You don’t always need to have an answer. In fact, most people aren’t going to want to work with someone who always has an answer. You also don’t always need to be knowledgeable in the space in that you are leading a project. It’s helpful, but not always required.

The key is the ability to ask meaningful and interesting questions.

There is certainly a time and a place for technical responses and showcasing knowledge, but what can change the game are questions. And as a project manager or leader, approaching your team or customers with interesting questions drives engagement, which enhances adoption, and leads to increased impact.

Asking interesting questions is not only a great way to gain progress on a project but also to develop a personal brand. People who ask generic straightforward questions aren’t too differentiating. Sure, these questions have a time and place and may be required. But the ability to ask interesting and uncommon questions is a way to set yourself apart. Those questions open up doors to trailblaze and innovation. That’s someone I want to collaborate with, support, and promote.

When leading in an unfamiliar space, admit to others and yourself that there are others who are better suited to support you. Find who that person/team is, prep them for the situation, and observe the questions and actions that follow. What’s standing out to them? What appears to be the most critical? Is there any change in their tone around certain topics?

And once you’ve established a working history with those experts and spent time with them to see how they perform their roles, make sure that next time you need to call on them you’ve already anticipated what they are going to ask and need.

By keenly observing these experts you will find patterns that emerge. Equipped with those questions and responses you can be a more efficient extension of the experts and get the information before connecting with your team or bringing that expert in. It’s also a more favorable experience for your customer.

Asking the questions is the first step, the real change comes in the actions that follow. But more on that later.