Negative Questions Managers Should Ask

In the HBR Blog (Registration required):   The kind of questions that a good manager should ask, and most do.  Still it is one of those things that is worth repeating.   It is relatively rare to ask the negative question, posed below.   In recent years this might be seen as anti-innovative.  But is always a useful exercise ...

" ... When something seems too good to be true, it usually is. And management techniques, practices, and strategies are no different. When you read a business book or attend a presentation on a particular management practice, it is a good habit to explicitly ask, “What might it not be good for?” When might it not work; what could be its drawbacks? If the presenter’s answer is “there are none,” a healthy dose of skepticism is warranted. ... "