Progress is the answer to a question.
If you feel stuck, you have aspiration without progress. But the right question re-ignites forward movement.
If you want to invent the future, you must first ask about it.
15 questions that invent the future:
- What strengths do you have that seem most useful right now? How might you leverage one of those strengths today?
- Imagine you’re making progress. What are YOU doing? Go do that.
- What conversation might help you discover new opportunities? Who could have that conversation with you this week?
- Imagine you make little progress this year. What didn’t you do that caused lack of progress?
- What personal challenges might emerge as you move forward? How will you respond to those challenges?
- How might you nudge the agenda forward today?
- What would it take to instigate change on just one front?
- What could happen that would enable you to feel fully engaged and energized about (your specific situation)?
- What’s possible now and what’s important to you about that? (Move away from, “What’s wrong and who did it?”)
- What small action might you take today to step toward your goal?
- What’s important right now?
- If you couldn’t fail, what bold step might you take next?
- How will it feel if you make good progress this week? What’s next?
- Who might support you as you move forward? How?
- What could you do today that might have the biggest impact on reaching your goal?
Project:
Leaders lift people out of the weeds and help them see the future.
Just show up and ask one of the above future-building questions. Call it a future-building walk-about.
The most disappointing leaders are know-it-alls who don’t ask questions.
Which of the above questions might best instigate forward movement?
What questions help leaders create the future?