The document outlines ten signs of a culture of inquiry, emphasizing that questioning is vital for innovation and critical thinking. Key characteristics include leadership that welcomes questions, a mission centered on inquiry, and an environment that encourages deep questioning and exploration. Establishing such a culture is crucial for organizations facing rapid change and uncertainty.

1. 10 Signs
You Have a
Culture of Inquiry

2. Questioning is often the starting
point of innovation.

3. Questioning is often the starting
point of innovation.
Inquiry enables us to organize
our thinking around what we
don’t know.

4. Questioning is often the starting
point of innovation.
Inquiry enables us to organize
our thinking around what we
don’t know.
It shines a light on where new
opportunities lie—and where
companies need to go.

5. Questioning is often the starting
point of innovation.
Inquiry enables us to organize
our thinking around what we
don’t know.
It shines a light on where new
opportunities lie—and where
companies need to go.

6. In today’s world of exponential change

7. In today’s world of exponential change
innovative companies must have
a Culture of Inquiry.

8. 10 Signs
You Have a
Culture of Inquiry

9. Your leaders
question everything.
1
A culture of inquiry starts at the top
with leaders who question, and welcome
questions from employees and outsiders.

10. Your company is
comfortable with
ambiguity and
few easy answers.
2
It’s understood that answers are relative
and change is a constant.

11. Your company has
a mission question
rather than
a mission statement.
3
Employees and customers are
more engaged by an aspirational
mission question rather than a
static statement.

12. Your company
prioritizes
critical thinking.
4
The pressure on short-term results is always
relentless, but a culture of inquiry finds time
for questioning and critically examining
assumptions and the status quo.

13. Your company
rewards questioning
(or, at least, does not
punish it).
5
A culture of inquiry gives people credit for
finding problems & raising questions—
without putting the burden on them to
“fix it” themselves.

14. Your company gives
people the time
and space to
question deeply.
6
A culture of inquiry encourages employees
to venture out into the world to observe,
listen, and learn.

15. Your company
provides the tools
to question well.
7
Employees are guided through training
and exercises toward more informed,
productive questions.

16. 8
Before any possible solutions are
brainstormed, a culture of inquiry will
spend time uncovering what the real issues
and assumptions are, through thought-
provoking Why and What questions.
Your company uses
“questionstorming”
to surface problems
and questions worth
considering.

17. Your company
actively seeks new
employees who are
naturally inquisitive.
9
Potential employees’ critical thinking skills
are evaluated by asking them to bring
ambitious and open-ended questions
pertinent to your company to the interview.

18. Your company
appreciates and
encourages open,
inclusive language.
10
In a culture of inquiry, when proposing or
evaluating new concepts, judgmental
language is replaced by empowering
questions starting with “How might we...”
and “What if we could...”

19. To establish a culture of inquiry

20. To establish a culture of inquiry
the biggest challenge may be

21. To establish a culture of inquiry
the biggest challenge may be
shifting your company

22. To establish a culture of inquiry
the biggest challenge may be
shifting your company
to value “questions” over “answers.”

23. But this is imperative in today’s world

24. But this is imperative in today’s world
where answers change overnight,

25. But this is imperative in today’s world
where answers change overnight,
and exploratory questions

26. But this is imperative in today’s world
where answers change overnight,
and exploratory questions
can help anticipate what’s coming.

27. With a
culture of inquiry,
there’s always
more possibility.

28. With a
culture of inquiry,
there’s always
more possibility.

29. From the book