The Backbone Institute invites you to
Ask Important Questions
We like to ask questions we already know the answers to.
Nobody likes to look
• Uninformed
• Vulnerable
• Stupid
But when we only ask the questions we already know the answers to, there is no progress, no new knowledge.
We may feel good about ourselves for knowing answers, but we stay right where we are — The Land of Safe and Smart.
When we challenge ourselves to answer new questions, we grow, discover, innovate and create. This is what 2010 needs to be about!
The Backbone Institute invites you to ask questions that make you a little uncomfortable.
What are comfortable questions?
Things we don’t know (and are not expected to know), but someone does.
1. What is our customer satisfaction rating?
2. How much did we spend on that new equipment?
3. How many patients did we treat last year?
The answers to these questions may generate other
Questions that are more difficult and maybe more important.
1. Why is our customer satisfaction rating what it is (good or bad)?
2. What do we expect the new equipment to do for us this year? Why did we buy it instead of something else?
3. What level of care did we provide our patients last year? Why did we provide this level of care (good or bad)?
In all cases, the second set of questions can get uncomfortable because:
• We assume data is correct - collection method was appropriate
• We assume data is relevant - the answers we get matter
• People responsible for customer satisfaction, equipment purchase, patient care may not be doing a good job
• The systems we have been using forever no longer work
• We are not sure what to correct/change
• We don’t want to make someone in the organization look bad (because they might come after us)
There may be other questions on your mind that you don’t want to ask. Let’s explore.
The Backbone Institute’s Weekly Feature
CALL UP YOUR CHARACTER
Pick something that you’re currently working on or feeling uncomfortable with and practice asking new questions.
First technique - 5 WHYS.
Using our customer satisfaction example above. Let’s say we have a customer satisfaction rating of 93. That’s pretty high.
1. Why is our customer satisfaction rating 93? Because our sales representatives provide good service.
2. Why? Because they know what they’re talking about.
3. Why? Because we give them good information and support.
4. Why? Because we know customers will want good information from credible sources.
5. Why? Because customers have other choices.
Sounds like a conversation with a young child! Can lead you to new answers.
Another great technique is to ask “Is this true?” and “How do we know.”
Using the answers from above:
1. Because our sales representatives provide good service. Is this true? How do we know?
2. Because they know what they’re talking about. Is this true? How do we know?
3. Because we give them the information and support they need. Is this true? How do we know?
4. Because we know that customers will want good information from credible sources. Is this true? How do we know?
5. Because customers have other choices. Is this true? How do we know?
These may seem like little questions, but as we say at The Backbone Institute, they are the kinds of things to take you from here to there.
Asking questions in this manner help develop Critical Thinking and Decision making skills that build your Confidence.
When you approach your work with a constant sense of curiosity, a search for better answers, and an insistence on proof, you will open yourself to discovery, innovation and true creativity.
Attitude is important. Be Curious!
Make this deeper questioning a new habit for 2010! Let us know how you do!
