Past, Present, Future
I’m reading Talk: the Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves by Alison Woods Brooks (I recommend it). Chapter 3 focuses on asking good questions. One technique she mentions is a way to probe further on a topic, and it struck me as a neat model that can be used to draw out more insight on pretty much any subject.
PAST: What did you do in the past/ how did it make you feel in the past/ what did your younger self…?
PRESENT: How do you… now/ how does it make you feel now/ what do you now…?
FUTURE: What will you in the future/ how would you like to feel in the future/ What will your older self/ kids make of this…?
The questions can be slightly different each time – she’s gives an example of someone interviewing Monica Lewinsky…
- If you could go back, would you have had the relationship with Bill Clinton?
- Are you still in love with Bill Clinton?
- What will you tell your children, when you have them about the relationship?
Great ways to follow up and keep probing for more…
