Jeffrey Katzenburg's magical 4am question

It’s 4am in Los Angeles. Somewhere, a phone rings. On the other end is Jeffrey Katzenberg, co-founder of DreamWorks, architect of Disney’s animation renaissance, and, by many accounts, an unrelenting force of nature.

Jeffrey is on his treadmill. The question is always the same: “What do you need?”

You’d think being woken at 4am would set most people off. But for those who got the call, it wasn’t an annoyance—it was a challenge.

Katzenberg wasn’t micromanaging. He was proactive, clearing roadblocks: addressing issues before they escalated, securing resources for new ideas, or simply letting his team know their work mattered.

With movie stars, “What do you need?” built trust, showing he valued their contributions and aligned their personal stakes with the project’s success. For creative partners, it fostered boldness and creativity. For executives, it reframed negotiations as collaboration.

No matter the context, the message was the same: I’m here to help you succeed.

Here’s the thing: how many of us actually ask this question?
It’s so simple. But so few people ask it.

Most of us don’t because we think we already know the answer—or we’re afraid of what we might hear. But Katzenberg leaned into it. Those early morning calls weren’t a flex (ok, maybe a little). They were symbols of leadership: service; clarity; removing barriers.

Katzenberg’s question was simple—elegant, even.

Great questions don’t happen by accident. They’re designed.

That’s why me and the Wavetable crew created a new hands-on workshop dedicated to the art and science of asking better questions. The right question, asked at the right time, can break through the clutter, build stronger connections, and bring people together to solve real problems.

Whether it’s through an accelerated program, a single session, or a top-secret adventure game (yes, really!), it’s designed to help you and your team build stronger connections, have better conversations, and make a real difference—together.

And no, you don’t need to be on a treadmill at 4am to start.

Want to learn more? Drop me a DM.

P.S. “What do you need?” wasn’t even the real question. There were three questions behind it. That’s for another post…