Are you asking the right questions in your business?
Not long ago, during my two-month WFA stay in Paris, I took the Eurostar to London. It was the long Thanksgiving weekend in the U.S. Thus, it presented the perfect opportunity for a 5-day trip to the other side of the English Channel. And, frankly, I love London.
I rented an Airbnb in lovely Marylebone and signed up for a couple of Airbnb experiences — both of which involved meeting new people and both of which involved hopping from one cool bar or pub to another, fascinating anecdotes included.
I visited Kensington Gardens and went to the “Seeing Auschwitz” photography exhibit (a must-see if you’re visiting). I explored Spitalfields Market and Brick Lane, visited 52 Tavistock Square (Virginia Woolf’s Bloomsbury address), and went to the theater. All-in-all had a fabulous time.
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Plans change, sometimes for the better.
On Saturday, I was due to meet an Instagram friend, Isabel Talens, IRL. However, the trains were on strike and our coffee date was moved to Sunday. She would be coming into St. Pancras on the train, and I would be leaving to return to Paris from the same station. We set an 11:15 am time to meet.
Which was all working out so well, until…
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What went down.
The house cleaner that my host employed was due to arrive at 10:00 am. Great. I was caffeinated, packed and ready for her.
I had the keys to the apartment which I had originally picked up from a shop across the street and I knew it was due to open at 11:00 am.
As 10:00 turned into 10:15, then 10:30, and 10:45, and no cleaning woman, and no lights on at the shop across the street.
I was starting to panic as I didn’t know what I was going to do with keys, so that she could get into the apartment when I absolutely had to leave at 11:00 am. So, I WhatsApp’d my Airbnb host and told her that I needed to leave with my bags as soon as she arrived. My host replied, “ok sure,” and told me that the house cleaner was on her way.
Okay great. I told her I would be waiting outside.
Now I was really stressed. Then, just as I was messaging my host again, the house cleaner arrived … with her key in hand.
I was so relieved, that it wasn’t until I was in the Uber on the way to the train station that it occurred to me. I had never asked the obvious question — does she have her own key?
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I’ve not been asking the right question.
This hit home for me (a bit of hammer over the head) in a much broader sense. And I took it as a sign that I was asking the wrong question.
What question should I be asking, that I’m not? In my life and in my business?
For me the answer to that question was the question, “How can I look at this differently?”. “This” being a way I am approaching a certain aspect of my business.
It was a small, but important shift in perspective (and aren’t all small shifts usually important in hindsight?).
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Why I’m sharing this.
Are there parts of your life and business where you keep asking the same question(s), but you’re not getting answers?
Or you’re not getting answers that feel right to you?
You know you’re missing something, but you’re not sure what it is.
Maybe the question you need to be asking yourself is, “What is the right question for me to be asking?”
If this resonates, I hope my story helps. ✨
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And if you’re stuck in your business not knowing the right questions to ask, or not knowing what to do with the answers, I have an offering that can help with that.
It’s called the “Get Unstuck Power Hour.” You can learn about it here (just scroll to the bottom of the page).