How To Ask Better Questions. Learn How Effectively Ask“Why?”
Questions are tools for finding new information yet we are so accustomed to using them that the idea that we are using these tools poorly often doesn’t even enter our minds.
Ineffective questions lead to ineffective answers — and ineffective solutions
Yes, you may have gotten an answer, but it’s a bad answer — or worse, the wrong one.
Unfortunately, questions don’t naturally come with instruction manuals. Let’s try and change that, starting with an extremely important tool for exploration and introspection — the question “WHY?”.
Hope this quick how-to helps you to get better at asking questions and finding answers.
How and when to ask “why?”
I. Determine if this is the right time to ask “why”
If the problem we are solving is a nuclear meltdown, the first step is clearing up the mess. The retracing of the events that led to the accident so that the problem doesn’t repeat is necessary and is accomplished by asking “why”. But such an investigation doesn’t add to the solution we need now.
II. Do you need to spend your time and energy on finding out “why”? Will the answer change anything?
Do you need to know why the draining water in Australia swirls clockwise?
III. Ask yourself if a different question is more appropriate
A. Is your goal to find the reason for something happening or is it to understand the logic of steps/to get an instruction?
- if it is the latter — consider changing “why” into “how”
“Why” is the question of philosophers. “How” is the question of engineers.
B. Do you want to get to the genesis of an idea or behavior?
If so, consider:
- Describe the moment you came to that conclusion/idea.
- Describe the moment you first noticed that behavior.
- What led you to that conclusion/idea?
- Which events could have influenced that conclusion/idea/behaviour?
IV. Notice at which point applying “why” becomes ineffective
Socrates said: “The unexamined life isn’t worth living.” Why do we do what we do? Asking ourselves a series of “whys” can give us precious clues about our own nature. Consecutive “whys” is often used in cognitive-behavioral therapy:
X: I hate my job.
Y: Why do you hate your job?
X: Because I can’t stand my boss.
Y: Why can’t you stand your boss?
X: Because he always speaks in a matter-of-fact way…
Y: And why do you dislike his way of speaking?
X: Because he reminds me of my father. I feel like I’m not up to his standards.
Asking too many “whys” has diminishing returns. In this example, asking a series of “whys” made the person realize that he doesn’t like his boss because of his own issues with his father. But past this point, asking more “whys” wouldn’t help with the problem at hand, which is building a healthier relationship with his boss.
In fact, too many “whys” can be detrimental to self-knowledge as it can lead you astray from what matters.
Y: Why do I need to take the trash out?
X: Because it’s full?
Y: And why do I need to take the trash out when it’s full?
X: Because if I don’t, my house will start smelling like a landfill and it’s going to be a rats paradise and keep other human beings away.
Y: And why keeping human beings away is a bad thing?
X: Oh, good point!
V. Aim to find multiple “becauses” to your “whys”
Bonus: writing out multiple answers will exercise your imagination and ability to look at the problem from multiple angles.
If you’re looking for one “because” only, you’re more likely to be wrong.
A. The first answer that pops up into your head is not necessarily the right one.
Y: Why do you have a headache?
X: Oh, I know! I’m dehydrated.
True — headache can be a symptom of dehydration. Or a tumor.
Or both, therefore:
B. The condition you are exploring might be caused by a combination of reasons.
Bonus: for finding more “becauses” ask yourself, “How somebody I look up to would answer this question?”; “How somebody I dislike would answer this question?”; “How Captain Jack Sparrow would answer this question?”, etc.
C. It is possible at the moment of answering that you don’t have all the information necessary to answer the question correctly.
Ancient Greeks wondered, “Why the lightning?” — and found the answer: it’s because Zeus, a mighty god of sky and thunder, throws lightning bolts when he’s feeling moody. Today we know that is not exactly what happens.
Ancient Greeks found the “because” — but it was the wrong one.
Lastly:
VI. Accept your answer might be wrong and keep your mind open
Did we miss something? Did we get something wrong? What are some of your tricks to use the question “why?” more effectively?
-with Bruno Arine
