Innovation Mindsets & Behaviors

Questioning

The practice of constantly asking the right questions, instead of providing the right answers. It is the foundation of a learner’s mindset. The intention of this behavior is to remind us to challenge common wisdom and deepen our understanding.

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When to Apply Questioning

Anytime you are at the beginning of a project, an engagement with a client, or new scope of an existing project and the situation is not well understood by you. Practice questioning even if the client or project lead tells you the engagement is well defined when you first start. At best you will uncover new information for all parties and at worst you will come-up-to-speed quickly because everyone already has the answers.

behavior-top-image

"To ask the right question is already half the solution of a problem."

– Carl Jung
Swiss Psychiastrist

How to Practice Questioning

  • 1
    Contribute to a culture of psychological safety that encourages questions. Make it a point to complement others when they ask a good question versus provide a categorical answer.
  • 2
    Refrain from jumping to answers immediately when faced with a problem. Pause and see if you can turn every response into a thoughtful, open ended question.
  • 3
    Seek to understand before arriving at conclusions by using a combination of open-ended and closed-ended questions
  • 3
    Use question-storming to generate a wide expanse of questions and then converge on a few well appointed questions to try out
  • 4
    Ask many questions rather than seeking the “perfect question”
  • 6
    Practice, Practice, Practice... asking questions. And LISTEN to the responses before asking the next question.

Download the Questioning Guide

Get access to a detailed guide on how to apply this behavior in your practice

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The
Deliberate Questioning Guide

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