This document discusses the importance and power of asking questions. It notes that children ask many questions from ages 4 but that questioning declines as they get older due to pressures from parents, teachers, bosses, and lack of time. It argues that focusing narrowly can prevent seeing other perspectives. The document advocates asking more and better questions to prevent disasters, gain clarity and shape the future. It provides examples of how assumptions can have painful consequences if wrong. Techniques like the "5 Whys" and "How Might We" questions are presented as ways to challenge existing ways of thinking and find new solutions. The overall message is that regularly questioning perceptions and seeking different perspectives can lead to better outcomes.

4. YOU KNOW YOU ARE
DESPERATE FOR AN
ANSWER . . .
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE
SECOND PAGE OF GOOGLE

5. Questionologist

6. Questionologist

7. WHY?

8. WHY?

9. # Questions/Day at age 4
100 to 400

11. Questions Drop Off the Cliff
After Age 4
Source: amorebeautifulquestion.com

12. Why Fewer Questions?
 Parents say, “Enough!”
 Teachers say, “Give me answers!”
 Bosses say, “My way or the highway!”
 You say, “I don’t have time.”

13. Focus = Tunnel Vision

14. “I’ve often had to wear the
challenger hat on a team . . .
the end product is always
better with a challenger on
the team.”
- Steve Compton, PMP

15. The Power of Asking
Questions
Why
What
How

16. WHY:
Ask MORE & BETTER
Questions
 Prevent Disaster
 Gain Clarity
 Shape the future
Why

17. Project: Spaghetti Sauce

18. The recipe called for
2 cloves of garlic,
minced

19. My idea of
2 cloves of
garlic

20. Assumption = taken for
granted as true, a belief

22. Situation: Man lying in the
gutter
Person 1
A bum lying in the
gutter
Assumption:
Only bums lie in
gutters.
Person 2
A unconscious/hurt
man lying in the
gutter who needs
help.
Assumption:
Anyone lying in the
gutter is in need of
help.

23. WHAT IF
I’M WRONG?

24. Wrong assumptions
can have
painful consequences

25. Does
your dog
bite?

26. What lurks below?

27. 1986 Challenger Disaster

28. 2007 I-35 Bridge Collapse

29. "In light of what happened, I
would say we thought we had
done all we could. Obviously
something went terribly wrong.“
- Dan Dorgan, MnDOT Bridge Engineer,
shortly after collapse of the I-35 bridge

30. Effectiveness vs. Efficiency
Effectiveness Efficiency
?
Right
Things
Things
Right

32. “If I had an hour to solve
a problem and my life
depended on the solution,
I would spend the first
55 minutes determining
the proper question
to ask, for once I know
the proper question,
I could solve the problem
in less than 5 minutes.”
- Albert Einstein

33. What: Questions Challenge . . .
 Perceptions & bias
 The “way it’s always been done”
 Lack of clarity
What

34. The First Step in a Critical Conversation is to realize that there are
different perspectives
It can be a matter of perspective . . .

35. The E Test

36. Which Way Did your E
point?

37. All
Knowledge
Question: Perceptions, bias

38. All
Knowledge
What
You Know
What
They Know

39. All
Knowledge
Your
Interp.
What
You Know
Other
Person’s
Interp.
What
They Know Mickey
Mouse
Theory

41. All
Knowledge
My
interp.
What
I Knew
MILs
Interp.
What
MIL Knew

42. Question: The Way It’s Always Been
Done
Parable of the 5 Monkeys

43. Question for Clarity—Scope
 Goals—broad aims?
 Objectives—results and level of change?
 Schedule?
 Tasks?
 Resources?
 Budget?
 Risk Assessment & Management?

44. Case Study:
Healthier by the Holidays

45. Goals—broad aims
 Healthy for longer, active life
 Slim and strong appearance
 Inspire others to healthier living

46. Objectives & Schedule–
results & level of change
 Lose Weight
 20 lbs (9/7 to 12/20)
 Increase Fitness
 plank time from 1 min to 5 min
 # full push ups from 2 to 20
 cardio circuit time from 6:40 min to 3 min

47. Tasks-Daily
 Weigh-in
 Eat mostly Paleo-style
 Record Food Intake, adj. for 1#/week loss
 10,000 steps
 Stretching, planks/push ups
 3X/week minimum, exercise room/weights

48. Budget, Resources
 Budget, $0 (other than food)
 Resources (already have)
 Fitbit
 Aria Scale (syncs with Fitbit)
 Exercise room with equipment
 Workout clothes
 Various Cookbooks, Recipe Sources
 Apps:
○ Fitbit, MyFitnessPal, FitList

49. Risk Assessment &
Management
 Risk: Exercise Procrastination
 Manage: Exercise in AM
 Risk: Poor food choices, esp. meals out
 Manage: reduce meals out
 Manage: preview menus online
 Manage: Plan meals weekly, prep on weekends

50. Your Turn: Personal Project
Clarity
 Goals—broad aims?
 Objectives—results and level of change?
 Schedule?
 Tasks?
 Resources?
 Budget?
 Risk Assessment & Management?

51. How: Asking Questions
 Probing: 5 Whys
 Question storming
 How might we . . . ?
 What if . . . ?
How

52. Root Cause: For Want of a
Nail

53. For want of a nail the shoe was lost,
for want of a shoe the horse was lost,
for want of a horse the knight was lost,
for want of a knight the battle was lost,
for want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
So a kingdom was lost—all for want of a nail.
Root Cause: For Want of a
Nail

54. 5 Whys to the Root Cause
Sakichi Toyoda

55. Problem:
Expense Tracking System not
used
Why aren’t people
using it?
Why don’t you like it?
Why don’t you have
the information?

56. ?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
Question storming

57. How to Question Storm
1. Identify problem
2. Question storm at least 25 questions
3. No discussion, judging, or answering
4. Write questions on whiteboard
5. Prioritize top 3-5 questions to answer
6. Then brainstorm for solutions

58. How might we . . . ?
 How are we going to tackle project XYZ?
Vs.
 How might we tackle project XYZ?

60. Why do I
have to
wait for
the
picture?

62. “The important thing is to
never stop questioning.”
- Albert Einstein