Kelly Corrigan Wonders Go To on Asking a Better Question
Mar 27, 2026
A story about a 16-year stalemate unlocked by asking a different question that led to $320 million for pre-K. A look at how rephrasing prompts progress in politics, parenting, and building projects. Practical examples show finding the place someone can say yes and using impatience constructively to invite collaboration.
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Sixteen Years Of No Then A Different Question
- Kelly recounts New Mexico advocates spending 16 years failing to pass a constitutional amendment for pre-K until Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham asked a different question and secured $320 million.
- The governor pivoted by asking what they could agree on, not insisting on an amendment, which unlocked immediate bipartisan funding.
Questions Shape Outcomes More Than Facts
- The question you ask determines the answer you get; reframing can convert entrenched noes into yeses without changing facts or people.
- Kelly notes the facts and players stayed the same in New Mexico — only the question shifted, producing a different outcome.
Rephrase Until Someone Can Say Yes
- Kelly describes building a house in Bozeman where different phrasings by participants repeatedly unlocked agreement in meetings.
- She observes that frequently someone rephrases the issue in a fourth way that finally lets all parties understand and agree.