Do you know what to ask? How to ask? Who to ask?
Why did you come up with that question?
Questions challenge authority and disrupt established structures processes and systems. Force you to think and do something differently. There is no formula for questioning. Accept that it’s OK with not knowing. In this complex and dynamic world, answers are a commodity losing value.
Questions:
- Spades to unearth hidden truths
- Shine light where you need to go
- Organize our thinking around what we don’t know
- Engines of intellect
- Flashlight
- Make you learn
We live in the world our questions create. A more beautiful question talks about how to ask “beautiful” questions.
A beautiful question is ambitious and actionable.
Begins to shift the way you perceive or think.
Serve as a catalyst for change.
Tend to follow a logical progression:
- Why: Step back. Notice what others miss. Challenge assumptions. Contextual inquiry for deeper understanding. Take ownership of a particular question. Penetrative power to challenge assumptions.
- What if: Have an expansive effect – Fire the imagination.
- How: The point things come together – Or fall apart.
The emphasis should be on “What will you learn?”. Work backward to the minimum effort that will get you the learning.
However, Leaders must know when to stop questioning – When you think you have found the best path or according to a feeling such as frustration (Enough, let’s go). Questioning gets easier with practice.
Beware, Questions can lead to inaction.
Mission questions:
- Is it growing and pushing you forward?
- Are you still living up to it?
- Does it still make sense?
Keep asking:
- Why are you doing it?
- What are you doing?
- How might you do it better?
Strive to stay away from predetermined paths ( school-> work-> what’s next?) to a more open, unpredictable, and uncertain path combined with a good compass. For great adventures.
Ask:
- Why are you climbing the mountain?
- Why are you evading inquiry?
- What is waiting for you at the top?
- What are you going to do there?
- Are you enjoying it? Should you slow down? or speed up? Should you enjoy it?
- What are you leaving behind?
- When you look back in 5 years, which of these options will make a better story?
- What do you want? What do you want to want?
The process is key. You work your way to find answers, relying on questions each step.
Beware of useless questions, such as “what is the meaning of life?”. There is no objective truth.
Ask instead: Why should I do X? Is it worth my time and effort?
You learn who you are in practice – not theory. By testing reality. Craft experiments. You need to act – Learn and test – as soon as possible.
- What would you do if you knew you could not fail?
- What if you fail? how will you recover?
- What are the odds you are wrong?
- What is important to you?
- What are you in gratitude for?
- Before you “lean in” what if you stepped back?
- What if you start with what you already have?
A powerful question never sleeps. It usually chooses you. Resonates with you for some reason you only understand – sometimes you don’t.
Comment, Share And Subscribe