Richard Branson on the best way to frame a question

The power of positive thinking is one of the oldest ideas in the world of business advice, but billionaire Richard Branson offered some choice words this week about how entrepreneurs should use positivity in order to ask better questions within their businesses.

Writing on his blog, Branson reflected that both staff and customers respond best to new ideas and requests when they are presented with a possibility, rather than a challenge.

“It’s no coincidence that many of the world’s biggest influencers and most successful people are positive people,” he writes.

“People who think positively usually see endless possibilities and empower others to feel the same, and in turn move the world forward.”

Discussing positive thought as a kind of snowball effect, he argues entrepreneurs have a lot to gain by breaking their positive approach down into tiny steps within their businesses, including phrasing all conversations throughout the day to “reflect positive outcomes”.

Building a positive workplace is something that requires conscious actions, he says.

“Positive people don’t just have a good day; they make it a good day.”

This means bosses should think carefully about how they ask questions of those around them.

“Start simple, find a positive slant in every question you ask,” Branson advises.

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