How to Ask the "Wright" Questions

On October 7, 1903, Samuel P. Langley had a disaster on his hands. Well, to be precise, his “disaster” was sinking in the Potomac river in front of a huge crowd of onlookers.

All because… he didn’t ask the right question.

Let’s take a step back for a moment.

At the dawn of the 20th century, the possibility of human flight was on everyone’s minds. Mankind had forever dreamed of soaring with the birds, but in the latter half of the 19th century, those dreams were becoming a rising reality.

Enter Samuel P. Langley. Born in Boston in 1834, Langley had been fixated with the sky since a young age. Initially a gifted mathematician, he became professor of astronomy at the University of Pittsburgh, and later founded THE Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. But even as he gazed at the stars, his mind became captivated by the more earth-bound question of human flight.

After studying aeronautics, Langley’s first major success came in 1896 when his 25 lb glider flew 3,300 ft after being launched from a boat on the Potomac. Later that year, his other model flew over 5,000 feet. His successes eventually caught the attention of the Asst. Secretary to the Navy… a young Theodore Roosevelt… who helped orchestrate a $50,000 grant (nearly $2 million today) to develop a full scale piloted airplane.

After years of work and testing, Langley’s “Aerodrome” was ready for its maiden launch, and on October 7, 1903, crowds gathered in Washington D.C. to see history in the making. And who could have doubted it would be successful? He had recently been appointed as HEAD of the Smithsonian Institute, and was one of the leading scientists of the time.

Standing on a custom built houseboat from which to launch the Aerodrome, Langley carefully made sure all the preparations were complete. After helping his test pilot get into position, the moment arrived. The lever was pulled, the Aerodrome picked up speed down the launch track, and finally catapulted free of the boat… only to nose dive right in the river and sink.

As onlookers and crew scrambled to rescue the pilot from the wreckage (thankfully he was safe) Langley looked on his crumpled mass of wings, rope, and propellers and felt his world and reputation sink with it. Even though the craft was salvaged, it failed another flight test a few months later in December. All the money, effort, and fame was gone. Langley’s Aerodrome was a disaster.

If the Head of the Smithsonian Institute, and $50,000 of grant money from the US Government couldn’t create human flight, then how on earth did the Wright brothers- two bicycle builders from Dayton, OH- do it for a combined total of less than $1,000 (out of pocket), in Kitty Hawk, NC?… nine days later?

One reason? The Wright Brothers asked a different question.

While Langley and the rest of the world asked, “How can we create powered flight?” the Wright Brother’s asked, “How can we create controlled powered flight?”

You see, the Wright Brothers’ genius was creating a control system that allowed a pilot to adapt to the changing circumstances of wind, speed, and power. While everyone else was simply staying airborne and flying straight, the Wright’s Flyer could roll, pitch, and turn to respond to any circumstance.

In short… the Wright Brothers began by asking a different question than everyone else. And the answers they found… changed the course of human history.

What does this have to do with influence and success?

Simply put, the better the questions, the better the answers. All too often we begin pursuing a goal with the first question that comes to mind:

· How can I get this done?

· What should I do?

· How do I get what I want?

But are those the best questions to ask? Or are they merely the first ones that come to mind… and our curiosity stops there?

The truth is, questions control our focus, focus controls the direction of our energy and thought, and ultimately, our energy and thought determines our results. Do you want “airborne outcomes” that merely keep you afloat (like Langley)… or… controlled flying which gives you greater command of the sky? I think the answer is obvious, and to me it starts by asking the “Wright Questions”.

· Instead of “How can I get this done?” what about, “Who is the person that knows more about this, and can help me get this done easier?”

· Instead of “What should I do?”, what about, “What is the most important step that must be prioritized above everything else and executed first?”

· Instead of “How do I get what I want?”, what about, “How can I first describe what I want in specific, unmistakably clear, terms so my team knows exactly what we are doing?”

Can you see how these subtle shifts can elevate your results? I often tell my clients that, “A mile of direction prevents 10 miles of distraction” and learning how to bring curiosity to your questions is the first step towards reaching your goals with greater speed.

So next time you are staring at a sky of possibilities, take a moment and get curious. “Am I asking the ‘Wright Questions’?” And who knows, maybe that simple lift will take us all to new heights.

• Christian Hansen

CHRISTIAN HANSEN has gone behind the scenes in some of the biggest organizations in the world to find out the reasons why some people get chosen and why others don’t. As the #1 bestselling and LinkedIn Top Ten ranked author of “The Influence Mindset: The Art & Science of Getting People to Choose You” Christian helps teams and organizations who want increase their earning potential by standing out from the crowd and influencing people to choose them. With degrees from Brigham Young University and The London School of Economics, he’s helped thousands of individuals position and sell themselves. A fan of international communication, history, and choral music, he currently lives in Utah with his wife. Reach him at: TheChristianHansen.com