Tag Archives: questions

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Which comes first

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I often run into people seeking answers.  My counsel to them is unlike the popular game show, Jeopardy, it does not make sense to start with the answer.

The answers we seek cannot be uncovered without a clear understanding of the question.  That is where to begin.  Spending time and effort seeking to find answers is a much more efficient process if it is focused.

Clarity of Purpose

Taking the time to fully understand the question is an effort well worth undertaking.  It helps us avoid responses that are not really relevant to what we seek, but appear to be.

Sometimes digging into what the question really is can provide answers.  For example, consider the simple question “Why is the sky blue”.

Are we really trying to determine the reason for the sky’s color or is it what the sky is composed of (which results in blue color) the answer we seek.

Or do we want to understand why the region starting from land and reaching outer space exists, that is what is the purpose of the sky and why does it exist and do we need it, can we use it for something?

Solid Foundation

Research into a topic is best conducted when the object of the research is well defined.  This process of determining what we are actually trying to answer, that is creating the question is not only a critical beginning but also time-consuming.

The value equation, spending time up front to think through and clarify the question more often than not results in clear and high-quality answers.

Without understanding the question we really cannot arrive at an answer.

 

 

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Questions 67 & 68

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In the late sixties, the group Chicago released a song titled “Questions 67 & 68” which was about a romantic relationship that occurred during 1967 and 1968.

Focusing on the title alone (although this is a great tune and psychedelic songwriting at it’s best) I love the randomness of highlighting two numbered questions  (this was before I realized the numbers were years, I just thought it was random).

Any Questions

In a discussion with a colleague today we wondered “Is there any question that should never be asked?”  Whatever the number can all questions be valid?

Should there be a constraint on our constant search for knowledge?  Which raises the question should we continually seek to build and grow our personal body of knowledge?

Is the answer not rhetorical, do we even need to ask these questions?

Annoyance

As you may have discovered through reading the above paragraph constant and numerous questioning can be annoying and the knowledge source or sources might not respond in the clearest or most accurate ways (if they respond at all).

Questions are certainly a great way to build your own knowledge and understanding in a planned and organized way but they do not always need to be directly posed to others.

Research of documentation, experimentation, trial, and error are all ways of finding answers.  Sometimes these methods will actually produce the best answers as you can balance and weigh them based on results and parallel research.

Is it the right answer

Asking a question of others may get you an answer but it will be based on what they know and understand and that might not be correct.

A classic example of this is the question about the shape of the earth.  Even today you can find people who will answer that question with no it is not round.

So be judicious in the questions you ask, only ask someone else directly when you are sure that is the best way to get the best answer.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Answers and actions

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Having answers is good.  Knowing how to use them is better.  Actually acting on them is best.  In essence, being able to do stuff is not as valuable as doing it.

Accomplishments require action.  Providing action instructions, in and of itself, does not necessarily get things done.  Getting results requires more than just identifying what is needed.

Buy-In

Even when you know what outcomes are expected, achieving them requires more than just insight.   Whether you are undertaking the action on your own, with or through others, to be successful everyone needs to buy-in (including you).

Without explicit approval or agreement to the course of action proposed (i.e., the answer) those involved will not feel ownership for the solution and so probably do not perform to their maximum potential.

Building acceptance and ownership to an approach requires more than being told or even knowing the right answer.  Everyone has got to believe it is the best way.

Doing it Right

Just acting on the right answer, that is getting stuff done is only part of the equation.  The approach needs to result in the defined goal.  That is a success means you achieved what you set out to achieve.

Knowing the right answer includes understanding clearly what the aim or purpose of the answer is.  To say you understand and know how to proceed without a clear vision of what success looks like probably translates to you not really knowing the answer.

The approach to achieving the goal, answering the question or problem is not right unless it works.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Without Questions there are no Answers

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It is simple and intuitive but surprising how often we don’t adhere to the simple imperative.   Answers start with the question.  Determining the question can in itself be a significant task.

Those seeking post-graduate designations at institutions of higher learning are quite familiar with this concept.  Selecting a research topic (i.e., the question) is the first step to conducting research.

Value-Based

Seeking a worthwhile question is a great way to get answers.  Just raising a question for the sake of the question itself can waste time and effort and ultimately has little value.

Quora (quora.com) is a forum for raising questions of any type or category and drawing on the memberships collective knowledge for answers.  Quora has an interesting model to encourage participation.

By invitation only, selected members are asked to become Quora partners and get paid for asking questions.  (Full disclosure, I am a Quora partner so am fully familiar with this process.)

Question is King

Quora recognizes their answer forum is of little value without an ongoing stream worthwhile questions (Unless of course, you are playing Jeopardy which is all about answers).

Post-secondary educational institutes which focus on research recognize the same.  Without questions to answer, there is no research to do and doctoral programs are largely unnecessary.

Caution

One of the things I observe with the Quora forum is the compensation model can and does lead to some frivolous, low-value questions.  I wonder why they are being asked.

Often these valueless questions accumulate zero answers as respondents do not want to waste there time. Compensation is based on answers and reviews so it does act as a mitigating factor though, no point in asking a question that earns no cash.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

The Right Answer

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Some problems have many possible resolutions.  In these cases, there is often no “right answer”.  A plethora of options exist and each will provide the desired outcome.

The multitude of options often leads to fervent discussion, even argument.  I am often amused when listening as an independent observer, how, ultimately all parties are basically arguing semantics with the conclusion consistently the same.

Who Cares

Human nature, that is the natural instinctual behaviour for most people, dictates that we want to be accepted.  This causes us to care when our solution is not recognized as the best.

Since it is often the case that no solution is necessarily the best this can (and does) lead to non-productive behaviour (usually by all parties to a discussion).

Caring, that is having strong feelings or concerns associated with something translates to being accountable for your own thoughts and actions and is generally a good thing.

In the case where collaboration is the best course of action, ownership can get in the way of achievement. The best course of action can be side-tracked by emotions.

In these situations, it is most helpful if the focus is on the outcomes (what we are trying to achieve) as opposed to an individuals self-worth.

A workable solution

In situations with a number of good options all being elegantly proposed by passionate individuals, I suggest we focus on anything that works and resolves the issue.

Our own personal feelings should be set aside so we may concentrate on achieving a result that benefits everyone.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Answers

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The response to a questions is the answer.  By simple logic, if you seek answers all you need to do is ask questions.  Typically you would ask about things you don’t know.

Of course, therein lies the dilema.  If you don’t have knowledge about something, ( i.e., it is an unknown) how can you know what to ask.  Without the question, there is no answer and the unknown remains a mystery.

Question Types

Closed questions will get yes or no responses or limited information.      This type of question can be useful when you have a good sense of what it is you don’t know.

For example if you go to a store looking for hammers, asking “do you carry hammers?” or “where are the hammers located?” would be a good use of close ended questions.

On the other hand if you had a piece of work to do but were not sure  how to do it you are more interested in an informational focused answer.  The response can fill in unknown gaps for you, without limiting the scope.

This type of question is called open ended and is most useful when you are trying to find out some information  but you are not really sure what.

The key to getting answers is not really about just asking the question, but rather asking the right question in the right way.  How you phrase the question is very much a determining factor relative to kind of response you will receive.