They argue for stating the question first to cut through vague stories and get straight to the point. Examples show how a clear question helps people find their own answers and sharpens fuzzy problems. Practical habits like rubber-ducking and targeted context make conversations and meetings more efficient. Tips extend to product discovery and meeting design.
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Ask The Question Before The Story
Ask the question first before giving context to make conversations efficient and answerable.
Douglas Squirrel trains clients to state their question up front and often can answer without any background story.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Squirrel Learned The Method From Alan Weiss
Douglas Squirrel recounts answering Jeffrey's initial long preamble by simply stating he could have answered the core question without the story.
He references being inspired by consultant Alan Weiss to train people to ask the question first.
insights INSIGHT
Clarity Often Produces The Answer
Stating the question clarifies the problem and often lets the asker discover the answer themselves.
Jeffrey Fredrick describes people who, once they name the problem, frequently realize the next step without further help.
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Are you forgetting to ask the question? A lot of people lead with stories, but what Squirrel really wants to know is, “What’s the question?!” In this episode, Squirrel and Jeffrey discuss why the most efficient teams ask the question first and then give context. As always, real-world examples and practical tips aplenty!
SHOW LINKS:
- Rubber Duck: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging
- 7 Habits of Highly Effective People / Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind : https://www.franklincovey.com/courses/the-7-habits/habit-2/
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You'll find free videos and practice material, plus our book Agile Conversations, at agileconversations.com
And we'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, or feedback you have about the show: email us at info@agileconversations.com
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About Your Hosts
Douglas Squirrel and Jeffrey Fredrick joined forces at TIM Group in 2013, where they studied and practised the art of management through difficult conversations. Over a decade later, they remain united in their passion for growing profitable organisations through better communication.
Squirrel is an advisor, author, keynote speaker, coach, and consultant, and he's helped over 300 companies of all sizes make huge, profitable improvements in their culture, skills, and processes. You can find out more about his work here: douglassquirrel.com/index.html
Jeffrey is Vice President of Engineering at ION Analytics, Organiser at CITCON, the Continuous Integration and Testing Conference, and is an accomplished author and speaker. You can connect with him here: www.linkedin.com/in/jfredrick/
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