For Further Reading: Power Questions

Andrew Sobel and one of my favorite fundraising authors, Jerold Panas, offer an outstanding book for anyone in full time or volunteer fundraising: Power Questions: Build Relationships, Win New Business and Influence Others.

Building relationships for your business start with thought-provoking, deep questions that keep the focus on those you are meeting with. These questions help you dive deep and ensure a mutually respectful and appreciative relationship in both directions.

In this book the authors quote a seasoned executive who says, "I can always tell how experienced and insightful a prospective consultant, banker or lawyers is by the quality of their questions and how intently they listen. That's how simple it is."

Simple? Perhaps.

Common? Not yet.

This book goes on to offer hundreds of examples of excellent, open ended questions that help you deepen any of the key relationships in your life.

Have you picked up the book yet?

Have you started reading?

What do you think?

Photo credit above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/easygiving/