Running head: BOOK SYNTHESIS-CHANGE YOUR QUESTIONS

Book Synthesis: Change Your Questions, Change Your Life

Jordi Solsona-Puig, Ivy Ewell-Eldridge, David Diehl
Pepperdine University
October 17, 2015

Introduction:

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In reading the book Change Your Questions, Change Your Life: 10 Powerful Tools for Life
and Work, we realized that self-questioning is one of the more effective metacognitive
processes in which our minds engage (King, 1991). Question Thinking (QT) can be an
individual practice, aiding in increased awareness of other perspectives and a renewed
outlook when evaluating issues and assessing needs. Also, this personal process of QT could
potentially be transferred to collaborative research. Educational leaders could use researchbased questions, as well as general questions, to define and solve problems. The iterative
process in cycles defined in Participatory Action Research (PAR) require the use of questions
to address a problem or situation.
Questions are what drive results and dictate possible outcomes (Adams, 2009). In practicing
QT, we learn new approaches of listening, observing, and learning. Learning is a lifelong
activity that constantly reshapes our cognition frames, guiding us to become more selfdirected in the learning process (Fisher, 1991), and ultimately enhancing your life.
Key Ideas:
The process involved in asking questions shapes the way you think. Marilee Adams
(2009) says, Questions open our minds, our eyes, and our hearts. With them, we
learn, connect, and create. And with them, we can create better futures and better

results (page 8).

Question Thinking is a system of skills and tools that anyone could use to broaden
their initial approach to any given situation, whether it be problem solving, selfreflection, or simply seeking clarity during collaboration. The goal is to transform
thinking into action through skillful questioning. When leading/co-leading a change
initiate in collaboration with others, asking the right questions will allow us to view
problems through multiple lenses in order to achieve better results. It also encourages

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other members of the team to become more invested in the change, and offer answers
that you may not have considered (Adams, 2009).
Stephen Covey (1989) maintains that one should Seek first to understand, then to be
understood (p. 237)). It is essential to be inquisitive in the QT process so that one
can properly reflect and remain in Learner mode. Change your questions, change
your results (Adams, 2009) implies moving away from traditional methods and
means of thought, and transcending into a mode that is open to new ideas. The
Learner moves away from a competitive or emotion-laden viewpoint, and becomes
willing to see issues from an entirely different vantage point.
Marilee Adams contends that all people have the propensity to play one of two roles
in life: the Judger and the Learner. Judgers react to circumstances, whereas Learners
choose their response. Self-awareness is required in order to identify which role you
are playing, but when we become more adept at observing ourselves, and others, we
are further equipped to recognize when we are in Judger-mode or Learner-mode.
Adams also references Victor Frankl, renowned psychotherapist, and holocaust
survivor, who developed the theory of logotherapy. Adams shares Frankls message,
that one has the ability to choose their response to a particular situation, thereby
maintaining control of their happiness.
The change required in order to implement QT starts with oneself, moving from
Judging to Learning, from Blame (Past) to Responsibility (Future). Blame centers
itself on actions that have already happened that may be prohibiting an individual, or
group of individuals from moving forward. Responsibility implies acceptance of your
current state, but offers hope that situations can change for the better and optimism
about the opportunity to do so.
Adams advocates a system of Q-Storming that is similar to brainstorming. However,
when participants are engaged in Q-Storming, questions, not answers, are proposed.
As such, these questions bring teams together to elicit dialogue in an unfixed realm of

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possibility. Members of the team adopt a mindframe of problem-solving and work in
a fashion that supports creative thinking and collaboration.

Applications of Key Ideas:

Application #1: Better Futures, Better Results
When coaching groups within an organization, the coach could facilitate collaboration
amongst organizational leaders to define their Mission and Vision Statements through
Question Thinking.
Application #2: Problem Solving, Reflection, and Clarity
Considering professional growth, QT could help individuals in scanning and assessing areas
of need. It would also aid in establishing goals for final learning outcomes, levels of
attainment, or proficiencey in certain areas. In collaboration with others during Participatory
Action Research, QT would provoke questions, helping the team define the problems and
propose options for fixing them.
Application #3: Change Your Questions, Change Your Results
In program evaluations, QT could aid stakeholders in analyzing the effectiveness of their
programs implementation strategies by looking at every aspect from a practical and cultural
perspective. Members of a school community might also find this to be a valuable tool in
creating equity and democracy, ensuring that all voices are heard. Since QT comes from a
process of self-awareness, it could help to change perspectives from the Judger role (who
made these mistakes) to the Learner role (lets learn from our mistakes and fix them). Dr.
Wood suggests (1992) , Our ability to live together as neighbors, to tolerate our differences,
and to arrive at mutually satisfactory solutions...determines our ability to sustain and nurture
democracy (p. 85)
Application #4: In Educational Leadership

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QT is an ideal process for Participtory Action Research as it encompasses strategies to define
the problem, aids in the reflection that occurs during the cycle, and elicits a collaborative
approach between PAR members. QT ensures that bias is minimized or eliminated as team
members remain in learner between and during the cycles. PAR is an exceptional tool for
educational leaders... (James, 2007, page 24)

References:
Adams, M. (2009). Change your questions, change your life: 10 powerful tools for
life and work. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Covey, S. (1989). The seven habits of highly effective people. New York, NY: Simon
and Schuster.
Fischer, G. (1999) Lifelong Learning: Changing Mindsets in G. Cumming, T.
Okamoto, & L. Gomez (Eds.), 7th International Conference on Computers in
Education on New Human Abilities for the Networked Society ICCE 1999, pp.21-30.
Omaha: IOS Press. http://l3d.cs.colorado.edu/~gerhard/papers/1999-ICCE-finalsubmitted.pdf.

BOOK SYNTHESIS- CHANGE YOUR QUESTIONS

James, E.A., Milenkiewicz, M.T. & Bucknam, A. (2007). Participatory action
research for educational leadership: Using data-driven decision making to
improve schools. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
King, A. (1991). Effects of training in strategic questioning on children's problem
solving performance. Journal of Educational Psychology, 83 (3): 307317.
Wood, G. (1992). Schools that work: Americas most innovative public education
programs. New York, NY: Penguin Group.