Asking questions about a situation stimulates people to think creatively. In guiding an investigation, the questions you ask will point people to areas you think they should address.

While you collect data, the person you interview will already be working on the topic.

Of course, to resolve an issue, everybody should understand, and own, their particular contribution to the problem.  However, none of us engage readily in this level of honesty.

 

 

The four key questions in this model can gently and firmly lead someone to the point where they are able to talk about their role in a situation.  Each question removing further layers of self-protection.

Question 1:  The presenting problem (IT)

What is the technical or business problem? This is the best way to lead into the interview.  Most people are more comfortable to talk about the technical issues than they are about how they feel or how they are involved.

Question 2:  What other people are doing?  (THEY)

What are other people or groups doing to either cause or perpetuate the problem? If we are to blame anyone, we prefer to blame someone else.  Your role in leading the interview is to discuss  the human component of the problem.

Question 3:  – What you are doing?  (ME or ‘I’)

How are you contributing to the problem or hindering the resolution? The tough question.  Most people will not have considered this angle.

It interests me how often people say something like “Me?  I don’t know what I am doing”.  This calls us to persevere and to ask the question another way.

Question 3b:  No really!  (ME – take two)

If the person is in the organisation, they will contribute to the problem in some way. Peter Block gives a very useful question you can ask: “Suppose you did know what your role is in this problem, what would it be?”  I have found that this allows the person to talk more easily, almost in the third person, about their role.

Notice the body language in the  photos (from “Antarctica” by Readers Digest).  The questioning process may take a while.  If you are able to give attention to the person you are interviewing, you will build enough trust to ask the final question:

Question 4:  Action (WE)

So what are we going to do about it? By now your interviewee may be ready to share their thoughts on a possible solution.  This information can contribute to a group session where you collate and present your findings from the interviews.  This part of the process is described in my posting on Action Research.

 

To illustrate this final question, I have used a photo  from one of the heroes from the Antarctic; a man who made a plan.  This is Ernest Shackleton’s team launching the James Caird, the modified lifeboat in which six men sailed 1300kms through the Southern Ocean to reach South Georgia Island to get help.  One of the most inspiring tales of intent and survival ever.