What’s The Intent Behind The Question?

 

“It's not a silly question if you can't answer it.” ― Jostein Gaarder

When we are in the process of reaching a solution we first question. Yet the solution  sought may or may not be commensurate with the holistic outcome everyone expects.That is because the intent behind the question matters the most.The intent of the  questions asked, for resolving a problem, may stretch from extreme altruism to absolute selfishness.Or there maybe a moderated,pragmatic tilt.Without doubt the feeling behind the question dictates much.It is in understanding that intent that a favourable direction of search is possible.

Vital Context

The potency of a question is concealed inside its context.Where is the question coming from?What’s the hidden or explicit agenda behind it.Often we ask a question consciously to do one thing while unconsciously we maybe expecting some thing quite the opposite from it.The contradiction may exist because of pressures exerted by external,or internal expectations. Questions can fuel wars within ourselves,and outside, if they nourish the urge for strife. Interestingly  the same question, originating in a constructive intent assists a smooth transition to fruitful resolution.

 Corrosive Streak

The negative,corrosive question is laced with the overt or covert intent to,blame,criticize,judge,complain,ridicule,disdain,scoff;or to defend self .This bias of questioning eventually does culminate in an outcome that’s commensurate with the hidden veil behind the query. 

Sarah has a lot of work piled up on her desk and the boss asks her to complete  a report before lunchtime. Something that's the job of  her colleague ,who’s off today.The first thing she says is “why should I do this work?”.A question like that is not really inclined at solving the problem. Such a line of thought subtly contributes to rising conflict; internal, and external.It’s a question which drops an additional ton of lead on her shoulders.

 The context here is centered in battling the cause rather than moving ahead with the task at hand .Similarly,when you are perturbed about the other guy getting the  pat in the back,  a question like “why does no one appreciate me?”,opens a different kind of war-front.

Gro-Pro Centering

A positively centered question  aims to arrive at a progressive solution.In this case, attention is not focused on bringing out flaws or promoting conflict;external ,or internal. The intent is to bring a resolution,move towards a fruitful context,and possibly hand out a win-win token to everybody involved.

Sarah’s colleague, Agnes, has to constantly meet deadlines at work.She has a lunchtime appointment with the dentist for her little son.Two hours before that she is handed a mandatory survey to be submitted to HR ;and it must go in by lunchtime.She is upto her neck already,and the pressure is almost palpable.She just stops in her tracks ,and centers herself with a few deep breaths.She wants to find out the best possible way to deal with the colossus before her. Very objectively she asks herself “what is the best way to steer through this?”. “What  is the foremost task I must finish,and the next after that?”.After a bit of that she has broadly outlined her work.There is  some semblance of order.And she gets going.Her work is just about finished by the appointed time.She feels OK. 

She saves herself much agony. Quite unknown to her ,her questions are positioned in the gro-pro zone.

Slant & Direction

From the kind of questions that we punch out we find ourselves heading in a specific direction.Tony Robbins says that “questions are the lasers of consciousness”.Quite so.Because like lasers, they are sharp and focused.

In a classroom when a teacher poses a question,and before the first student raises an arm to answer, something precedes the event. There is a process of ignition which is set in motion in the brain.Neurologists call it “kindling”.Much like lighting a wood fire the neurons enter a state increased activity .If the question concerns the familiar there is an accelerated  kindling process.This leads us to conclude that the more often we think along a specific track the denser the neuro-pathways,and the more reinforced our beliefs.

That is why  sometimes it is significant to question the question itself .Is the question itself correct?Is it pointing us in the right direction?Is it leaning towards the best solution?Or is it merely another branch of a tree that is rooted in a specific bias-soil?Is it opening fresh vistas for pro-gro?

Perhaps,the most suitable ambience for a gro-pro question is generated  within that deliberate pause.The pause between the goal and the start line.It is somewhere here that the compass,the question, orients  itself correctly.

Over to you my friends......