework, please share this post with others. Also, try our Sales AQ free test to gauge your AQ.
Additionally, you are encouraged to learn more about N.E.A.T. Selling™, a philosophy developed by Richard Harris that is consistent with the role-playing examples discussed in this article.  Tony Cole is the Founder & Chief Learning Officer at Anthony Cole Training Group, LLC. For 27 years, Anthony Cole Training Group has been helping organizations close their sales opportunity gap by helping them sell better, coach better, and hire better. This article is part of the High AQ Interview Series where executives, academics, and thought leaders discuss elevated answers. The following interview is edited for clarity. All prospects Lie and/or lieThere is a Lie with an upper-case-L that is barefaced and hurtful. Then there is a lie with a lower-case-l, a lie that is not hurtful, hateful, or deceitful. We associate the AQ answers (story, metaphor, theory, concept, procedure, action) with the lies (upper + lower case) or truth prospects communicate. A sales rep can ask, “Why did you agree to this meeting?” The prospect may return with a white lie (withholding a house-on-fire story), or not acknowledging a vendor off-stage (perhaps a capital-L lie). Of course, lies exist on a continuum between upper-case and lower-case lies. The following discussion centers upon lies during conversations with prospects and how Answer Intelligence (AQ)™ can help separate the lies from the truth. Dr G: “There are a lot of question methodologies in sales. How does AQ add value?” Tony Cole: “I just conducted a three-hour workshop on the art and science of question asking. We teach about the importance of effective questions to get the answers you want, but it is great to have a simple visual of questions and answers that can orient a sales rep for their next important conversation.” Dr G: “Can you give me a specific example of how the AQ framework can help sales reps?” Tony Cole: “We teach about the importance to know that prospects lie (not hurtful, hateful, or deceitful). The prospect will provide an answer to meet their objectives as a buyer. You must understand the motivation of the buyer. When a prospect agrees to a meeting, it might be because the prospect has a new boss and was asked to investigate the seller’s solution. The prospect’s intention may not be to buy, but to interpret the seller’s solution using a hidden compare-and-contrast to a favored solution. Ultimately, although possible to overcome, the outcome on the scales is tipped toward a no. The prospect ultimately wanted to report back to her boss that she checked out the solution, and her alternative was better. In this scenario, AQ is valuable because it connects questions to answers so a seller knows which types of answers to expect and how to navigate those answers. For example, we teach drill-down questions. Therefore, we could drill-down into a story or procedure [both answers in AQ terms] to get at the truth.” Dr G: “This is interesting. It reminds me of the 5-Whys associated with Japanese management approaches. You ask Why five times and by the 5th time (or sooner), you get to the root cause. Therefore, in AQ terms, if a story is provided by a prospect, a seller can ask Why multiple times to understand it. In similar terms, if a metaphor answer is provided a seller can ask What multiple times; or a for a procedure answer that is provided a seller can ask How multiple times.” Tony Cole: “It is important to note that the drill-down can’t be mechanical. You correctly point out, you may stop after 2 drill downs, but a sales rep that is acting mechanical would always ask 5 drill down questions. Or, if a seller is provided questions to ask, too often they go through the list of questions in a check list style manner…. What is keeping you up at night? Why did you contact me? What is your budget?... Question fatigue will set in. This is an example of what we mean by the art of question asking.” Dr G: “Interesting. Your drill-down questions remind me of the Five High AQ practices and techniques that can be used to gauge the veracity of answers. For example, High AQ practice 3 is to provide complements. Every given answer can be complemented by adjacent answers. For example, if a prospect tells a story, a seller can ask a follow up question, “Can you explain the underlying logic of your story?” this would represent a theory answer (in AQ terms). Or as a seller can paraphrase the buyer’s story as a metaphor. Both theory and metaphor are adjacent answers, and they help you triangulate the truth of the seller’s answers. Or you can pivot to any answer type. At the extreme, if all six answer types (story, metaphor, theory, concept, procedure, action) are covered, which is referred to as the strong form of complementary answers, then you have a complete sense of their true answers. Lies or half-truths are difficult to maintain across multiple answer types, and naturally give way to true answers as you begin to triangulate all the answers together.” Tony Cole: “This makes sense. Also, the AQ framework can be connected to open vs. closed questions. We discourage closed questions that yield yes, no answers; these are conversation killers. The six AQ answers are associated with open questions, where you would anticipate a story, metaphor, or any of the six answer types.” Tony Cole: “What type of answer should a seller be looking for from a prospect?” Dr G: “Great question. The AQ framework suggests there are 5 High AQ practices, and each practice suggests a different answer type(s) to focus upon. For example, High AQ Practice 1 focuses upon identifying the best answer to a given question. Therefore, if a seller asks, “Why did you take my meeting?” the seller may be interested in a story or a theory as the best answer. Perhaps, the seller wants a story and its associated richness to start the conversation. High AQ Practice 3, as discussed prior relates to providing complementary answers. In that case, if a story answer is provided by the seller, the buyer would be looking to steer the conversation toward a theory and/or metaphor answer. Finally, one more example, according to High AQ Practice 4, Answer with Style, a seller would try to identify the answer style of a buyer—relational (preference for story + metaphor), analytical (preference for concept + theory), or practical (procedure + action)—and try to steer the conversation toward the preferred answer preferences of the buyer. Each of the 5 High AQ answers provides a partially overlapping approach toward identifying the target answer types of a buyer. Related to your prior point, choose which one of the 5 High AQ practices to focus upon at each point in the conversation, and over the entire conversation, get into the art of communication.” Tony Cole: “There is a place for this. The whole idea… of asking questions in and of itself is a challenge. AQ makes it easier, when you ask a question, only some categories of answers are possible. The two things, questions and answers, come together in one framework with AQ.” This article suggests at least one High AQ takeaway. High AQ Takeaway: Seller conversations often involve white lies or unfortunately barefaced lies. Using AQ and the 5 High AQ practices, it is possible for the seller to steer the conversation toward the truth, saving everyone time, building relationships, shortening sales cycles, closing more deals, and perhaps first and foremost just making conversations with prospects more enjoyable. If you found Answer Intelligence (AQ)™ an interesting framework, please share this post with others.
Try our Sales AQ free test to gauge your AQ.  Ivan Košalko is an Executive Coach and owner of Košalko Consulting LLC. His target customers are the companies and organizations in which the owners, leaders, and senior managers believe that their people are their most important assets. His focus is the growth of first-time managers, particularly in fast growing companies. He typically starts with strengths coaching, which is backed by certification from Gallup—he is a Gallup® Certified Strengths Coach. This article is part of the High AQ Interview Series where executives, academics, and thought leaders discuss elevated answers. The following interview is edited for clarity. The Tools of Executive CoachingDr G: “You are a Gallup® Certified Strengths Coach. You also use other frameworks with clients. What is your perspective on the use of frameworks by executive coaches in the marketplace?” Ivan Košalko: “Many coaches focus upon one methodology as the holy grail of coaching. I use several different frameworks with clients depending on their developmental needs.” Dr G: “How do you decide which frameworks to use with clients?” Ivan Košalko: “Each tool offers something different that meets different client needs. As we know, CliftonStrengths is a framework of 34 strengths which allow a coach to work with the clients to further develop their potential. This contrasts with a focus upon shoring up weakness, which predominates in most consulting and coaching. The CliftonStrengths framework is necessary because most individuals are very poor at identifying their strengths. If you ask a client to identify their biggest weakness, that is much easier than wrestling to the ground their strengths. Working with a framework like CliftonStrengths gives the coach and client a common language to discuss strengths and come to agreement regarding the areas of biggest growth potential.” Dr G: “Can you tell me more about the value of frameworks in Executive Coaching?” Ivan Košalko: “Each framework simplifies and organizes the work. CliftonStrengths helps us understand strengths. Answer Intelligence (AQ)™ is a framework that provides a lot of value to communication. Listening is central to executive coaching. Often, listening can be difficult for an executive coach because clients don’t always give the best answer. A coach may ask a question, and the other person starts to talk about something else, not the answer we are looking for. Or they don’t answer the question at all. You ask why, and they provide a how-answer. The AQ framework helps to navigate the conversation correctly. I have a meeting with a client upcoming that is very long winded. It takes a lot of stamina for me to remain focused on the conversation at a very attuned level I need to be effective. AQ provides a structure that allows me to navigate the conversation. For example, if the client provides a story, I can see if the story is in line with a concept they claim they are using.” Note: this is consistent with High AQ Practice 3: Provide Complements; the strong form of complimentary answers is that all six answer types are complementary and reinforce each other. “Or If I ask a why-question, I can listen for two answer types, a story and theory.” Note: this is consistent with High AQ Practice 2: Answer Twice; important why-, what-, and how-questions can be answered twice for maximum impact and clarity. “Therefore, I use AQ as a proof tool. As the expression goes, the clients often do not know themselves very well. By looking at the consistency between answers I can identify their authentic answers. AQ gives me a framework that allows me to be a better listener.” Dr G: “You did a good job describing the value of AQ to you as a coach. Can you discuss the value of AQ to your clients that are using CliftonStrengths?” Ivan Košalko: “Let me give you an example related to myself. In CliftonStrengths terms, I have a strong ‘Focus’ Theme.” [note: The Focus theme is oriented toward staying on track, prioritizing, and then taking action.] “For a Focus thinker, AQ is an approach to identify and navigate questions and answers in a systematic and structured way that a focus-themed person values.” Dr G: “Is it fair to say that all 34 CliftonStrengths themes can be combined with AQ as an approach to communicate related to each client’s respective strengths?” Ivan Košalko: “Yes, that is correct. I have a client meeting coming up on Friday where I will be finalizing the scope of work. As part of the work, I will have her develop a list of daily and weekly questions she is to ask of herself to create new strengths-based habits. One recommendation I will make is for her to use AQ to identify the answers to those questions. Paradoxically, it is the individuals that have strong Communication talent that benefit most from AQ. When you are an effective communicator, you often use intuition. When people do things intuitively, there is a significant growth potential for clients that are exposed to the right tools. When clients are not aware of tools, they make mistakes that could otherwise be avoided. I had several clients that in a sense communicate with ease – they are expressive, articulate, have a strong stage presence, and can deliver a compelling story or other type of answer. Their blind spot might be that they are not involved in a conversation with others and they tend to monopolize the debate. For example, they say, “I don’t mean to interrupt… then of course they do and they discuss whatever they are interested in or they force their opinion on others. With AQ these kind of clients could benefit from understanding how question-types are mapped to answer-types. They can recognize the question [why, what, or how] and using AQ to provide the appropriate answer in the context of the conversation.” Dr G: “This makes a lot of sense to me. In many respects, I’ve always been an effective communicator my entire adult life. For example, I have always been strong at metaphors and stories, but I was often overly analytical (focusing upon theory and concept). This analytical fixation would often drown out the other answers I could provide. When I was a junior professional out of college, my boss valued my contributions, but others could not understand me. In AQ terms (which would not yet be invented for another 15 years), I would talk about models and system (associated with analytical communication) and my peers wanted a story or perhaps a procedure to get work done. It was a real problem and communication disconnect. We even explored the company hiring a personal communication coach for me. It was not until I developed the AQ framework that I finally had a tool to improve my conversations with others. Your discussion of strengths has given me an insight into myself as an effective, but flawed communicator, that could benefit from a framework (AQ in this example). Thank you for making that connection for me between strengths and the importance of frameworks.” This article suggests at least two High AQ Takeaways. High AQ Takeaway 1: Effective coaches need to be effective listeners, as they seek to read between the lines to understand their clients. AQ is a framework that organizes questions and answers allowing an executive coach to be a more systematic and effective listener. High AQ Takeaway 2: Executive coaches should provide their clients with multiple frameworks, that are often used in combination. CliftonStrengths identifies among 34 strengths a client may have. AQ provides a framework by which any of the strengths can be more effectively communicated by a client. If you found Answer Intelligence (AQ)™ an interesting framework, please share this post with others.
 A Quote is a Concept-AnswerWhen I was in high school, I bought a book of famous quotations at Borders Bookstore. I’ve always been fascinated by quotes. Successful communicators use quotes during presentations, on their website, or during a coaching session with a client. A quote is a type of answer, but in AQ terms, which answer type is a quote (story, metaphor, theory, concept, procedure, or action)? Before I answer this question, let me take a step back to discuss answers in AQ terms. There are six answer types (again; story, metaphor, theory, concept, procedure, or action) and any other type of answer can be mapped to these six answer types. If you were asked for an “example”, this could be mapped to all six answer types. If you are asked, “Can you provide me an example of how a customer implements your software?” this could elicit a procedure-answer. Or, if asked, “Can you give me an example of customer success?” this could elicit a story-answer. An example has a one-to-many relationship to the six answer types, potentially representing all six answer types depending on the context and framing of the question. Therefore, it is important for a communicator to get the form of answer correct when an example is asked for. In similar terms, a quote has a one-to-many relationship to the six AQ answer types. However, it is my belief that a quote has a primary mapping to a concept-answer. For example, when I teach students in the classroom, I often share this quote from famed Indy car driver Mario Andretti… “If you have everything under control, you're not moving fast enough… If you feel like you're under control, you're just not going fast enough.” I share this quote to locate the concept of “risk-taking” for a student body that is often risk averse. I want them to understand and believe in the concept of risk-taking. In the classroom, or in business, as communicators we believe in important concepts, and we can communicate those concepts directly to others by using a definition. I could have defined risk-taking for my students. However, I’ve never seen a student read a definition and get animated with belief. Unlike a definition, a quote can inspire. The source of inspiration from quotes is two-fold. First, the source of the quote has credibility as an authority figure. Mario Andretti was a world class driver. In similar terms, at a client site when you give a sales presentation, a quote from a large Fortune 500 company provides credibility. Second, a related point, the credibility emanates from the experiences of the quote source. It is not hard to imagine that Mario Andretti has direct knowledge of risk taking. Or in the context of a sales presentation, credibility goes up if the Fortune 500 quote source is from an industry that is the same as the prospects. If the quote source and prospect firm is from the same industry, the experience base is similar, giving credibility to the quote. In summary, the Mario Andretti quote is a “window into a concept.” The concept of risk-taking is understood based upon source credibility and source experiences. Leadership QuotesTo further illustrate quotes-as-concepts, let’s examine a subset of the top 100 leadership quotes as identified by Inc. I will choose 3 quotes to make three points. First, quotes are concept-answers. Second, quotes are based upon credibility/experiences. Third, a new point, each concept associated with a quote can evoke different “dimensions” of the concept of leadership.
Let’s examine three quotes to illustrate from the Inc.com top 100 list: Quote 1: "The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves." – Ray Kroc Quote 1 evokes the concept of “quality” and Ray Kroc is a source of credibility because he built the McDonald’s restaurant system into what it is today by focusing upon repeatable standards and methods to develop a uniform quality experience every time for a customer. Quote 2: "Becoming a leader is synonymous with becoming yourself. It is precisely that simple and it is also that difficult." – Warren Bennis Quote 2 evokes the concept of “authenticity” and Warren Bennis is a source of credibility because he was a Professor at the University of Southern California (USC) often credited as the founder of modern leadership studies. In short, he studied the best leaders in the world; his experiences with those leaders give him credibility. Quote 3: “A leader is best when people barely know he exists. When his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves." – Lao Tzu Quote 3 evokes the concept of “empowerment” and Lao Tzu is a source of credibility because he was an ancient Chinese Philosopher who founded Taoism, and a deity in traditional Chinese religions. In a sense, leadership is too big of a concept to reduce to one quote -- that is why Inc compiled 100 leadership quotes. The point is that leadership is multi-dimensional. In the three quotes above, I evoke three sub-dimensions of leadership: quality, authenticity, and empowerment. At the extreme, the 100 quotes could represent 100 dimensions of leadership. In practice, a content analysis of the 100 quotes would reveal several repeated concepts. In social science, a “factor analysis” is a statistical process to reduce the number of dimensions of an overall concept into a parsimonious subset. Looking at quotes does not lend itself to a statistical factor analysis, but the point still stands that the dimensions of leadership quotes can be reduced to a smaller list of concepts. Building upon the prior paragraph, the final point regarding quotes and concepts is that quotes are often effective at locating to the multitude of sub-dimensions of a concept, to point out to an audience that a specific sub-dimension (such as quality, authenticity, and empowerment for overall leadership) deserves our attention. If you found Answer Intelligence (AQ)® an interesting framework, please share this post with others.  Mike Soenke is an Executive in Residence at North Central College (Naperville, IL, USA) and retired DOW 30 SVP and USA CFO. In this two-part series, Mike and I discuss Answer Intelligence (AQ)® based upon his experience as a former executive at a DOW 30 corporation. The focus of this blog post (2 of 2) is using AQ to elevate your career. The prior post focused upon using AQ to elevate your organization. The following interview is edited for clarity. This article is part of the High AQ Interview Series where executives, academics, and thought leaders discuss elevated answers. Using AQ to Elevate Your CareerDr. G: “As you look at the Answer Intelligence (AQ)® framework, can you describe its significance to a finance professional?” Mike Soenke: “The single biggest opportunity related to a leadership competency throughout the finance function was the ability to influence key stakeholders. AQ is an influence framework.” Dr. G: “When you were U.S. CFO of a DOW 30 organization, can you discuss how finance professionals typically improved their ability to influence over time?” Mike Soenke: “Out of college, finance staff are technically proficient doers. In AQ terms, they focus on the practical style (procedures and actions). A lot of finance staff can communicate in blue [the practical style] describing the financial standards guiding their work. When better finance staff progress, they start to work with people across the business … if all they can do is recite the standards they will not go very far… a lot of business people will get frustrated. For example, a business person may say, ‘I don’t understand why we can’t do X, Y, or Z to recognize more revenue.’ Better finance professionals will be able to get into the analytical skill and use concept and theory to clearly explain the purpose behind a standard and why it makes sense. Moreover, the more skilled communicators can translate finance into layman terms so that a non-technical person can easily understand. Theory and concept knowledge extends to business strategy and broader principles of finance as one progresses in finance. For example, a strong financial leader would proactively influence the right financial discipline: ‘We want to do X, Y, or Z to increase shareholder value… or we will not get the return that meets or exceeds the cost of capital so the enterprise value will erode if we make this decision.’ Relational communication, story and metaphor, is the capstone for financial and really all business leaders. As I mentioned earlier, finance is initially steeped in action and process [Practical style], and many can stretch to theory and concept, but only the expert level financial leader can excel at stories and metaphors to maximize their influence. For example, throughout my career I often had to influence independent franchise owners to support company initiatives through investment in labor, food cost, marketing or longer-term capital improvements. In addition to providing a data driven business case you often had to find a way to emotionally engage them with metaphors and stories of success to create system alignment. For example, I would often have a franchisee leader passionately share their story of customer satisfaction and financial success in support of the broader initiative … I wanted to pull people in and create enthusiastic system-wide support. There is a lot of skill in getting stories and metaphors right. While I preferred to use positive stories to inspire action, there were times when painting a negative picture of the future absent bold actions was equally or more impactful.” Answer Progression from Junior Accountant to Executive  Dr. G: “You make a compelling case for a progression toward the relational style. Can you tell me a little bit about how an expert finance communicator, who has mastered story and metaphor, also weaves in the other answer modes?” Mike Soenke: “Of course, as I’m telling the story, I’m weaving in the theory and concept, and I would discuss procedures and actions associated with the story that a franchisee executed against to achieve success. Therefore, one story can be a touchstone for all the other six answer types. A skilled communicator can start with procedures... outlining the rules were not followed, and then pivot to a story of failure to drive home the consequences of not following the rules. Also, an effective story must be constructed to support your theory and concepts. For example, if there are three initiatives [key strategies; or concepts/theories in AQ terms] I might emphasize the synergies in emphasizing all three initiatives at the same time in the story, to inspire them to go after all three to generate incremental cash flow to make customers happy.” Dr. G: “Why do you think all finance professionals are not able to be effective relational communicators (using stories and metaphors)?” Mike Soenke: “Two things. First, people gravitate to a field like finance, or software development, because they are more technical in their knowledge base. Finance professionals are more introverted and communicating with stories and metaphors does not come naturally to many. This means individuals are more comfortable in the practical style of communication. Second, during my career, finance professionals did not have a thought framework to build out the different communication skills. Yes, we knew stories could be effective to engage, and we had an inventory of metaphors, but we did not have an organizational framework to make sense of all six answer types and map these answers to questions. In addition to an organizing framework, we did not have a roadmap to build out our communication competency in a layered manner. Using AQ and the 5 practice areas, it is possible to build communication skills over time in a thoughtful manner." Dr. G: “You’ve discussed that finance professionals progress in their career from practical, to analytical, to relational influence. Does the sequence of progression follow this pattern outside of finance?” Mike Soenke: “For different functions, or even for specific individuals within finance, the sequence of progression could be different. It might be a given professionals can tell stories and metaphors, but they don’t have concepts or theories behind them, or the ability to execute with procedures and actions is lacking. Therefore, it is possible for the process to be reversed in certain professionals.” High AQ Takeaway: According to Mike Soenke, finance professionals (and other technical professionals) will first provide influence with practical communication (procedure + action). Then, those that progress in their career master analytical communication (concept + theory). Finally, those that aspire to become executives will need to develop relational communication skills (story + metaphor). If you found Answer Intelligence (AQ)® an interesting framework, please share this post with others.
 Chris Strouthopoulos is Founder & CEO of Ascent Empowerment Services where he provides mindset coaching and workshops to help individuals and organizations embrace challenge, overcome limiting beliefs, implement change, and achieve goals. The corporate logo for Ascent empowerment prominently features a mountain, a reference to his ongoing work as a mountain guide leading climbing expeditions around the world. On the mountain, or in your next business meeting, navigating answers can be the difference between success or failure. The focus of this article is to examine important questions (why, what, how) that the mountain asks of all climbers. Getting the answers right (story, metaphor, theory, concept, procedure, action) is the difference between life and death. This article is part of the High AQ Interview Series where executives, academics, and thought leaders discuss elevated answers. The following interview is edited for clarity. High Stakes Answers and Accidents on a MountainDr. G: “One can imagine that climbing a mountain asks questions (why, what, how) that evoke high stake answers (story, metaphor, theory, concept, procedure, action) that a climber must get right or risk death. What is the role of answers in accidents on a mountain?” Chris Strouthopoulos: “All accidents could be characterized as one of the six AQ answers. Sometimes the accident was a practical piece, a technical error, a procedure and/or action. A friend of mine died at Zion National Park because the rope was rigged incorrectly, a procedural error. The rope got cut and he fell to his death. Other times, theory or concepts are the cause of accidents. Take an avalanche… people who get killed in an Avalanche resemble a U-shaped curve that plots avalanche accidents and the level of avalanche education. Novice mountain climbers [see point A below] get killed because they don’t understand theory and concepts—they don’t understand the interplay of snow, terrain, and weather. They can’t judge complex hazards that can change minute by minute. Those expert climbers [see point B below] have the education but they have internalized the theory and concepts and are prone to cognitive errors when they over rely on emotion, or emotional decision making.”  Dr. G: “Before we move onto accidents caused by metaphors and stories, it seems to me that procedures and actions are prone to errors when one goes on autopilot. Can you discuss guarding against intuition related to the procedures and actions of climbing?” Chris Strouthopoulos: “Absolutely. To prevent procedural accidents, go or no-go checklists are increasingly used by avalanche professionals. These checklists are modeled after the airline industry. Additionally, other procedural safeguards feature red, yellow, green lights… as you go through pre-climb, if you tally so many red lights, the climb is a no-go. Or, a combination of yellow lights, and a few red lights triggers the no-go threshold.” Dr. G: “Returning to story and metaphors, can you explain how one of these is a source of accidents?” Chris Strouthopoulos: “I was guiding a group of climbers on the Himalayas and stories can lead to success, reaching the summit. Or stories can lead to failure, death, or simply turning around when you could have climbed further. We were going after a 21K peak in the Himalayas, one guy trained for a year, he ran multiple marathons in preparation. He was the fittest person on the expedition, even at 60 years of age. The night before the summit, he started to imagine failure. He confided in me a story of his lack of self-belief and intimidation regarding the climb. And a 3rd of the way up on summit day he froze in his tracks. He was physically capable, and he knew the procedures and actions, but he mentally fell apart. Fear won. Fear is a concept [an answer in AQ terms], that had taken hold as a story in his mind. He told a story to himself of everything that could go wrong. This fear story was not consistent with the facts on the mountain. There were no objective failure threats; it was the best day of the season—no winds, perfect temp, no hazards. Unlike Everest, at this altitude, there is no death zone on the Himalayas. He built a narrative in his head that he was going to fail. In addition to the failure story toward the summit, an additional story takes hold that often pulls a climber back down the mountain. Climbers create a simple story around how comfortable it would be to have a beer and pizza at a lower altitude. The simple comforts of a comfortable restaurant represent an attractive story that pulls someone back down the mountain. The comfort story beats them. The failure story of climbing up beats them. It is really the collection of stories a climber tells themselves that most determines if they reach their goal- the summit - or not.” Taking the Mountain to the Business WorldDr. G: “The mountain evokes a heightened experience. Can you explain that for me?” Chris Strouthopoulos: “The mountain is so visceral, I can look down and see a 5,000 ft drop. The choice and consequences are so immediate, non-negotiable. Either I rope and start up the climb, or I don’t. Either I go for it on summit day, or I don’t. Even though the mountain is complex, it is also a radical simplification of the world, compared to what occurs in a typical business setting. On the mountain, the phone is not ringing, everything is just right to get into a flow experience.” Dr. G: “As you describe the mountain, it reminds me a lot of experimental design in psychology, the context in an experiment is stripped of non-essential elements, and only the key elements of a context that influence the experiment. In a similar way, mountain climbing evokes positive constraints that allow for these amazing experiences. How do you translate the experience on the mountain to the seemingly more mundane day-to-day in the business world? Chris Strouthopoulos: “I simulate the heightened context of the mountain, when I consult with my clients off-mountain on Zoom calls. Today I was onboarding a new client and I set up a challenge for him and he responded to this challenge. His response demonstrated his indecisiveness, he was paralyzed and withdrawn. His response to the challenge exercise mirrored how he has responded to divorce 4 years out. In the Zoom call challenge, he had a real experience, a realization of his indecisiveness that he could not have had if he read an article I assigned to him.” Dr G: “In AQ terms, High AQ practice 5 is Answer in Context, which recognizes that there are key elements of the context that influence any primary answer. In other words, as a coach you revealed the concept of indecisiveness by structuring the context in a way that revealed the indecisiveness. Can you tell me more about how you actively structure context that to create these high-quality experiences with clients? Chris Strouthopoulos: “When I was doing face-to-face training [prior to COVID-19] I would create challenges for a group where I would give them supplies, such as a blind fold, and clear tasks, with outcomes that were impossible to achieve individually -- success was only possible when they worked together. I designed the context, where they would have a great experience. I was able to approximate a mountain climb where the context is so immediate and pressing, stripped away of distractions that dilute or take away from the potential of a heightened experience. Now when I do Zoom calls [during the COVID-19 pandemic] I will send clients materials in the mail and during the Zoom call we are able to create realistic challenges. In coaching when context is done properly, it simulates the mountain. The context pushes down upon the climbers, so every answer is heightened. On the mountain, I learned how to dance with fear, talk to myself to go forward, rather than recoil from challenge. Off the mountain, the need to overcome fear is manifested in different ways, in underperforming areas of life… a bad divorce, or not speaking up at a meeting. When coaching is done properly, my clients can reach up and touch the context, which pushes back down upon them to reveal the answers they need to be successful. In this manner the mountain experience is brought to the board room, sales meeting, or anywhere they need to navigate.” This article suggests at least two High AQ Takeaways. High AQ Takeaway 1: On the mountain, or in business you are faced with three important questions (why, what, and how) that can be answered with six answers (story, metaphor, theory, concept, procedure, action). The wrong answers on the mountain can mean life or death. In your most important conversations in business, the wrong answers can hold you back from success and thrust you into your biggest failures. Work to get your answers right to reach the summit in your most important business conversations. High AQ Takeaway 2: High AQ practice 5 is Answer in Context. All six answers are revealed because of a pressing context. On the mountain, the context is salient, and every answer is revealed for being effective -- or not. In everyday life, the phone rings, we are distracted, and the effectiveness of our answers can be lost upon us in a context that is diluted. Chris Strouthopoulos teaches us to “reach up and touch the context” and feel it “pushing back” upon us during our most important conversations. When the context presses upon us, it is an opportunity to discover the answers to close the sale, the answers to get a job, or the answers to persuade the board of a new proposal. Identifying the pressing context takes effort and skill. Chris does this in his coaching, but we can all look to identify the aspects of the context that press down upon us. For example, in your next team meeting, ask yourself what element(s) in the context are most important? Perhaps, the context will be hiding in plain sight–a recent lost client; or the context is revealed through a shared story that has assumptions that have never been questioned. The mountain presents a visceral context in which right and wrong answers stand out. As we navigate the business world and have conversations with others, we should seek to bring the context close to us, pressing upon our most important conversations to help us identify the right answers. If you found Answer Intelligence (AQ)® an interesting framework, please share this post with others.
 Bob Kulhan started off in improv when he was 19 years old in a summer intensive at the Players Workshop of The Second City. In 1993 Bob fully graduated from the Players workshop and from 1994 to 2009 performed improv and sketch comedy at the highest level, in all the three greater theatres—iO (Improv Olympic), Annoyance Theatre, and Second City. Since the 1990s, Bob has taken comedy improv to business with his book Getting to “Yes and”: The Art of Business Improv, as CEO of Business Improv, and to the business classroom as Adjunct Professor at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business. This article is part of the High AQ Interview Series where executives, academics, and thought leaders discuss elevated answers. The following interview is edited for clarity. Conversations and Improv: Let’s Get 3 Things StraightDuring our videoconference interview, Bob showed off a handwritten red notecard from 1993 that his mentor Martin de Maat had given him with three foundational rules of comedy improv.  #3: Never tell storiesAll three of these points have implications for conversations in business. Starting with “never tell stories” (#3), this is perhaps the most counterintuitive point from a conventional understanding of conversations. After all, when you think of a conversation, you think of telling stories… Bob Kulhan: “You don’t tell stories because improv occurs in the moment. Stories are in the past or future. Improv happens right now. In a scene with more than one person…you are taking someone out of the conversation.” According to High AQ Practice 1, there are six answer types in the Answer Intelligence (AQ)® that can be provided to questions—story, metaphor, theory, concept, procedure, action. Bob’s commentary about the role of stories, and its potential push away from presentism is interesting and in stark contrast to the default opinion among many that are interested to the AQ framework, who often gravitate to stories as an important type of answer. Dr G: "Does this mean story is not important in conversations?" Bob Kulhan: “When you are experienced, all three rules [on the notecard] can be relaxed.” Bob went on to elaborate that in less experienced hands, “a story turns into a monologue. You are taking someone out of the scene.” #2: Never ask questionsFrom a conversation standpoint, nothing is as sacrosanct as the role of questions in conversations. For example, in sales conversations, question-methodologies dominate. In going after a job, you can’t help but trip over lists of interview prep questions on the internet. Naturally, as someone who authored a book on the importance of answers, I recognized answers were not as prominent as questions, but my view has always been a balanced perspective that questions and answers were a marriage of equals. I was intrigued by rule #2. Dr G: "Given the perceived importance of questions in business and society, tell me more about this counterintuitive rule." Bob Kulhan: “You want to keep the scene going. A question deflects…it goes lateral. In contrast, a statement [an answer in AQ vernacular] provides information. You are not asking someone to provide information.” Dr G: “This is interesting. It reminds me of a sales conversation where the sales rep asks lazy questions. One can imagine, a probing, broad question, such as “What are your company’s goals for next year?” or “What keeps you up at night?” True, these questions could have their place, but if they are offered up at the wrong time (say the very first minute of a first meeting) or out of laziness (not doing your homework), they don’t provide very much information… I can see how they would cause the conversation to go lateral, as you put it.” Bob Kulhan: “Yes. That’s it. Again, when you are experienced, the rules can be relaxed. In the flow of a rich conversation, a question is a gift. Such questions provide information about what is missing and where the conversation should go.” #1: Never say noBob Kulhan: “The most important rules is #1 Never say no. This refers to ‘Yes and’” [at the center of his book title]. Bob went on to explain that “Yes and” refers to a central premise of improv, to keep the dialogue flowing. This further underscores the importance of flow in a conversation. Conversations are not a monologue, but an interactive dialogue—a process of turn-taking and shared responsibility. In summary, rules #1, #2, and #3 suggest two High AQ takeaways. High AQ Takeaway 1: In less skilled communicators, there may be a tendency to use questions in a clumsy manner or to overuse stories. This is counterintuitive, as both questions and stories are touchpoint assumptions regarding conversations. High AQ Takeaway 2: “Yes and” conversations respect that the point of a conversation (and improv) is to keep the flow going. Too many conversations lack flow, and more resemble monologues (where each side is eager to give their speech), not engaged in interactive dialogue. Improv and AQ: What do you think, Bob?AQ holds that that why-questions are answered with theory and story, what-questions are answered with concept and metaphor, and how-questions are answered with procedure and answer. Additionally, there are 5 High AQ practices that provide guidance on answering questions. These prescriptions provide flexible rules used to communicate. Nonetheless, I’m often asked to discuss how conversations (as question-and-answer exchanges) dynamically unfold. In short, I’m pressed to explain more about conversation improv. Accordingly, I was excited to ask Bob directly about improv and conversations to get his expert opinion. I gave Bob an overview of AQ and then asked him some direct questions. Dr G: “The 5 High AQ practices provide flexible rules of communication, but they require improvisation to know which specific answers to provide, in which order, over time. What thoughts do you have about Improv and AQ?” Bob Kulhan: “Improv on the stage is all about getting the reps in. It only becomes comfortable when you gain experience. AQ is like any learned skill such as bicycling, martial arts, knife skills in the kitchen, or improv—you only feel comfortable when you achieve unconscious competency. For any individual that is embracing improv while communicating you must be so comfortable to provide any of the six answers, and pivot from one answer to the next based upon the response from the audience (one-one-one), or one-to-many.” Dr G: “That is interesting. First, you develop your muscle memory, then you pivot to different answers as needed in the conversation. How do you know when to pivot?” Bob Kulhan: “In improv you make initiations and declarations. For example, in 3 sentences you can know what a scene is about. Imagine, I walk in and say, “I lost my job.” That is a strong declaration for how the improv and the scene might unfold. I would imagine the same is true for AQ and answers. You pay attention to where the conversation needs to go. To guide the comedians on stage they follow shared rules. For example, one rule is always make your partner look good. If you get it wrong, you have an accountability system…if you slip and become a ball hog [taking up all the attention on stage], you will hear from your peers later that you acted like a ball hog.” Dr G: “It seems to me that you are describing the rules of engagement in ways that are like the 5 High AQ practices. If everyone knows these communication rules, you can have effective conversations that move in multiple directions. For example, a how-question, such as “How does your product work?” implies two possible answers, a procedure and/or action. By understanding the rules of conversations, it acts like the rules of improv.” Bob Kulhan: Yes. I agree. High AQ Takeaway 3: Improvisation in conversation is based upon a foundation of practice. When you rehearse the 5 High AQ practices, you will have the confidence in yourself. And when all communication participants use AQ you will have a shared framework to hold each other accountable and be successful. Dr. G: “In improv and AQ you have these rules of engagement and you want to be spontaneous. It is very possible to get tripped up trying to walk that tight rope. When I prepare job candidates for interviews, they realize they need to provide the right answers, but some get very nervous after the AQ framework when they open themselves up to the many ways they can answer (that they had not considered before).” Bob Kulhan: “The danger of improv is getting in your head. Again, you must practice so the rules are unconscious. Then, you must listen to the declarations of others and then react. For example, if a declaration is made on stage, “Dad I’m sorry about the car”, you know you are the dad and should react to your child wrecking your automobile; you know the general direction of your next line. In interviews, the job candidate needs to relax and be in the moment and listen for the interview declarations. If not, you are missing the gifts being offered up. You are thinking too much. Now you are thinking about not thinking. Before you know it, you are in an alligator dance. Be relaxed. Know you’ll figure it out. Let’s just dance in real time.” Dr. G: “As you discuss listening and responding in the moment, it reminds me of expert communicators we studied to develop AQ. A hallmark of the best communicators was the ability to provide all the answers. To be comfortable providing any given answer, you must be comfortable in providing all the answers. For example, if you tell a great moving story to an employee about how to lead others, a natural follow up question might be, ‘How do I take that lesson to my next meeting?’ Such improvisation entails transforming the story knowledge into a procedure and/or action to address this how-question. During the original research, we coined the term renaissance communicators to refer to communicators that could provide all the answers. In my AQ TEDxGeorgiaTech presentation I discussed Steve Jobs as such a renaissance communicator. Accordingly, in AQ and improv (at the highest level), I suspect there are no shortcuts. To be an expert at AQ you must know all the answers." Bob Kulhan: "Absolutely, there are no one trick ponies in improv. Additionally, nobody wants to do one thing. Usually, when they get pigeonholed there is a result… an emotional outburst. If you are the smartest person in the group, you don’t want to play the nerd every time, you want a chance to play the goof ball as well. Also, you must know how to pivot in real time if the dialogue is not working. I suspect the same is true for AQ, you must know how to pivot from one answer [type] to another to meet the needs of the conversation. In business conversations you need to know when a different type of answer is needed to move the conversation along. For example, a person explains a great procedure how to do something, and the conversation needs to shift to a great story, to hammer home why that procedure is important." High AQ Takeaway 4: A key to improvisation from any given answer type (e.g., story, metaphor, theory, concept, procedure, or action) to any other given answer type is to know all the answers. Those that aspire to provide improvisational answers during conversations with others need to embrace all six of the answer types. If you found Answer Intelligence (AQ)® an interesting framework, please share this post with others.
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AuthorDr. Brian Glibkowski is the author of Answer Intelligence: Raise your AQ. 
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