I’ve spent a lot of years working with people, and I’ve learned that three simple words can change the direction of a conversation: “Help me understand.”

I remember a conversation with a coworker who responded in a way that rubbed me the wrong way. Before I knew it, I had the whole thing figured out. I knew why they said it. I knew what they meant. I even knew what they were thinking. There was only one problem.

I’ve spent many years working with people in both corporate America and counseling, and I’ve noticed something about successful teams. The best leaders don’t have to have all the answers. They know how to ask good questions.