Questions hold immense power. They are fundamental to conversation, have the ability to guide problem solving and analysis, and actually stimulate critical and creative thinking. In our world, where complexity and constant change is guaranteed, questions help frame our understanding and guide us toward groundbreaking solutions.
Powerful questions yield powerful responses. The problem is, most people have things backwards. More often than not, it’s the simplest of questions that bear the most fruit. So how do we get simpler? Let’s start by understanding the basics behind questioning – curiosity, observation, and framing.
The anatomy of a question
Curiosity killed the cat. Or so they say.
All questions stem from curiosity – or us trying to close the gap between what we know and what we wonder. In our line of work, curiosity is what fuels our – and more importantly, our clients – creativity, investigation, and innovation. It’s a sought-after trait, and a catalyst within organizations. And, unironically, like visuals, it’s a memory booster. You actually recall more of what you are curious about.
For these reasons, it’s crucial to nurture a curious mindset, and a tendency to ask questions. Doing so encourages us and others to dive deeper and challenge assumptions, all while fostering an environment of continuous learning and development. In order to get there, however, we must lean into the power of observation. Afterall, what we observe is what piques our curiosity.
Whether it’s a team interaction, the inner workings of a project, or customer feedback, observing more keenly is the first step toward uncovering powerful questions. Framing contextualizes our observations and curiosities by narrowing our lense. It strips away complexities and noise, enabling us to focus solely on what’s relevant. How we frame largely determines the type of responses our questions will yield. As such, we must consider in what context we want others to examine a task or challenge.
Putting simple questions to practice
In board rooms or on the conference floor, ImageThink leverages simple questions to lead successful client engagements.
Graphic facilitation
Take graphic facilitation, for example. The first step in any successful engagement is understanding our clients’ needs and goals. Simple questions help define the scope and align our efforts.
In context, this might look like:
- “What will be different after this session?”
- or, “What are 3 words you want people to use to describe how they feel afterwards?”
We could start by asking about their agenda, or meeting sponsor, but in truth, that would take away from the bigger picture. Framing inquiries around objectives and attendees helps orient our client to think about who’s involved, and what they hope their impact will be.
During facilitated sessions, simple questions have the power to break through traditional molds of thinking, helping attendees to ideate and problem-solve more efficiently. Asking participants strategic, simple questions like, “Why should this matter to your customer?” drives engagement and surfaces diverse perspectives that enrich the discussion.
As a graphic facilitator, simplifying complex ideas is at the core of what I do. By breaking down intricate topics with targeted questions, we help clarify and create visual representations that are readily understood. This clarity aids in better decision-making and aligns teams on a shared vision.
Social listening murals
Now consider how simple questions activate event crowds. In providing social listening murals for conferences and events, ImageThink asks attendees questions and illustrates their responses in real time. Questions are a fundamental component to the service – they must have the perfect balance of specificity and broadness.
A simple question makes the service approachable and encourages attendees to contribute to the larger discourse happening around the space. With the invitation for open dialogue, attendees feel invested in the process – even before their responses are visually translated. As a result, ImageThink social listening murals garner valuable feedback and insight from participants.
Get simpler with ImageThink
The simplest way to spark creativity, foster deeper engagement, and drive meaningful change is this: ask simple questions. Could a simple question unlock more for your team or organization? Get in touch with ImageThink today to learn how to leverage the power of simple questions in your work.
