When we are children, we ask questions upon questions. As adults, many of us lose that expression of innate curiosity and even become embarrassed about asking questions at all.

And that is a shame, as questions are one of the most powerful tools to elevate ourselves and the world we live in.

Questions are not only deeply revealing about the person who asks, but are profound drivers of our culture and of human history. The right question at the right time can change everything, from the course of a relationship to the course of the world.

There is an art to asking the right questions and questions can also be wielded as weapons. How to learn one and to recognize and deal with the other is something this episode's guest is intimately familiar with.

Warren Berger is a "questionologist". He is the author of internationally bestselling books such as The Book of Beautiful Questions, The Powerful Questions That Will Help You Decide, Create, Connect and Lead and he also is the creator of the popular website www.amorebeautifulquestion.com

Warren has interviewed and studied hundreds of the world’s leading innovators, designers, and creative thinkers to analyze how they ask fundamental questions, solve problems, and create new possibilities. He has zeroed in on the power of questioning in our lives and written about why questioning leads to innovation, how it can help you be more successful in your career, and how we can all get better at asking the kind of “beautiful questions” that spark change in our businesses and lives.

In this episode with Warren, you'll discover:

-The most profound question Warren has ever been asked...03:55

-Why we question less as we mature...06:27

-How to ask questions that stimulate meaningful, curiosity-based dialogue...12:14

-The essential element(s) of identifying one's self as a "questionologist"...17:28

-Why journalists today "JAQ" off in order to sway an audience to accept an ideology vs. lead to the truth...24:36

-The one question a leader needs to ask...29:53

-Questions it's best to avoid...36:20

-Warren's best personal practice...41:00

Resources mentioned:

A More Beautiful Question

The Book of Beautiful Questions

Beautiful Questions in the Classroom