What if the reason your team isn’t bringing better ideas isn’t a lack of creativity—but the way you’re leading conversations?

Many leaders unintentionally shut down deeper thinking by jumping in too quickly with solutions. In this episode, Torrey explains why simple questions often create the most powerful breakthroughs and how one small shift in communication can help your team think more creatively, solve problems more effectively, and take greater ownership of their work.

What you'll learn:

• Learn why the simple question “What else?” can unlock deeper creativity and problem-solving within your team
• Discover how silence and patience help people move beyond surface-level answers into innovative thinking
• Understand how to create more ownership, confidence, and resourcefulness without constantly providing solutions

Press play to discover how one simple leadership question can transform your conversations, strengthen your team’s thinking, and unlock ideas that may already be waiting beneath the surface.

Watch on YouTube Here

WHAT IS YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE?

Want to know how to lead better? It starts by understanding your leadership style. To find out yours, take my free quiz “What Is Your Leadership Style” - you’ll immediately find out your default style, how it may be impacting your team and a few practical ways to become an even better leader. Just click on the link fill out your quiz and click submit.

This podcast empowers international development and humanitarian leaders to achieve high performance teams, fostering diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing, overcoming burnout and overwhelm, while maximizing impact and productivity.

What if I told you that your team already has better ideas inside of them?

The problem is, you just may be asking the wrong question.

Find out how to get better ideas on today's episode./

Hi, my name is Torrey, and welcome to the Modern Humanitarian and

Development Leader podcast.

In today's episode, you're going to learn why simple questions are the

most powerful, one question that helps people move beyond surface-level

thinking, and how to use this question to create more ownership, innovation,

and problem-solving within your team.

So why are simple questions often the best ones?

Because they create clarity.

There is no confusion about what you are asking, and they help focus the brain.

Sometimes as leaders, we think we need complicated questions to get meaningful

answers, but often the opposite is true.

Some of the simplest questions create the deepest thinking because instead of

overwhelming the brain, they create space.

And the question I want to share with you today is simply this: what else?

Two words, that's it.

And yet, I have seen this question completely shift conversations

because here's what often happens.

Most people stop thinking after the first acceptable answer, or maybe the second.

Not because they are incapable of deeper thinking, but because

our brains like efficiency.

Once we come up with something reasonable, we tend to stop there.

But when we are pushed by asking someone, "What else?" our brain

has to go back and search again.

And often that is where the more creative, innovative, and

meaningful ideas begin to emerge.

I remember one time one of my students practicing the PACT coaching

conversation structure that I teach in my course Part of the structure

involves continuing to ask, "What else? What else? What else?" And honestly,

I could tell that they were skeptical.

They looked uncomfortable continuing to ask the same question repeatedly.

I think a part of them probably thought, "Mm, this can't possibly

keep working." But they kept going, and something fascinating happened.

Each time they asked what else to the person they were coaching, the

person being coached came up with a new idea, and another, and another.

At first, the solutions were surface level, but eventually the person started

uncovering ideas that they genuinely had not thought of before, and I could

see the visible surprise on my student's face as this happened in real time.

At the end of the exercise, the person being coached said, "I

didn't realize I had so many ideas."

This is the power of creating space for people to think, and this is important as

leaders because many of us unintentionally stop our teams' thinking too early.

We ask one question, we hear one answer, and then we jump in with our own ideas.

Why?

Because silence can feel uncomfortable.

We want to help.

We want to move quickly.

We want to rescue.

But sometimes our discomfort is what limits the team's resourcefulness.

So the more we quickly step in, the less opportunity our team has to develop their

own thinking, confidence, and ownership.

Of course, sometimes you will ask what else, and the person

will just stare at you blankly.

I've had that happen before.

But other times, that simple question, what else, unlocks ideas,

solutions, risks, possibilities, and perspectives that they would

not have discovered otherwise.

So here are a few tips for using this question effectively.

First, use it when you wanna deepen your thinking.

For example, if a team member comes to you with a project delay and

says they're not sure what to do, instead of immediately giving advice,

ask, "What ideas do you have?"

And after they answer, ask, "What else?" And then again, ask, "What

else?" But remember also to allow the silence to allow them to answer.

You may notice an urge to fill the space while they think, but don't.

Count to five in your head if you need to, because often that breakthrough idea

comes a few moments after the discomfort.

And third, keep going until they naturally stop.

Usually people will eventually say, "That's all I can think of." Perfect.

That is when you know they have fully explored their thinking for now.

And here's a pro tip.

Use this on yourself as well.

The next time you are planning a presentation, designing a

meeting, or trying to solve a challenge, ask yourself, "What else?

What else?

What other ideas can I come up with?

What else?

What else?

What else?" And keep asking.

You may be surprised what your brain comes up with once you

move past the obvious answers.

So to summarize, simple questions are often the most powerful because

they create clarity and focus.

The question, what else, helps people move beyond surface-level thinking

into deeper creativity and ownership.

And sometimes the biggest thing limiting our team's thinking is our

own discomfort with silence, patience, and allowing people space to think.

So here's my challenge to you.

Try using this question today.

Notice your resistance to repeating it if it comes up.

Notice what happens when you allow silence instead of talking.

And most importantly, notice what becomes possible when you trust

that your team may already have more wisdom and creativity inside

of them than you initially realized.

All right.

Until next week, keep evolving.

Bye for now.

Are you the type of leader that tells others what to do or do you let

them figure it out for themselves?

Understanding your leadership style is the first step to deciding what's

working for you and what's not.

To find out your leadership style, take my free quiz, What is Your Leadership Style?

You'll immediately find out your default style, how it may be impacting

your team, and a few practical ways to become an even better leader.

Just click on the link in the show notes, www.aidforaidworkers.com/quiz,

fill out your quiz, and click submit.

So what are you waiting for?

Go to www.aidforaidworkers.com/quiz and discover your leadership style now.

Your team will thank you for it.