Be The Plus

I once went to a talk about how to ask great questions. The presenter had asked twenty experts: If you could only ask one question, what would it be?

It was a great idea and a fascinating talk.

The answers he received (or questions he received) were so thought-provoking and varied. Some sought to promote a deeper level of thinking, some sought to forge stronger relationships through shared understanding, some sought to raise aspiration.

For example, here are a selection of my favourites:

• What are your aspirations and what will you do to achieve them? (Arguably two questions; perhaps that’s cheating!)
• What would you like me to know about you (so that I can help you as well as I possibly can)?
• How could you do that better?
• How / why might someone disagree with you?
• What would you do differently if it didn’t matter if you failed?

Since the day I watched that talk, I have tried to ask these questions at the right times. Once you have mused on, and recognised, their potential to inspire new and exciting thinking, they become part of your repertoire.

Needless to say, this got me thinking about the one question that I would ask.

Never one to follow the rules, I have two questions depending on whom I’m asking.

If my question is for someone else, I would ask ‘What is the difference between someone who is good at what you do and someone who is amazing at what you do?’

I ask this question to experts at every opportunity I get and the results are always insightful and often surprising. (It’s a great question to ask at interviews – you can remember that and thank me when you get the job!)

If my question is for myself, I would ask ‘What might it be possible to achieve if we were to set our sights even higher?’

I ask the question of myself at every opportunity I get so that unimaginably wonderful prospects become increasingly possible and even realistic.

Thank you to Matt Pinkett for a really inspiring talk.

If you could only ask one question, what would you ask?