In today’s world of exponential change, it is often difficult to stay focused on our culture and environment when so many "hot topics" and challenging VUCA issues seemingly demand answers. However, the reality is that most of the VUCA issues don’t have answers, which is what makes them so difficult. We only reach impactful and innovative outcomes by developing a culture of inquiry. Inquiry and embracing a culture of asking questions are the starting points of innovation. Inquiry enables us to organize our collaborations and thinking around what we don’t know and focus on new opportunities.
It sounds simple, however, developing a culture of inquiry is often a difficult task. Tony Wagner said, "Questioning is an innate human behavior that’s actively subverted and systematically shut down." I think in too many cases, our background and experiences make us reluctant to be good questioners. I am sure most of us have a memory of asking what we thought were great questions and being reprimanded. With these experiences, most of us suffer from the problem of valuing "good answers" over "great questions." Think about most of our school experiences. The top students didn’t question the teacher or the content. Rather, they compliantly answered the questions asked of them. It was the troublemakers in class who asked questions. We are born curious and inquisitive, and then as we progress through school and into life, we become reticent. Think about it: when is the last time you heard a young child ask a question and then say, "Okay, I understand?" No, they keep on asking questions until, over time, they are conditioned to stop.
One of the reasons why young children are better at asking questions is that they don't make broad assumptions and approach the world with a beginner's mindset. As adults, we need to realize our biases and assumptions as we strive to view our environments through a beginner's lens. If we can do this, we will be on our way to breeding a culture of inquiry. It is vital that we ensure that the next generation of leaders are masters at forming essential questions as we face the VUCA challenges of globalization, digitization, and disruption. As we design school experiences, we must work to create environments that support authentic learning and give students agency. It is this authenticity and agency that creates relevancy and creates a heightened state of alertness for students. Asking great questions is a critical skill that will help students navigate through life's challenges, solve complex problems, and deepen their understanding of the world around them.
As a species and a society, we tend to look for answers. Answers appear to provide a sense of clarity and certainty. However, any answer represents the provisional conclusion of a process that begins with questions and frequently leads to more questions. Einstein drew attention to the critical importance of how questions are framed, which can often determine or play a significant role in determining the answers we reach. As our world becomes overloaded with data and data-derived findings, we have increasingly strayed away from asking questions.
When we ask questions, we open up new avenues of thinking and discovery. We gain new insights and perspectives that we may not have otherwise considered. Questions can help us to break down complex problems into smaller, more manageable pieces, making it easier to find creative solutions. If we want to drive progress and make a difference, we must be willing to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and embrace the unknown.
An innovation culture requires a commitment to continuous learning and improvement. To innovate, organizations must be willing to challenge their assumptions and re-evaluate their existing processes and practices. They must be open to new ideas and perspectives and willing to adapt to change. In an innovation culture, learning is not confined to formal training, but rather is a continuous, organic process that occurs through experimentation, feedback, and reflection.
Remember, if questions are coming, then solutions and a path forward are close, and if the course is already set, then you know what areas need more clarity in communication efforts. Where questions flourish, it is because the space for them has been created.
Let’s all strive for innovative cultures that value "questions" over "answers."
Here is a quick Y Chart for what this would Look Like, Feel Like, and Sound Like...
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