When we were children, curiosity was synonymous with asking an endless amount of questions (often starting in why). But as we got older, we became less interested in asking questions and more programmed to answering them. Our jobs at times are less about discovering what could be and what has to be. Our relationships sometimes feel trapped in the ruts of safe and familiar questions: How was your day? What do you want for dinner?
Questions impact every part of our lives:
- Curiosity
- Life
- Work/Career/Calling/Vocation
- Relationships
- Leadership
Asking Better Questions is about reconnecting with your curiosity, connecting with others at a deeper level, and wanting more for your life and work. It’s a 4-hour virtual or in-person workshop designed to help individuals or teams level up their abilities in asking questions and listening deeply to what’s being said.
“One of the great first steps we take in looking for a glimpse of the self depends on
– The Three Marriages: Reimagining Work, Self and Relationship by David Whyte
our ability to learn how to ask our own questions; the ones that make sense to us, no matter how simple they might seem.”
Workshop Objectives
By the end of the workshop, you’ll understand:
- The types of questions that open people up and get them talking instead of shutting them down.
- How listening is at the root of asking better questions.
- How a sequence of questions creates a shape and structure that promote a specific agenda.
- Why body language, tone of voice, and style is just as important as the types of questions you ask, even in audio-only formats, such as podcasts.
- How principles of storytelling help you ask better questions.
- Ways to address situational tension and awkwardness that may appear when asking questions of yourself, with others, and systematically.
- 10 tips from documentary filmmaking and podcasting you can use to plan ahead and create conversations of curiosity.
What you’ll get:
- A focused 4-hour virtual or in-person session for individuals or teams.
- A PDF workbook with questions, prompts, and exercises for asking better questions.
- References and resources to further your interviewing and conversational skills.
- Email check-ins for support!