Questions that make a difference

Can you remember the last time you felt moved by the right question?

I’m a big believer in the value of asking questions. To me, it is refreshing being with people that hold questions. It’s an art form. One that I’d like to see practiced more, by many of us, as a tool for discovery, creativity and alignment. 

When I facilitate a meeting or workshop, I begin with asking questions as a tool for focus and connection. Here is a ‘how to’ for using check-ins as a start of your meetings. 

But asking questions is not only valuable at the beginning of a meeting. It is also very effective when, for example, a group is stressed or restless and you’re looking for an intervention without dominating or taking over responsibility. And of course questions are a great way to get to know each other. In this post I’ll give you some examples of questions you can use.

The last few months, I’ve tracked which questions I regularly use in meetings, courses and coaching sessions. My most used questions are: 

What has your attention right now?
What do you hope to achieve today? and
What stands out from our last meeting, that you’d like to reinforce and amplify today?

In general, at the beginning of a meeting, questions that invite personal reflection & sharing are powerful. Just like questions that support being present and mindful. These kinds of questions allow for alignment between people, inviting different experiences and perspectives to be added. They help facilitate an effective meeting of whole humans.  

The right question (for that situation) often reveals itself.

I do come prepared though. Having thought of some questions in advance, in support of the goal of a meeting, probably helps me pose the right engaging question at the right time. 

Some of my commonly used questions seem very similar. Yet choice of word, tone and timing can make a difference, depending on context, purpose & attendees. This is where with some practice, I’m sure you will see the value and art form in asking powerful questions. 

I’ve created a list of my most used questions.

You can find that list as a download on my ‘Downloads’ page. Use it when preparing for or facilitating a meeting. As a bonus, you’ll also find a few questions to check in with yourself. For those situations where you want to hear your own wisdom more clearly. Please try them out and see what works for you. 

I’d love to know your favorite questions and the moments you find them especially useful.
Feel free to share your lessons learned or tips with me via info@annemiekeverhoeff.com.