A More Beautiful Question: The Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas Paperback – September 13, 2016

I read the 1-Star reviews and their Amazon accounts should be revoked (just kidding). Seriously, asking questions is a critical skill for my profession and I understand how hard it can be to be curious, listen effectively and ask a good question at the 'right' time. Berger's book deserves 6 stars! I learned a ton and have already used the 'question sandwich' and shared it with my clients. If you want to make better connections with other people, be more creative and just ask better questions, buy this book.One 1-star review calls this a "leftist" book & another said the author wanted to do away with test - both claims are completely false. Truly being curious, asking good questions and engaging others with intellectual humility is scary and goes against many of our instincts.

I recently attended an excellent seminar for senior executives called "Authentic Leadership." The facilitator of my small group had some encouraging things to say about the way that I frame questions. He then added: "I think that you would enjoy reading 'A More Beautiful Question.'" At his urging, I ordered the book and found that he was correct in his prognostication. I found this book to be intriguing and inspiring.Using some excellent cases to illustrate principles, author Warren Berger discusses "The Power of Inquiry To Spark Breakthrough Ideas." He quotes liberally from such icons of innovation as Joichi Ito of the MIT Media Lab, David Kelly of IDEO, and Clayton Christensen of Harvard Business School. My office is contained within a hub of innovation, the Cambridge Innovation Center ,on the campus of MIT, so I am always intrigued to learn new lessons about innovation and the things that may spark it.One of the threads that weaves itself throughout this book is the fact that children are natural questioners. It is only as we grow older that we tend to squelch our innate propensity to ask questions in order to better understand ourselves and the world around us. In this book, Mr. Berger offers many examples of individuals and companies that he re-learned the art of asking great questions.I was intrigued to learn that Edwin Land, the father of instant photography, was prompted to develop this technology when his young daughter innocently asked him why they had to wait to see a photograph that he had taken when they were on vacation as a family.He makes specific suggestions, based on research done at the Right Question Institute, regarding how to frame appropriate questions at each stage of a process of exploration, discovery and innovation. One insight that stood out for me was the use of terminology that is useful in a group setting that disarms defensive posture on the part of those participating in the conversation. The form of the question that often provokes healthy discussion is to ask: "How might we . . . .?" He also describes the technique that has worked for many companies of replacing "brainstorming" with "question storming."His final challenge which he poses in the final chapter of the book, is to ask how each individual might frame "a more beautiful question" that frames and sparks inquiry and endeavors to provide meaning and purpose for the rest of one's life. Inspiring!

BOOK REVIEW: "A More Beautiful Question: The Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas by Warren Berger.Such a great book that really causes the mind to wander, question, and unpack several deep-seated narratives about self and the world outside. There is a natural ability to question that often gets squelched by social constructs that say "fall in line" with everyone else. Teachers eventually ask the questions instead of the students. Students who become adults and working-class citizens stop asking questions for fear of being called out, embarrassed for not knowing, or reprimanded for not asking their question "the right" way.The "right way"? LOL! 😂 Ever been stuck in the car with a 3-year old who wants to know why the sky is blue?There is no right or wrong way to ask a question unless one is asking a question to which they already know the answer(s). This type of questioning has a tendency to insult the one being asked and can be perceived as manipulative and arrogant. Steer clear of this type of questioning if you want to gain a person's trust or cooperation.Ask questions with the curiosity of a child!Kids are awesome! Kids have a natural tendency, and without any inhibitions, I might add, to ask questions to help them frame in the world around them. They are not embarrassed until made to feel so. They may even repeat the question because the answers we give them are insufficient or they believe we did not understand their inquiry. But somewhere along their developmental pathway, the kids stop asking questions and others start asking them the questions. Teaching to the test (if you will), whether that test is on some academic level or in a professional career.How does one break that cycle and get back to that child-like curiosity? Asking questions one truly DOES NOT know the answers to but is willing to ask in order to find out. Willing to be embarrassed! Willing to be ridiculed! Willing to be innovative! Willing to be vulnerable! People we each would consider great inventors, innovators, and thinking have this ability to question everything. This book helps to provide that pathway through Why?, What If?, and How? to get to the potential" solution.This book discusses: 1) The Power of Inquiry, 2) Why We Stop Questioning, 3) The Why, What If, and the How of Innovative Questioning, 4) Questions in Business, and 5) Questioning Life. I will share with you that each of us has not 'stopped' questioning per se but we do it in safe spaces. We do it in our minds where there is no judgment but our own. We do it when we work on something we love such as cooking, hiking, vacation planning, driving, decorating, and other tasks. We may ask, "Why do we always take the same route to work?" "What if I took an alternate route?" "How would I get there and would it save time?" This is a safe space as it is not determined by others, but almost by me entirely with the small or large exception of others on the road. The point is that the decisions are mine with consequences I own, and the risk 'feel' fairly small. But to ask a question in front of my colleagues and peers...well that's another matter entirely! Fear immediately takes over and preconceived potential outcomes flood the mind.John Seely Brown points out that questioning by students can easily come to be seen as a threat by some teachers. “If you come from the belief that teachers are meant to be authoritative, then teachers are going to tend to want to cut off questioning that might reveal what they don’t know. (pp.56-57)” Furthermore, questioning within a business environment can also create a perceived threat to authority. Those with expertise may resent having their learned views questioned by nonexperts. Managers trying to keep things moving may feel they shouldn’t have to answer a subordinate’s questions. Questioning may be seen as slowing progress, particularly by those who believe that what the company needs most are “answers, not more questions. (p.166)”I happen to believe, promote, practice, encourage, and reward people, peers, and direct reports when they ask questions. When I taught many in our organization Lean Methodology and Strategy Principles I would make sure that they understood, "The only stupid question is the one you do not ask!!!" I try to practice the same principle on my social media platforms. Many times I do not even care "how" the person may ask because it may be coming from a place of frustration, anger, sadness, depression, or misunderstanding. Why is it so wrong for them to ask? Just to know more...to be validated and heard...to have someone listen without judgment and without ridiculing them. We all need that safe space if we are going to grow, have meaningful discord, innovate, and move on to more opportunities to question.While I enjoyed the book and it confirmed many of my existing practices around questioning, to walk this path will come at a price and great reward. When we question others, as stated earlier, some will assume you are questioning their authority. First, I'd say "stay the course" and develop a thick skin. "A good way to become unpopular in a business meeting is to ask, “Why are we doing this?”—even though the question may be entirely justified. It often takes a thick-skinned outsider to be willing to even try (p.76).Second, I would get really skilled at 'how' you ask the questions. Sometimes a politely stated question is not clearly understood nor investigated, especially if folks have been playing nice, tactful, and whispering sweet nothings into one another's ears for several repeated meetings with no real outcomes. As we say in Lean Strategies, "If you've had several monthly meetings about the same problem with no potential cause for action or solution, you are NOT trying to solve the problem, you're ADMIRING it!" Sometimes you may have to change 'how' you ask a question because you may never see the people you are working with again (e.g. a consultant at a conference or in a one-off meeting). Other times when you know this will be a repeated event a softer more tactful approach is always more appropriate.Finally, do not give up. Mistakes will happen. You may have to clarify your question(s), but don't stop asking. We have the Red Cross today because Henry Dunant asked about preparation during peacetime so that we were ready in times of war. Bette Nesmith Graham thought about the ability to paint over mistakes and liquid paper was born. And when Dwayne Douglas asked, "Why aren't players urinating more after games?" (like who measures THAT!), we got Gatorade! Cracker Jacks, windshield wipers, intermittent windshield wiper setting in cars, NETFLIX, Pandora Radio, Morse code, and many other innovative ideas started with WHY?, WHAT IF? and HOW?Enjoy the book! I'll be reading this one again!