Sometimes I think I’m the person in a meeting who drives everyone else nuts. It is not uncommon for me to say, are we asking the right questions? Part of this comes from my deep curiosity. Some of it comes from the frustration I get when I hear, “we tried that 40 years ago and it didn’t work.” Or it’s someone who is stuck and unwilling to explore what the stuck is really about. Or maybe it’s lack of an organization moving forward or the struggle of not “getting it right.”  

I truly believe there is a solution for this. It boils down to making sure we are asking the right questions. What is a “right” question? I’m glad you asked. This really isn’t about making something right or wrong. It’s about defining what makes a question work on bigger levels.

I believe “right” questions:

• Have the ability to shift a conversation and expand knowledge and possibilities
• Are open ended and invite perspective 
• Encourage conversation and solutions rather than shut them down
• Move us past stuck
• Give clarity to situations
• Shift paradigms
• Provide opportunity for growth
• Add your own in here—there have to be more for this list!

When we ask these right questions, we see impact. That thing we may have been stuck on all of the sudden has new life and a place to go. With clarity, the decisions become easier. We grow. We learn. We chart new courses or breathe life into current courses. The bottom line is that building our skill set in powerful questions matters. Here are a few of my favorite powerful questions:

• What would it look like if…
• What would be possible if…
• If we didn’t believe (insert limiting belief), what would be possible?
• What would it look like to explore the opposite of what we’ve been doing?
• What’s in the middle?
• What’s the stake here?
• If this (insert topic) were a rose (or other flower), what would we notice? 

I’m sure you could add some of your favorites in as well. I invite you to start bringing the superpower of asking the right questions. Find some that work for you. Notice the impact. Oh, I should also mention that after you ask the question, sit back and apply the listening super power. Give it some space. I think you’ll be amazed at what new conversations might arise.

Keep SHINING in Your Brilliance!