Elite CEOs Ask Better Questions: Insights from Eric Partaker’s LinkedIn Post

In a recent LinkedIn post, Eric Partaker, an experienced coach and entrepreneur, explores a critical yet often overlooked aspect of leadership: how to effectively leverage the expertise of advisors and boards. Partaker argues that many CEOs fail to extract real value from their smart, experienced networks, including board members, mentors, and investors, often by simply providing updates or asking superficial questions.

According to Partaker, the key differentiator for CEOs who receive truly valuable counsel lies in their ability to ask better questions. He highlights a common pattern he has observed across hundreds of CEOs he has coached, stating:

“The CEOs who get the best advice do one thing differently. They ask better questions.”

This fundamental shift in approach, Partaker suggests, transforms a reporting session into a strategic advisory meeting. He emphasizes that this is a developable skill, not an innate talent.

The Power of Strategic Inquiry

Partaker identifies that many leaders fall into the trap of using their advisory relationships as a mere formality. They present information, share positive developments, and pose questions that yield equally vague responses. This passive approach wastes the potential of seasoned professionals who are willing to offer guidance.

Instead, Partaker advocates for a more proactive and insightful questioning strategy. He points out:

“Most CEOs have access to smart, experienced people. Board members. Advisors. Mentors. Investors. (And they usually waste it.)”

This observation underscores the missed opportunities that plague many leadership teams. The value of these external perspectives is immense, but only if tapped into correctly.

7 Questions Elite CEOs Employ

To illustrate his point, Eric Partaker shared a list of seven powerful questions that he has seen elite CEOs use to unlock deeper insights and more actionable advice. These questions are designed to cut through generalities, identify blind spots, and force clarity on priorities.

Unlocking Deeper Insights

Among the key questions Partaker highlights are:

• “What would you do if you were me?” – This prompts specific, actionable recommendations rather than safe, generic advice.
• “What am I missing?” – A direct approach to uncovering potential blind spots before they become costly errors.
• “Where have you seen this go wrong?” – Leveraging the past experiences and failures of advisors to create shortcuts for the current leader.
• “If we could only do one thing this quarter, what should it be?” – A question that uses constraints to reveal the true strategic priorities.
• “If this fails, what’s the most likely reason?” – A method for stress-testing assumptions and decisions with an external viewpoint.
• “Who else should I be talking to?” – An effective way to expand the leader’s network by tapping into the advisor’s connections.
• “What’s the one thing you’d tell me that you think I don’t want to hear?” – Partaker notes this question often yields the most valuable, albeit potentially difficult, feedback.

Partaker emphasizes that these questions are versatile and effective across various advisory contexts, from formal board meetings to informal mentor check-ins. He concludes by inviting readers to share their own impactful questions, fostering a broader conversation on effective leadership communication.