The Power of Questions

Last year, during a panel at the first Violence Prevention Education Conference, my friend and colleague Carrie Slack said, “There is so much wisdom in every group. Ask the right questions, and these beautiful, rich deep answers emerge.”

There is so much wisdom in every group. Ask the right questions, and these beautiful, rich deep answers emerge.

I wanted to jump up out of my chair and shout “YES!”

I don’t believe that I'm giving anybody anything when I'm teaching. I like helping people realize how much they already know. Which is one reason I am a big question asker, especially when I get “what if” questions (which happens a lot).

I don’t believe that I'm giving anybody anything when I'm teaching. I like helping people realize how much they already know. Which is one reason I am a big question asker, especially when I get 'what if' questions (which happens a lot).

For example, if a student asks, “But what if an attacker is six feet tall in both directions and I’m just teeny-tiny?” I answer with, “Okay, but what target just got closer?”

See how that works?

In the spirit of asking questions, here’s one for you:

As violence prevention educators, what can we help the people we work with develop a deeper sense of who they are, what they want now, and what they want next.