Bart Roestenberg
For over 20 years I have been guiding organisations in strategic issues, from industry to government. Again and again I experience how the right question makes the difference: a question that is not only asked, but is really being investigated. From my role as a partner in Groupmapping I facilitate groups to get to the core of complex challenges. More information? Feel free to contact us.
The power of a question
Questions stimulate the mind, stimulate imagination and are the trigger for new insights. Especially at a time when we consume information rather than really talk to each other, asking the right question is more important than ever.
As Albert Einstein once said: “Asking the right question is often more important than finding the right answer.” But what is the right question?
Why good questions are essential for decision-making
At Groupmapping we design workshops to help organisations make informed decisions and create a basis for those decisions. The key? The formulation of sharp, relevant and sincere questions.
At the beginning of each process we work together with a core group from the organisation. We define:
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The objectives, so that it is clear what stakeholders invest their time and energy in.
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The questions we need to examine, test and answer together.
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The different perspectives from which we can approach these questions.
For example, if the goal is to grow the organisation, you can look at the market, internal capabilities, competition or partners. Each perspective provides a different answer to the same question and enriches the conversation.
What does a good question achieve?
A strong question can lead to several valuable outcomes. For example:
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Gathering Information: You learn from others and can make better informed choices.
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Deeper insight: Focused questions help to better understand complex situations or ideas.
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Better communication: Questions invite openness and strengthen the conversation.
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Troubleshooting: Asking through helps to get to the heart of the problem.
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Building relationships: A sincere question shows interest, and that connects.
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Learning and growth: Reflective questions encourage self-awareness and development.
Searching together for the right questions
In preparing a workshop, we will test with the customer organisation whether we have the right questions on the table. At the same time, we will critically examine whether the questions of the core group are really open or whether the desired answer is already passed between the rules.
Because that last one happens more often than you think.
Do you recognize this when a question isn't real?
People feel very good about whether a question is genuine. Think about that party where someone asks a question, but meanwhile they are looking around for a more interesting conversation. Or a colleague who asks you: "Do you already have solar panels on your roof?" just to stick a monologue on his own solar panels adventure.
This is also true in organisations. "We must also get Hans along with us, let's ask him what he thinks." But Hans' answer doesn't really matter. That's not only unfair, it's downright demotivating. Then don't ask Hans.
What makes a question "real"?
A genuine question is one:
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Where the answer counts as a building block for the decision,
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Driven by genuine curiosity,
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And where the answer is heard, weighed and taken.
Such questions put a group in motion. They make people curious and willing to contribute to the end result. This ensures ownership, motivation and sustainable realisation of plans.
The importance of real listening
You notice that your answer matters when:
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It's taken seriously and comes back in the future,
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It is actively listened, not to react, but to understand.
Listening is not waiting for you to talk yourself. It's looking for the value in the other's answer. And, what can we do with it?
That is the moment when dialogue becomes creative, insights arise and answers begin to live.
The power of creative dialogue within Groupmapping
Groupmapping is all about creative dialogue. We build together on insight, commitment and movement. From different perspectives we look for meaningful answers to real questions.
The result? A group that is motivated to work together on decisions that are supported and implemented. That is the essence of the Groupmapping method.
Sharper, faster, smarter: I want that too!
Contact us to explore the possibilities together.