Ask a Better Question

A better question can turn a short conversation into something worth learning from. This tool is about questions you ask people—not research questions you investigate on your own.

1. Move Beyond Yes or No

Instead of “Did you like it?” try “What part mattered most to you, and why?”

2. Ask for Thinking, Stories, or Examples

• What made you decide that?
• Can you tell me about a time when…?
• What do you wish more people understood about…?
• What changed your thinking?
• What would you tell someone just starting?

3. Listen Before Asking the Next One

The best follow-up question often comes from something the person just said.

4. Avoid Questions That Trap the Answer

“Don’t you think this is a bad idea?” already pushes toward an answer. Try: “What do you see as the strengths and problems with this idea?”

Try It

Turn this into a stronger question: “Was fifth grade hard?”

Then write one follow-up you could ask after hearing the answer.

💡 Funky Tip

Great questions are short enough to understand and open enough to discover something new.

I am smart.

Smart communicators do not only know answers. They know how to ask questions that help people think and share.

🎒 Take It With You

Open it up → listen → follow the interesting part.