Thought Provoking Questions

Questions stimulate us to search for answers. Questions are a way to organize what we don’t know yet. We often can learn more from someone’s questions than from someone’s answers. You will find below questions for researching your precious ideas, for dealing with challenges, for grabbing the opportunities in the change, for steering your creative mind. Use these questions, experiment with them, modify them and above all: help others with your questions to search for their own gold. 

Thought-Provoking Questions for assessing your ideas:
- Is the idea new? Which problem does it solve? For whom will the idea create value?
- What does my intuition, my feelings tell me about the idea?
- How important is it for me that this idea will be realized?
- What are the main advantages / disadvantages of the idea?
- Is it wise to already tell others about my idea?
- How can I get others excited about it? Is it therefore important to first reformulate my idea?
- Can I explain the idea in 15 seconds (the elevator pitch) in a convincing way?
- What will be the opposing forces when I coin this idea? How will I deal with them?
- Who can help me to further polish the idea?
- Am I the right person to realize my idea? Do I need collaboration and, if so, with whom?
- Is the idea feasible in its current form? What can I add to further increase its feasibility?
- How much time will it take to realize the idea? Can I speed it up? What is the best time for realization?
- Who in the company might be a good sponsor for my idea?
- What else is needed (support, resources) to bring this idea into reality?

Thought-Provoking Questions when faced with problems:
- How did this problem arise? Could it have been avoided? Is it a new problem?
- Which opportunities are hidden for me in this problem?
- What are my assumptions about the problem? How can I be sure these assumptions are correct?
- What are the underlying problems?
- For whom is it a problem and why? / When is it a problem?
- Am I the (only) problem owner?
- What is the best time to take action on this problem?
- Suppose that I do not (immediately) act on the problem, what will probably happen then?
- What does my heart, my feelings, my intuition tell me about this problem?
- Who can help me to bring this problem to a solution?
- Who can help me to look differently at the problem and its possible solutions?
- Is this really a new problem? It is already solved elsewhere? What can I learn from others who have coped with the problem?
- How will I after some time, looking backwards, think about this problem?
- When I’m in doubt about an action to solve this problem, are my doubts about
my abilities, my motivation, my knowledge or my wisdom?
- How would great entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs, Arianna Huffington or Richard Branson tackle this problem?

Thought-Provoking Questions when faced with change:
- What is the essence of this change?
- Can I reformulate the change? What are the opportunities when reformulating the change?
- Can I look at this change from different perspectives? What are the opportunities of looking differently the idea?
- How do I deal with the uncertainty that this change will bring? What gives me the inner security that I can cope with this change?
- What are the opportunities for me of this change in terms of personal growth, progress in my career, or developing new relationships and partnerships?
- How does this change pose a challenge for my knowledge, skills, courage or perseverance?
- Can I really influence this change? If I can influence it, what then will be my actions? If I can’t influence it, what then will my attitude be towards this change?
- With whom can I have an inspiring and opportunity-oriented conversation about this change?
- When I look backwards at all the changes in my work and life I have dealt with,
what lessons have I learned? How can I apply these personal lessons and insights to the current change I am dealing with?
- What is my deepest wish about this change?

Thought-Provoking Questions when self- brainstorming about answers on a question.
- Reformulate the question in at least three different ways. What is the effect of a reformulation?
- Write down the assumptions behind the question. What if you would change or
drop one of the assumptions? Does it open new windows of opportunities?
- Use your imagination. Visualize the desired situation. Daydream about it. Write down what you have seen. Write down the ideas that pops up in your to mind.
- Take the word ”clock”. What are the possible connections between a clock and your question. Write them down and see if this brings you new insights. Try to add some other words to connect to.
- Before going to bed, ask yourself the question. Have a notebook with pencil ready on your nightstand, and keep the notebook with you the next morning. Be alert for the answers popping up in your mind.
- Do a ”reversed brainstorming”. Think of answer that will lead to a complete failure? What do you learn?
- Close your eyes, and imagine yourself having a dialogue about this problem with most creative persons in the world. What is the advice you are given?
- The great philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said that all great ideas are born during walks. So, have a idea walk in nature. In the first 20 minutes of the walk, try to be mindful about all you see around you. After that think about the question and write down the answers that come up in your mind.

© 2017, Jeff Gaspersz

Photocredit: Pixabay