Siouxland Magazine - Volume 2 Issue 2

Siouxland Magazine | Grow /33
Question Everything?
By Todd Rausch
We have all heard it, but what does it really mean?
I am a business consultant and also an owner. I get asked
a lot of questions, which is awesome. I also ask myself a
lot of questions, which forces me to seek answers. The
most important questions we will ever get asked are the
ones that require us to gain knowledge, to grow, and to
improve our lives and the lives of others. Being asked
questions is a good thing.
As business owners, our goal is to make sales and keep our
customers happy. I, personally, hope that the customers
ask questions; that way, I can give them knowledge that
will allow them to make good buying decisions. I don’t
want anyone to walk away regretting a purchase, ever!
I want everyone to feel that they received a good deal
when buying from me or when getting advice from
me. That is something we can improve on every day by
listening and gaining more knowledge ourselves.
I have been asked questions by customers that I really
didn’t want to answer. We like the questions we are
comfortable with, but the others, not so much. So, how
do we get comfortable with questions that put us on
the spot? We have all heard the tired, but not wornout,
saying: “Transparency! Honesty is the best policy!”
It all means the same thing: be open and honest with
ourselves, our families, our friends, and our customers.
Being open to non-hostile questions is good. It makes
us have to think, and that is a good thing. Anytime we
can be driven to become better at what we do is really
wonderful for us.
Now, if the questions are hostile, don’t bother trying to
win the person over. They have already made up their
mind; leave that alone. I have done presentations and
sales pitches where the people are openly hostile and I
wonder why they would waste their time if they don’t like
the product or the price. They are free to go to someplace
else. I think some people are just having bad days and it
is easier to take it out on a stranger than someone they
know. Cut these people some slack, be nice, and end the
conversation as quickly as possible. Then, forget about it.
Don’t take it personally and move on.
My hope for you is that you wake up each day asking
yourself, “How can I improve as a person, an owner, a family
member, or a friend? How can I get better? What will it take
to reach my goals?” Those kinds of questions move you
forward and lead to an attitude of continual improvement.
Every success story I have ever read or heard has
begun with questions and really never ends, as
the questions never end.
That is good. It is fine to constantly question. The point
is that questions should lead us to answers, and if we
take positive action on those answers, we will eventually
achieve our goals and dreams. Never give up on your
dreams. Never let anyone steal your dreams. And, finally,
never quit asking questions.
Todd Raush is the Regional Director of America’s SBDC Iowa
at Western Iowa Tech Community College.