FINAL - A More Beautiful Question APRD 1000

· What is the final stage of questioning?

"The how stage is positioned as the third and final stage of questioning but there really is no final stage. Because questions don't end even when you arrive at a solution" There is no final stage, some could say it is the how stage. Page 133 The how stage is the final stage of questioning but once many people reach the 'solution' they go even further and keep asking questions

How do questions impact creative thinking?

"The neurologist and author Ken Heilman, a leading expert on creative activity in the brain, acknowledges that scant research has been focused on what's happening in the brain when we ask questions" (17). Forces one to channel inner brain and stretch ideas. Thinking in the form of questions causes the light bulb effect and ideas begin to flow in the form of more questions. Questioning triggers divergent thinking which happens in the more creative right hemisphere of the brain; that it taps imagination and often triggers random association of ideas (which is a primary source of creativity); and that can be intellectually stimulating and rewarding. (page 18)

· Know how changing the phrasing of a question can affect its usefulness.

- It- It makes you look at the issue from different perspectives Ask "How might we..." Change phrasing from a yes or no to a why, what if, how question. makes you look at the issue from different perspectives Ask "How might we..." Change phrasing from a yes or no to a why, what if, how question.

What are the three types of open questions? How are these important and how are these used? How are each different?

1. Why 2. What If 3. How → solution These questions generally tend to encourage creative thinking more than closed yes-or-no questions. |Why: Someone comes across a less-than-ideal situation, and asks "Why" to understand the situation/problem; | What If: The questioner begins to imagine possible solutions or improvements, by asking "What If | How: The person zooms in on one of the possibilities, and figures out "How" to make it a reality. "If the questions from leaders and managers focus more on Why are we falling behind competitors? And Who is to blame?, then the organization is more likely to end up with a culture of turf-guarding and finger-pointing" (19). Questioning + action = innovation (change, transformation, breakthrough)

· What is the relationship between questioning, age, and engagement?

As age increases, questioning and engagement decreases

What is questioning?

Ambitious yet actionable. The act of questioning is something that can shift the way we perceive or think about something - and might serve as a catalyst to bring about change

Understand the "5 Whys" methodology.

Ask why 5 times to gain more understanding Asking why five times to get to the deeper meaning of the question Example Why do you exercise? → because it healthy Why is it healthy? → because it raises my heart rate Why is that important? → so that I burn more calories Why do you want to do that? → to lose weight Why are you trying to lose weight? → because I feel social pressure to look fit

What does a challenge in questioning in business do?

Creates a change

What happens with the more questioning you do?

The more questions that you ask, the easier it gets to do so.

· What are the five learning skills at the core of Susan Meier's schools?

Evidence Viewpoint Connection Conjecture Relevance

What does the author say you must do in order to risk failure?

Find a strong incentive (a thing that motivates or encourages one to do something). You have to "want it" or you'll not be successful

· What is connective inquiry?

Finding new ideas through connecting existing ideas in unique ways Connective inquiry is combinational thinking: The ability to combine ideas and influences to mix and remix things that might not ordinarily go together --Exaptation

· What must a company have in order for innovative questioning to gain traction?

Incentivize questioning, set aside time to teach the art of questioning, encourage good questions that involve critical thinking

What does experimentation lead to?

It brings change to your life

· What happens at the "How" stage of questioning?

It is the point at which things come together and then more often than not fall apart repeatedly (117) Tends to be slow and difficult

· Where will the future of learning-by-inquiry happen?

Meier's school model → teaches how to look for evidence, viewpoint, connection, conjecture, and relevance Rothstein and Santana's K-12 question program (RQI technique) → teachers provide question focus, students produce, improve, prioritize questions and then act on the prioritized questions The future of learning-by-inquiry will happen in makeshift classrooms often held in 'maker' or 'hacker' spaces where people come together and build and create Page 69

Is questioning encouraged? Why or why not?

No, questioning isn't usually encouraged in professional settings because encouraging or allowing questions can be seen as ceding power to some. Can also be more risky or difficult to ask questions for those in authority

What is a purpose question? Be able to identify and give examples.

PAGE 139 - 142 An initial question that can be asked to evaluate what the company wants to accomplish. It is really a question that is trying to help us understand what the company is deep down, what they want to accomplish... i think this might be right? There wasn't an answer so i read those pages and came up with this. Example questions from book: What is our company's purpose on this earth? Who have we (as a company) historically been when we've been at our best? What is true about us, at our core? "A company that has figured out the basic questions of identity and purpose is in a better position to handle unsettling new questions such as What business are we in now?" pg 142 bottom

What is the link between questioning and innovation?

Questioning is a start to innovation | Questioning + Action = Innovation

What are the characteristics of questioning?

Questions are fundamental and instinctive so we do not always feel we need to think about questioning

How are questions different than answers? Why is "knowing" becoming less important? How valuable are questions and answers in today's society? How do these values relate to each other?

Questions create. Answers end things. | Known answers are easily accessible and therefore less valuable | "Clearly, technology will have the answers covered - so we will no longer need to fill our heads with those answers as much as we once did... In the current era of Google and Watson, with databases doing much of the 'knowing' for us, many critics today question the wisdom of an education system that still revolves around teaching students to memorize facts"

What are the required elements for asking a powerful WHY question?

Step back Notice what others miss Challenge assumptions (including your own) Question the questions being asked Gain a deeper understanding of the situation/problem at hand through contextual inquiry. Take ownership of a particular question

·What is the key to doing something that has never been done before?

The key is to learn and adapt as you go. You have to ask a lot of questions, about what's feasible and what isn't, about what people actually want and need (as opposed to what one might think they should want and need). (178-179 pg.) What's important about the statement, "Climb the mountain not to plant your flag, but to embrace the challenge, enjoy the air, and behold the view"? Our overachieving culture is too focused on finding success and doesn't enjoy the journey it takes to get there.

· What happens once we have labeled things?

They go into the proper file drawers of the brain and they become known quantities- are no longer thought about/questioned. We don't think about them or notice them anymore

Do challenger questions create dissonance?

They rebel against known standards and question standards/conditions Yes, these questions are rebellious, skeptical, restless and threaten authority, It goes against what we are taught (that every question has a right answer) They make people feel uncomfortable

· What happens to children and when they question?

When children question, they exhibit signs of more creativity and curiosity Connect stimuli and seek more info "Series of complex maneuvers" -- starts with knowing what you don't know and understanding there are multiple answers, child has figured out an efficient way to fill gaps in their knowledge (have not developed mental models) "Kids brains are constantly seeking stimuli and new information. Asking questions indicates kids know when they do not know something. Also indicates they know they can fill gap in knowledge by asking someone who does know answer.

What is the definition of a "beautiful question"?

an ambitious yet actionable question that can begin to shift the way we perceive or think about something - and that might serve as a catalyst to bring about change

What is disruptive innovation?

unique and successful creations that are successful because they disrupt the mundaneness of the normal products