- Start creating the space for the reflections and conversations of today: you can ask the audience if they are used to receiving or giving powerful questions.
Then highlight the importance of the concept of powerful questions: by asking powerful questions we support others to uncover what’s really important, enabling them to tap into their own knowledge and expertise. Making powerful questions indicates that we are deeply and actively listening, committed to the conversation as well as to the well-being of the person, and it helps create a powerful bond between people and to build trust.
Powerful questions are questions that do not aim at pointing the receiver of the question in a certain direction but are meant to be fairly open. They give the receiver of the question the possibility to explore new thoughts or possibilities and encourage new ways of thinking.
Powerful questions aim at opening up a possibly narrow mindset without being judgmental or indicative. Powerful questions are simple as they are usually a single question and not multiple questions combined with statements or stories.
Powerful questions are open-ended, and asked with genuine curiosity. The next time you feel compelled to quickly jump in with ideas and suggestions, first get truly curious. Ask questions without an attachment to the answer. This will help you uncover the real issue, and can also help someone develop her own insight.
Show some examples of powerful Questions. (Check the resources at the end of the document for more examples)
Build understanding.
What challenges are you facing?
What matters to you right now?
What opportunities are you seeing?
Set direction.
Ask these to shift focus from what’s wrong to what’s possible:
What is the best possible outcome?
What are you trying to achieve?
What do you want to happen next?
What does success look like?
How will you know if you’ve succeeded?
Shape options.
Ask these to generate ideas:
What have you tried?
What options do you have? How possible is each option?
What would you have to believe for this option to be right?
Define next actions.
Ask these to clarify what should happen next:
What data/information do you need to make a decision?
What action can you take now?
What are you taking away from this conversation, as a next step or new way of thinking?
What support do you need? Where will you get it?