“The quality of your life is determined by the quality of the questions you ask of God, yourself, and others.“

J.R. Briggs

What is a question? – Form of communication that desires a response

What is the purpose of a question? – To bring clarity and engagement to communication

Question Types and Examples:

Questions can be categorized based on their purpose, structure, and the kind of response they seek. Here are different types of questions:

Based on Purpose:

1. Factual Questions – Seek concrete information (e.g., “What is the capital of France?”).
2. Conceptual Questions – Ask about understanding principles or theories (e.g., “What is the theory of relativity?”).
3. Procedural Questions – Focus on processes and methods (e.g., “How do I apply for a passport?”).
4. Divergent Questions – Open-ended, encouraging exploration and discussion (e.g., “What are the possible effects of AI on society?”).
5. Convergent Questions – Have a single correct answer based on facts (e.g., “Who discovered penicillin?”).
6. Evaluative Questions – Require judgment or opinion (e.g., “Is democracy the best form of government?”).
7. Hypothetical Questions – Explore “what if” scenarios (e.g., “What would happen if the Earth stopped rotating?”).
8. Analytical Questions – Require breaking down a concept into parts (e.g., “Why do monopolies reduce competition?”).
9. Predictive Questions – Ask about potential future events (e.g., “What will be the impact of climate change in 50 years?”).
10. Comparative Questions – Require a comparison of two or more things (e.g., “How does socialism differ from capitalism?”).
11. Ethical Questions – Involve moral or ethical considerations (e.g., “Is it ethical to use AI in warfare?”).

Based on Structure:

12. Closed-ended Questions – Can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no” or specific information (e.g., “Did you finish your homework?”).
13. Open-ended Questions – Require a more elaborate response (e.g., “What do you think about climate change?”).
14. Multiple-choice Questions – Provide options for respondents to choose from (e.g., “Which of the following is a renewable energy source? A) Coal B) Solar C) Gas”).
15. Likert Scale Questions – Measure opinions or attitudes on a scale (e.g., “On a scale of 1 to 5, how satisfied are you with our service?”).
16. Ranking Questions – Ask respondents to prioritize or rank options (e.g., “Rank these phone brands from most to least preferred.”).
17. Matrix Questions – Allow respondents to answer multiple related questions in a table format (e.g., customer satisfaction surveys).

Based on Interaction Style:

18. Rhetorical Questions – Asked for effect, not expecting an answer (e.g., “Isn’t that obvious?”).
19. Leading Questions – Suggest a particular answer (e.g., “Don’t you agree that this policy is unfair?”).
20. Probing Questions – Follow-up questions to gain more depth (e.g., “Can you elaborate on that point?”).
21. Clarifying Questions – Seek to clear up confusion (e.g., “Do you mean that the project is delayed indefinitely?”).
22. Loaded Questions – Contain assumptions that may trap the respondent (e.g., “Why do you always procrastinate?”).
23. Tag Questions – Add a short question at the end of a statement (e.g., “This is a great idea, isn’t it?”).

How can questions hijack your brain?

Questions can hijack your brain by engaging your cognitive processes in ways that override normal mental patterns, compelling you to think, recall, or respond even when you might not want to. This phenomenon is rooted in neuroscience and psychology, particularly in how the brain processes questions and responds to uncertainty

What are the barriers that keep me from asking great questions?

1. I live in an attention seeking culture
2. I assume I know the answer
3. Good models of great “askers” are rare
4. I don’t actually care to know what others think
5. I’m afraid of awkward interactions
6. I’m afraid of what I might actually learn
7. I’m afraid that I will look unintelligent or uninformed
8. It’s hard work and it requires deliberate practice

What is required for us to ask great questions?

Practice and application of:

1. Curiosity
2. Humility
3. Courage
4. Wisdom

Shift Response vs. Support Response

Shift Response:

• Redirects the conversation toward oneself.
• Competitive and self-focused interaction
• Often starts with “I” and pivots to the responder’s own experience.

Support Response:

• Keeps attention focused on the speaker and what they are saying
• Cooperative interaction

“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care”

-Theodore Roosevelt

The 4 Levels of Questions:

Level 1: Questions for information

ex/ “What is your name?”

Level 2: Questions for interactions (thoughts, emotions)

ex/ “How have you been doing lately?”

Level 3: Questions for understanding (feelings, desires)

ex/ “What are you passionate about?”

Level 4: Questions for transformation (vulnerability, intimacy)

ex/ “What is it like on your darkest days?”

The level of question you ask requires trust and wisdom to know when to ascend.

Jesus is a model for how to ask questions on all levels

Practical applications and ways to improve question asking:

1. Before Conversations (Preparation)
   • Keep a swipe file of good questions and try to identify their level
   • Go into every meeting with 3 questions prepared
   • Develop 5-10 quality questions you can easily ask
2. During Conversations (Participation)
   • Be aware of instances where I move into Shift/Support Response dynamics and the application of the 4 levels
   • Check my motives (QBQ-“question-before-question”)
   • See how many times you can get someone to say: “No one has ever asked me that before”
3. After Conversations (Reflection)
   • Reflect on the questions I asked (Quantity, quality, level, intent, etc)
   • Ask for feedback
   • Red letter “?”

What are the best questions I have been asked by others?

What are the best questions I have asked others?

What is the difference between good and great questions?

Who do I know that asks great questions?