The art of posing questions; Why do people so rarely ask a really good question?
If we count all the tests that we have appeared for since our enrolment in school, going by a rough estimation we would have answered tens of thousands of questions by now. So, we can assuredly come to a conclusion that we’ve been trained extensively to answer questions all our lives. Now, let’s ponder on the flip side of this realisation. What about asking questions? I don’t remember getting formal training for it in school or most of the institutions that I have been in and out of. Now, later in life I have come across a few Ted Talks, articles, pop philosophy videos on YouTube and discussions about the art of asking questions. However, the epiphany that I lack the skill to ask questions, not even smart or interesting questions but just questions is not new. As epiphanies don’t occur in isolation, mine happened in my undergrad class where one of my favourite professors was teaching Milton’s Paradise Lost. I was desperately trying to absorb the verses and its meaning, allusions, metaphors and while doing that I saw the unfolding of a memorable series of questioning from few of my classmates. I remember marvelling at the questions because even though it didn’t make me dread Milton any less, it made me ‘think’. The kind of thinking that makes you want to read more, watch more and be part of every interesting conversations around you. Writing about this makes me want to dig way back into the past. The very first time I had felt this inexplicable excitement was when I had learnt that there are numbers beyond one hundred; my first tryst with the idea of ‘possibilities’ rather ‘multiplicities’.
Exploring the central question made me examine some of the cultural aspects experienced at home and other interacting institutions. Let’s take a walk down the memory lane. So, who was the most loved child in the family? The one who asked questions about everything around or the one who followed the instructions and kept away from the conflicts. We all know the answer to that. The value of obedience is held in high reverence. The duty-oriented individual is celebrated since childhood right through school years . Repository of which is carried in some extent to corporate set ups. I was shaken out of my repose while attending a workshop in the initial months of my current job. The workshop was attended by people of different nationalities, working at various levels, a truly cross functional team. However, everyone was encouraged and pushed to ask question, debate, ideate and discuss and needless to say, the workshop was a big success. My takeaway from it was simple, curiosity is a superpower.
The lens of examination in this matter is not linear but kaleidoscopic. We cannot ignore the gendered implications where women are celebrated for not asking questions and being ever accepting even in the face of danger and oppression or should I say especially in those cases. The mother day’s posts were all over my social media feeds last week. It was derisive to see how unyielding subservience of women was quoted as her biggest triumph. So, we can very well understand that the act of asking question in itself is an act of power and individual assertion. Any kind of systemic oppression at its root is making the oppressed believe that there are no questions to be asked. Similarly, every act of revolution emerges from a simple question ‘why?’. Thus, deliberated dissent needs to be established as a virtue rather a vice.
Any newly occurred inference or discovery certainly feels personal but then you Google and find out that some guy who was born hundreds of years ago had that same thought and had even written texts on it. In this case, the guy is Socrates and the subject his approach to questioning. Socratic questioning has been used in the field of Psychology, Pedagogy, Journalism, Research, etc. The crux of the idea is how effectively questioning oneself and others is the “highest form of human excellence” and how it helps to dig beneath the surface of our idea. Another key point to remember is to strive for empathy and be conscientious while trying to indulge in questioning. The following easy to remember 6 key Socratic questions would help when you will set out to write a questionnaire, to prepare for a debate/discussion, or maybe a romantic or friendship date.
To bring the utility aspect of it to life, let’s digress to the memory plane again. In a meeting with my supervisor, I was stuck in a loop of analysing my fear of initiation without being able to conclude. After some deliberation, I was asked a simple question ‘When you are delaying initiation, what are you trying to avoid?’ and that was the beginning of an insightful introspective journey. So, next time when you find yourself in a conversation with your team, it would be worthwhile to move beyond the ‘why’ and take chances with your questions. Ask them about their readings/content that they are watching and make them think of any concept/idea from it that could be applied in the work context (great way to climb up the ladder of Bloom’s taxonomy). Another way to start an effective team meeting would be to ask them ‘how are you feeling about your work?’, ‘What are your thoughts about the feedback you have received on your work’, ‘what do you think went well/did not go well for you in this project?’, or ‘what are your triumphs of the week?’, etc.
Let’s imagine another kind of situation where you are interacting with a client about a difficult project trying to align the objectives in your mind. Questions that could really help you to grasp the purpose of the project and envision the template for outcome are ‘What is your vision for the outcome of the study?’, ‘How are you planning to use the findings of this study?’, ‘What are the decisions you are planning to take basis this study?’, etc. On the flipside, if you are the client in the situation and looking for effective ways to communicate with the partners or agencies, a good way to start would be to ask ‘What are the similar studies/projects you have done?’, ‘What is your understanding of the product/category/objectives?’, ‘What are the areas where you would require my expertise to understand the project better? ‘What would be the output sample of your study?’, ‘How could we plan the discussion to get most effective outcomes?’, ‘What are the things I can help you with for planning and executing the project?’, etc. Thus, we must understand that the core of good questioning lies in unpacking thoughtful dialogue, to start with a clear goal, have a clear rationale behind the question, and to actively engage.
Beyond the intellectualism, Socratic questioning also allows us to explore and approach emotional relationships in a more liberating and accepting way. In Plato’s “Critias,” Socrates says “When a group of friends have enjoyed fine conversation together, you will find that suddenly something extraordinary happens. As they are speaking, it’s as if a spark ignites, passing from one speaker to another, and as it travels, it gathers strength, building into a warm and illuminating flame of mutual understanding which none of them could have achieved alone.” The gratuity of the interrogation extends to even a room full of strangers where the right questions can lead to most profound of conversations (could be evidenced by episodes of ‘The Skin Deep’ on YouTube). The Skin Deep is a creative studio that brings together couples, friends, family, and even strangers to share a conversation. The team has developed a series of insightful questions leading to raw, soul stirring dialogues which helps us explore human emotion, intimacy and connections. Another book that I had picked up during my last trip to Delhi’s Terminal 3 book store, ‘The Question Book; What makes you Tick?’ is an experimental work in this area and would make for an interesting journal. The book is designed as a Q and A journal which would help in reflections and introspection.
So, now it makes much more sense why one of the most quotable lines of all times is a question, can you guess which one?
