Crafting a question for a gathering to explore isn’t as simple as it might sound.

I strive to find a question (or two) that will help participants explore the depth of their topic, a question that will get at the collective wisdom of the gathering, a question that challenges people to think differently. Ideally, I am able to work with a planning group to come up with a question that will do just that.

The easy part is to make sure the question is open-ended, meaning it invites more than “yes” or “no” response. The goal is to elicit a thoughtful response that delves beyond the obvious.

The question also needs to be genuine–something that is truly intended to unveil new answers. If everyone who is part of the conversation is offering the same answer, then the question is not doing its job of spurring people to go deeper.Continue reading→