In a job interview, the one that controls the conversation is not the person who talks the most but the person who asks the most. By asking questions, the interviewer is able to direct the candidate’s energy to focus on areas that the interviewer wants to know.
Here, I’m not showing how to impress in an interview but trying to discuss how by asking the right questions, you can maneuver energy to the right direction. Yes, just by asking the correct questions. So it is not wrong to say that ‘if you ask stupid questions, you get stupid answers’ or more aptly in this topic, ‘if you ask stupid questions, you take stupid actions’
In an earlier blog, I briefly touched on ‘the power of asking the right questions’. There are many who are concerned that the economy bubble may burst in 2007. If we ask ‘since it burst in 87 and 97, and shouldn’t it burst in 2007?’ then the mind will answer either ‘should’ or ‘shouldn’t’. That’s because we have asked a close-ended question. If we ask ‘what shall we do if the economy burst in 2007?’ then the mind will try to list down the precaution steps to take. That’s because we tell the mind that the economy will burst and ask the mind to list down steps to take.
If we ask ‘if the economy will burst in 2007, how can I still be rich?’, then the mind now has to do a bit more work. The mind may tell you property is down and we can buy at lower price, the share market is down and probably it’s time to go in….If we then ask further, ‘which countries should we put our investment?’ Now the mind will think beyond the local country and look for alternatives in neighboring countries.
Isn’t it interesting how the smart-but-stupid mind works? Smart because it can provide many great answers. Stupid because if you do not ask correctly, it will not produce good results!
As a new practice, I suggest you now use questions as a starting point for your timely 2007 resolution. Don’t ask what you want to achieve in 2007. You probably have done that for many years and your resolution is still as good as new. Ask what state you want to be in 2007. If you’re bogged down by work, ‘don’t ask how can I free up my time’ that’s too mundane. You can either go one level up (i.e. something more holistic or nobler) or set more conditions in your questions.
Some example: How can I spend 3 days in my hobby per week despite my current work load? How can I work for less but still increase my pay by 30%? It may sound impossible at first. Have faith in your mind. It will produce some interesting results.
May 2007 be a great year!
