HR professionals often feel pressured to have all the answers. However, when consulting business leaders on critical issues, the most effective consultants don’t rush to solutions—they start with the right questions.
Leaders inevitably start a conversation with their HR partners by asking them to implement a specific solution, such as training, organization restructuring, or team development. Strong consulting means pausing and taking the opportunity to consult rather than jumping to solution design.
Often, leaders present HR with a symptom, not the root cause. If HR professionals accept the problem as stated, they risk designing solutions that don’t address the real issue.
Management expert Peter Drucker once said, “My greatest strength as a consultant is to be ignorant and ask a few questions.” This mindset is key to uncovering the real challenges behind business problems.
A study in the Harvard Business Review found that people who ask more questions are perceived as more competent and build stronger relationships. The same principle applies to HR consulting: asking thoughtful, open-ended questions strengthens trust and leads to better business insights.
How HR Leaders Can Apply This Approach
Instead of immediately providing answers, HR professionals can shift their approach by using strategic questioning. Here’s how:
» Challenge the initial problem statement. If a leader says, “We need better managers with stronger leadership skills.” don’t assume the issue is training. Ask, “What specific leadership behaviors are missing?” or “What outcomes would improve if managers were stronger?”
» Dig deeper with open-ended questions to avoid yes/no responses. Instead of asking, “Is turnover a problem?” ask, “How has turnover changed over the past year, and what patterns have you noticed?”
» Use “What” and “Why” questions to encourage reflection. Questions like “What would success look like?”, “Why is this a critical priority right now?” and “what have you already tried?” help uncover the leader’s expectations, past efforts and root cause issues.
» Resist the urge to jump to solutions too soon. Sometimes, silence is powerful. Give leaders space to reflect before rushing in with recommendations.
By embracing curiosity and asking better questions, HR professionals can position themselves as trusted advisors—partners who help businesses solve the right problems, not just the urgent ones.
Next time you’re asked to “fix” something, pause. One more question might reveal the real challenge—and lead to a far better solution.
Dianne Armstrong, faculty member of the program Strategic Talent Management for the Next Era.