The Answers You Receive Depend Upon the Questions Asked

I have written often that TRUTH is best determined by asking questions, lots of questions. But the questions asked, their quality, and the way they are framed will determine the level of TRUTH realized.

This concept was first, as I can determine, by Albert Einstein. Widely viewed as the most influential scientist of the twentieth century, he posed his thinking this way…” If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on the solution, I would spend the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask, for once I know the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes.” Einstein’s 55:5-minute formula may not be the ideal ratio for all situations, but his analysis does shine a light on the importance of questions for getting at TRUTH.

One of the methods I have introduced within my OneTRUTH Leadership approach is the 5 Whys.? It follows that you can better get to the root of any problem or opportunity by asking the key question “why” at least five times. The recommendation in doing so is to ask each time in a different way based upon the previous answer received. And if you can ask the next question in a different way, it’s all the better.

One clear example of how this works is taught to us by children. They have a tremendous tendency to ask questions. Research shows that a four-year-old asks an average of 100 questions a day. For an eight-year-old who is in school, the number drops below 50; and by the time the child grows into a working adult in his or her forties, the number drops to below 10. This may be the reason that it is so difficult to find TRUTH.

Claude D’Val Morgan in his book “Communication Intelligence”, explains it this way, “A primary reason that we ask fewer questions as we grow older is the amount of encouragement we receive. The four-year-old may be fortunate enough to be around parents or guardians who listen and respond to the child’s curiosities. The eight-year-old is probably in school, and, you may think, that’s where questioning certainly is supported and even taught. After all, we’ve seen pictures of young students sitting in a classroom with their hands raised waiting for the teacher to call on them. However, their hands are usually not raised to answer questions. They are traditionally waiting to answer them, and give the right answer as defined by the teacher.

Why do we adults not ask more questions? Why do we just accept what we are told even though we may know that it contains lies and misinformation? Why are we so easily influenced by what we are told? Our collective lives do literally depend upon solving a large number of problems today but we are still not willing to spend any time on determining the proper questions to ask.

The primary reasons for this, I believe, are that we have lost a sense of wonderment, of excitement, and of the creativity of discovery. Or, perhaps, we do not want to seem ignorant or weak by not knowing the possible answers. Asking questions may also be viewed as challenging authority, of not accepting their dominance and control over you.? Or, in a “Get it done yesterday” and “Time is money” environment, questions may be viewed as holding up progress and slowing down the pace of work. They may be viewed as delaying the product, finishing what you set out to do.

TRUTH requires knowledge and questions are the source of knowledge. Innovations and new ideas were primarily discovered based upon thought-provoking questions. What if men could fly? Is there a better and less expensive way to build houses? Can electricity be stored and used later? Can we talk to people far away? Is peace and prosperity possible? If we reduced taxes would we be able to raise more money? There is real power and excitement in asking and trying to answer questions.

But do you need to have answers when you ask a question. This is where TRUTH comes in the best. Did Kennedy have the answers when he challenged us to go to the moon? Did our forefathers really believe that a democracy would work? Did Dr Martin Luther King believe in his dream? Do we still believe that our nation can withstand the division and lies we have experienced over the past several years?

You’ve probably heard the saying that “there are no stupid questions.” This is generally offered to make people believe that what they are asking is important and worthy of a response. Well, maybe there aren’t stupid questions exactly, but there are those that are inappropriate, are uninformed, or have less than positive intentions. They create a negative atmosphere, and negatively impact what can be accomplished.

A key to TRUTH is knowing the right question to ask at the right time to the right person and with the right intent. An empowering question, for example, makes the other person think in a new way. It can inspire creative thought and outside-the-box answers. One of my favorite goes like this…” If you could change one thing about yourself or your business, what would it be?”.

Another type of “right” question is a practical question. They are asked with the expressed purpose of gaining information needed to complete a task or make the right decision. This question produces information critical to success completion, to reaching goals, and to having positive outcomes.

Take a minute to think about what you want to accomplish and about the right questions that will open the doors to accomplish it. Ask the right questions, in the right way, and at the right time and you can accomplish anything.