Comments on: When Did You Stop Sniffing Glue?

By: nima

nima — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:00:25 +0000

It seems like our friend Chris made that same mistake again. “Complex question ” . that’s assuming that you know it’s a complex question. I would rather take a part my complex question to simple one. Or again did I just assume I that I simplified my complex question to “simple” ones?
I do appreciate the brilliant note though.

By: Melani Ward

Melani Ward — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:28:39 +0000

These questions are exactly why I kick booty on essay tests and always wanted to write essays for multiple choice tests. When I saw these questions posted on Twitter I cringed at the thought of picking either or.

Then I immediately thought of those career and personality tests that ask me if I would rather wield a sledgehammer or milk a cow. Um neither so give me an “other” option.

Questions, good questions, at the right time to the right person can create real breakthroughs and paradigm shifts.

Like the way you broke it down.

Great post.

By: Dark Angel

Dark Angel — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 03:13:18 +0000

Wonderful post

By: Ann Vertel

Ann Vertel — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 20:33:29 +0000

We tend to answer the exact question we’re asked, even those we ask ourselves. There’s a world of difference in asking, “How will I get the job done today?” and “How will I get the job done today and have fun in the process?”

“How” questions can be a trap (ie. “How will I ever…”) unless they’re framed as, “How can I best…”

Sometimes the most effective question can be, “What is the best question I can ask myself right now?”

Great post and great subject, Jonathan! Keep ‘em coming!

By: Sue

Sue — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:36:39 +0000

I read these questions and the first thing I zeroed in was the either/or nature of them. My first question was, ‘Well why do these scenarios have to be phrased or understood as either/or situations at all?” Maybe other options are “both”, “neither”, or “not applicable”. You are also right on the mark that both questions do indeed make a lot of presuppositions. If these were items on a survey, I’d be really worried about the quality of the data and using that data to make important planning decisions!

It’s been my observation that there seems to be an increasing tendency to take short cuts and/or oversimplify situations by resorting to dichotomous thinking–you’re either with us or against us, right or wrong, you can choose this or that,etc. Unfortunately, dichotomous thinking and making a lot of presumptions about the facts all too often short-circuits the likelihood of engaging in some much needed critical and valuable dialogue (whether with ourselves or with others)about the subtleties and consequences of how we frame the questions and the choices we subsequently make at individual, organizational and even national levels.

By: Michael Martine

Michael Martine — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:10:03 +0000

Here’s an example of an extremely dangerous presupposition: “Why am I always broke?” Combine that with the human mind’s inability to refuse to try and answer questions put to it, and you’re creating your own self-fulling prophecy asking questions like that.

The better question is: “What steps can I take right now that will help raise my standard of living?”

By: Sylvia

Sylvia — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:42:57 +0000

Excellent post. Thank you.

By: Natalie Christie

Natalie Christie — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:40:48 +0000

Ah, presuppositions…at least Chris and Charlie are probing for answers. The real tragedy is when a presupposition masquerades as fact and then forever stands in the way of following a dream.

Kind of like that experiment where people are kept in a room and they never escape because they assume the door is locked. Always ask the right questions – and definitely try the door!

By: Dave Soucy

Dave Soucy — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:39:04 +0000

Great topic Jonathan. I face this often when I work with weight loss clients who come in with the (false) assumption that they can lose weight but not eat the food they like, or they can eat the food they like and be overweight. For many reasons, they don’t believe that they can have both and have set themselves up to believe they have to make that either/or choice.
The ones who succeed are the clients who really dig deeper and learn that there are other choices to be made.

~Dave

By: Lain

Lain — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:48:37 +0000

I don’t think I’ve ever had to think so hard when reading a blog post. The wheels were grinding and smoking a bit as they turned, but they were definitely turning!

Thanks for telling us why — and how — to take the chains off.

Lain