1, #62 - What makes for a great question?
On Reflection and Connection — Estimated Read Time: 43 seconds.
Someone I know recently shared his best-ever New Year’s Resolution:
“Get better at asking great questions.”
Super concise and focused on curiosity? I love it. But it also made me wonder: What makes for a great question?
What do you think?
Not to disrupt your scrolling too much, but seriously: Stop and think about it.
What differentiates a really good question?
After considering it for a while, here's the answer I came up with:
A great question is one that doesn't have an immediate or obvious answer.
Great questions force reflection and nuance.
Asking someone this kind of question is valuable, because (a) you provide them with an opportunity to clarify their thinking, and (b) it also deepens your relationship with that person, because they have to go beyond the superficial automation that governs a lot of our interactions.
So, this week, instead of “Are you doing a new year’s resolution,” try to think of a question you can ask that will prompt some reflection and connection. If nothing else, you can always try, “What do you think makes for a great question?”
Insight prompted by Matt Lerner and his excellent newsletter. Thanks, Matt!
Hmm, great question... A great question reframes, and prompt even further reframing. There's an implied breakdown of old order, plus an energetic charge that spurs the listener to noodle generatively toward some new, fresh perspective
Reading this automatically made me think of TWO people who ask really good questions. That tells me 1- this is a rare skill and 2- it has impacted me! 3- I assumed it was a natural gift, but it is something I can learn to do!