Leadership involves motivation, organization, management, planning, decision-making, and action. Asking questions is a crucial part of leadership because without asking questions it is not possible to become a successful leader. For instance, to motivate employees or people to do something, it is essential to know and respect their ideas—and this requires asking questions, whether about how to solve a problem or what to do for improvement.
In addition, the goal of a leader is to change the lives of people and to make the world a better place. To achieve this, leaders must put themselves in others’ shoes. Hence, they have to ask questions of themselves and of others. For example, if leaders want to decrease violence against women, they must first ask: What is the cause of the violence? What values are important for women? Why do some women tolerate violence, and why do they not report it? Instead of simply saying that women should not tolerate violence and must report it, leaders need to ask the deeper questions about the barriers and realities women face.
Similarly, instead of only launching awareness campaigns about women’s rights, leaders should also ask: Do women have the capacity, opportunities, and willingness to change their lives? What support do they need to act on their rights? A real example can be seen in Afghanistan, where billions of dollars have been spent, yet women still live under the poverty line and continue to experience violence. This shows that without asking the right questions and understanding the real needs of women, even the largest investments may fail to create lasting change.
Therefore, leadership is not just about making plans or giving directions. It is about asking thoughtful questions, listening to the answers, and acting based on people’s real needs. Only then can leaders truly motivate, organize, and bring positive change to society.
Zahra Aliyar (Afghanistan)