# Presentation: A6ZZJIIBNZHV333BHVXAE5Z4KYBDQOGY

## NASAGoddard Center Director’s ColloquiaThe Inquiring OrganizationPractical Perspectives for the 21st Century

**Marilee G. Adams, Ph.D.**
- November 13, 2002

## Asking questions is the pivotal skill of the learning organization.There’s no change without learning.There’s no learning without questions.

## Agenda

- The Inquiring Organization
- Power of Questions
- Mindsets for Questioning
- Exercise: Q-StormingTM
- Q & A

- Copyright©2001 Marilee Goldberg Adams, Lambertville, NJ

## Learning Objectives

- Introduce concept and practices of inquiring organizations
- Reinforce scientific question thinking skills for organizational benefit
- Distinguish questions that help progress from those that hinder it
- Provide practical applications of strategic inquiry tools

## The Inquiring Organization

- Each _individual_ values and utilizes the skills        of question *thinking* and question *asking.*
- The _culture_ reflects this in the way that everyone works together.
- The _organization_ has formal structures and practices that support strategic inquiry in all functions and at all levels.

## Slide 6

## Blocks to Questioning

-  Question Reluctance
-  Assumptions
-  Culture or relationship that
-    discourages questions

##  Judger Mindset         Learner Mindset

- Human nature
- Advocating
- Automatic
- Judgmental, biased
- Know-it-already
- Inflexible, rigid
- Point of view: only own
- Win-Lose relating
- Debate
- Feedback seen as hurtful
- Operates in “attack or defend” mode

- Human spirit
- Inquiring
- Thoughtful
- Accepting, unbiased
- Inquisitive researcher
- Flexible, adaptive
- Point of view: includes others
- Win-Win relating
- Dialogue
- Feedback seen as helpful
- Operates in resolution, & innovation-seeking mode

**Learner/Judger Mindset Model****TM**

## Learner/Judger Questions

- What’s wrong?
- Whose fault is it?
- How can I stay in control?
- How could I lose?
- How could I get hurt?
- Why bother?

- What’s right?
- For what am I responsible?
- What is the big picture?
- What’s the most useful thing to do?
- What can I learn?
- What’s possible?

- _Judger Questions_

- _Learner Questions_

##   	      Learner Mindset        way of being is based in:  *  Acceptance 	      *  Curiosity		 *  Not knowing      *  Flexibility

## Curiosity is our greatest resource  for accessing Learner Mindset.

## Slide 12

## 		   Judger Costs  	Innovation  	Organizational effectiveness  	Learning community

**Notes:**
Learner/Judger in the Body
Learner/Judger Dyads

## 	     Learner/Judger 				     Exercise       Consider some current challenge.            What Judger aspects or questions         (in self, others, or the organization)         could be impeding progress?

## Inquiring LeadersCharacteristic # 1

-    Inquiring leaders have an insatiable, non-judgmental curiosity.  They place a high value on continuous learning and growing for themselves and others.  They model question asking that is constructive rather than criticizing (Learner rather than Judger).

## Inquiring LeadersCharacteristic # 2

-    Inquiring leaders challenge assumptions and beliefs.  They solicit honest feedback.  They are willing to suspend their own opinions in the face of new data.  They are courageous and risk takers. They are willing to “not know” and “not be right.”

## Inquiring LeadersCharacteristic # 3

-    Inquiring leaders *listen* carefully and thoroughly.  Their listening is focused by accepting internal questions such as,  *“What’s useful/right  about this?”  “What can I learn?”* *“What can I contribute?” *and* “What is the big picture here?”*  Their listening is *not* focused by blaming questions such as, *“What’s wrong?” *and* “Whose fault is it?”*

##    Inquiring leaders establish a culture of inquiry in their organizations.  This is one that encourages and reinforces questioning and learning.  These leaders mandate and reward standard practices of strategic inquiry throughout the organization.

**Inquiring Leaders****Characteristic # 4**

## Inquiring LeadersCharacteristic # 5

- Inquiring leaders  are committed to encouraging and teaching those in the leadership pipeline to take advantage of  these strategic inquiry perspectives, practices, and skills.

## Practices of Inquiring Organizations

-  Question Map
-  AAR (*After Action Review*)
-  Choice Map
-  Learner/Judger Mindset Model
-  Q-Prep
-  Q-Storming
-  Others . . .

## Question MapTM

- Questions for Speculation
- Relationship
- Information

- Questions for Action

***Open-ended***

***Closed-ended***

**Phase** **Four**

- AAR

**Question Map****TM**

**Phase One**

**Phase Two**

**Phase Three**

- Questions for
- Strategizing
- Innovation
- And
- Decisions

- Questions
- For Reflection

## INNOVATION—in ideas, products, services, or processes—always begins with a new question, or an old question asked newly.

## A PARADIGM SHIFT occurs when a question is asked inside the current paradigm that can only be answered from outside of it.

## Slide 24

## Group Exercise

**Q-Storming**
-     *Most any problem can be solved*
*    **with enough right questions.*
*    **A question not asked is *
*   **a door not opened*.

##  Q & ATake-Aways

## “The important thing is not to stop questioning.”

**                       **Albert  Einstein
**InquiryInc**
- _[www.InquiryInc.com](http://www.inquiryinc.com/)_
- 609-397-9100
* **Copyright **©** 2002 InquiryInc  Pennington, NJ*