Spend a day observing the actions of an admired leader and you’re likely to see an immensely curious individual engaged much more with people than she is with tasks, and undoubtedly one who’s listening a lot more than she is talking. To her, leadership is about igniting the greatness in others; and the quickest way for that to occur is to invite continual feedback, and to be relentless at asking the relevant questions that uncover eminent growth opportunities – she knows that only then, will she begin to earn their trust.
In much the same way, forward thinking organizations aspire for that level of intimacy and inclusiveness with their customers, and while the scope and scale is often much larger, the process is the same. Steve Portigal has made a living mastering the art of uncovering hidden insights from customers, and in his latest book, Interviewing Users, he shares his finely honed technique, and it starts with checking your worldview at the door – here’s why.