1. S HEPHERD T AYLOR P ARTNERSHIP Finding the right Question: Asking the right question can dramatically improve the quality of insight, innovation, and action in our organisations, our communities and our lives

2. S HEPHERD T AYLOR P ARTNERSHIP Key Secret to Good or Powerful Questioning is: Asking questions that: Liberate by broadening the listeners search for answers Take others to new pathways Challenge thinking/assumptions

3. S HEPHERD T AYLOR P ARTNERSHIP Generate curiosity in the listener Stimulate reflective conversation Are thought provoking Invite creativity, new possibilities and generate energy Stay with people Touch a deep meaning Evoke more questions

4. S HEPHERD T AYLOR P ARTNERSHIP Content Free Short Natural progression from asking about the problem, restating it as a goal, naming the options and agreeing actions Powerful Questions

5. S HEPHERD T AYLOR P ARTNERSHIP The Architecture of Powerful Questions Construction Scope Assumptions

6. S HEPHERD T AYLOR P ARTNERSHIP Some of the Traps Advice in Disguise Have/Haven't Would/Wouldn’t Do/Don’t Does/Doesn’t Was/Wasn’t Has/Hasn’t Have you thought of speaking to X about this? Is/Isn’t Should/shouldn’t Were/Weren’t Can/Can’t Did/Didn’t Are/Aren’t Should you check that out with your commissioners?

7. S HEPHERD T AYLOR P ARTNERSHIP The Why Question? Can invite analysis; Why did you decide to meet when you did? Can seem like an accusation and promote defensiveness Why did you decide not to include community representatives in that meeting?

8. S HEPHERD T AYLOR P ARTNERSHIP Some Examples In an ideal world what would be happening around this issue? What’s standing in the way of that ideal outcome? What’s your own responsibility for what’s happening? What are your options? What criteria will you use to judge the options? Which option seems the best one against these criteria? Who else can help you? What other resources do you need? What’s the next step? When will you take it?

9. S HEPHERD T AYLOR P ARTNERSHIP Practice What Have we Learned? - what made you choose to do what you did? - what assumptions were you making? - what went well? - what didn’t go well? - how did it feel at the time? - how do you feel about it now? - what would you do again? - what might you do differently next time? - what has been your learning from this?