Gold Nugget #1171: How to Get Better Results through Better Questions with Dr. Marilee Adams

In episode 1171, Dr. Marilee Adams shows you how to ask the questions that drive improvement and innovation.

Don’t underestimate the power of questions. Most of us are actually unaware that we think with questions all the time. Moreover, the questions we ask ourselves shape the way we think, feel, and behave. A well-crafted question helps lead us to make better decisions because it opens our thinking to ideas we might not have considered before. 

Make the shift from a judger mindset to a learner mindset:

  • Judger – Think of these as our automatic reactions, questions that seek to place blame or pass judgment. 
  • Learner – These are questions that seek to understand our biases and to find a solution. It’s from the learner mindset that we generate new ideas. 

While it’s normal for us to have both mindsets, we can often make more headway when we think like learners. Moreover, a learner mindset also helps us build emotional intelligence. To make the shift, ask yourself:

  • Am I in a judger mindset?
  • Is this what I want to be thinking or doing?
  • How else can I think about this?
  • Regardless of the circumstances, who do I choose to be at this moment?

Use Q-storming to generate new ideas. Brainstorming isn’t actually as effective as people think, and Q-storming is better at opening up your thinking. If we want to have different results, we need to change the questions we’re asking ourselves. To that end, Marilee shares the three phases of q-storming:

  1. Phase one – Ask “What are we going for?” It’s important to establish the goal so that we know what we’re working towards.
  2. Phase two – Start generating and capturing questions. If we want new solutions, we first need to learn to ask new questions.
  3. Phase three – Collaborate with your team and ask them to analyze the new questions. Sort them into buckets, then narrow it down further to the top 5 questions that bring you closer to your goal.

Be careful of your assumptions because they can block off possibilities. We’re often unaware of the assumptions, biases, and blind spots that are embedded in our questions. As you engage in question thinking, ask yourself:

  • Are there other options?
  • What assumptions am I making?
  • What biases are making me a little blind?
  • Am I missing something?

Read/listen to the full conversation HERE.

Thank you, Sponsors!

Leave a Reply