The Art of Questioning

Author: Nadler (USA) and Quinn
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: Solving the right problem, starting with the right question! A revolutionary method for thinking and problem-solving developed over 50 years of research. The concept of "The Art of Asking Smart Questions" is both fun and useful. Many people have pointed out before that when facing problems or opportunities, we should first look for the right question rather than the right answer. This idea is well-known, but as far as I know, this is the first book to provide a concrete framework and substantial content. Great! – Steven B. Kaplan, bestselling author and president of the University of Southern California
The Art of Asking Smart Questions and the concept of "The Art of Asking Smart Questions" came too late. I really wish they had appeared 40 years earlier on my desk. Now, I finally understand the importance of involving the right people from the beginning when tackling problems and defining and identifying the "other purposes" of solving this problem. I wish I had understood this earlier. – Paul T. Torrance, renowned professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
The author combines his extensive experience in consulting for various businesses and institutions to write a compelling and truly practical book on enlightenment thinking! – Edward O. Laumann, George Herbert Mead Professor of Sociology
The Art of Asking Smart Questions delves into what creative leaders do when solving problems, teaching us how to analyze problems holistically. – John H. Seeley Brown, bestselling author and former chief scientist at Xerox
"The Art of Asking Smart Questions" has completely transformed the way our employees think about and solve problems. Now, they all solve problems by asking smart questions. – Michael Jackson, Chairman and CEO of the Drucker Children's Institute
Why do organizations (or individuals) keep being troubled by the same problems? Why are people always unable to solve problems effectively? As experienced researchers and consultants, Nadler and Quinn, after 50 years of research, found that most people (about 92%) struggle to effectively solve organizational and personal problems because they habitually use a deductive reasoning method – "analyze the problem, collect information, draw conclusions." This method often leads to endless information gathering, causing analysis paralysis, and the static solutions they eventually arrive at only provide temporary relief without truly solving the problem.
After carefully analyzing numerous real-world cases of successful organizations and individuals, the authors discovered a "radical, new" problem-solving model – the Art of Asking Smart Questions. This model discards the limitations of deductive reasoning and emphasizes finding the key to solving problems (people, things, and situations) through questions. It is an holistic approach to problem-solving. This model can stimulate your thinking, provide you with purposeful information, open your mind, empower you, and enable you to excel at solving problems!
This book provides a detailed introduction to the Art of Asking Smart Questions, with clear narration and rich examples, serving as a complete practical manual on how to solve problems. As you learn to apply the methods in this book to your work and life, your ability to solve problems will fundamentally change – no matter what situation you face, you will be able to find creative, purposeful, and long-lasting solutions!