Feral Sunar // Allianz Türkiye - Agile Coach
The questions we ask also change our perspective on life. It is important to ask the right questions to get the right answers not only in our business life, but also in our personal life. The book “If Your Questions Change, Your Life Changes” made me realize that I have been using the same question patterns for years and that I am able to change my life with questions.
As Allianz Turkey Agile Office, we ask our teams for a few days off at the beginning of each year and return to ourselves. These few days are sometimes spent with an education that we have dreamed of throughout the year, and sometimes with a workshop where we focus on our Agile Office backlog. My path also crossed with the book after such a workshop, “If Your Questions Change, Your Life Changes”, which I had wanted to read for a while but could not read, In the book's promotional newsletter, he says: "Although “ If Changes Your Life If Your Questions Change” is a business fairy tale, its impact extends far beyond the business world. Just as the main characters of our story, Richard and Susan, discovered, you will see for yourself that the same principles that are extremely effective in business settings can also help us greatly improve our relationships in our private lives. As he wrote in the promotional newsletter, the book is actually a workplace story. The main character Richard comes out of the CEO's room, which he entered with a resignation letter in his hand, with the advice that it would be good to meet with an “executive coach”.
The interview, in which he went unwillingly, introduces Richard to the power of questions. The author is Dr. Marilee Adams conveys the “thinking with the power of questions” system, a system of tools developed to transform thoughts, actions and results by asking ourselves and others intelligent questions through Richard's experiences. The most valuable part of the story is that Richard saved not only his career with this meeting, but also his marriage, which was collapsing. The fact that the same principles that are effective in business environments can have a similar effect in all my other relationships has increased the influence of the book on me.
10 Powerful Tools For You to Use in Your Business and Personal Life
1. Strengthen Your Observer Identity
2. Use “Electoral Map” as a Guide
3. Put the Power of Questions into Action
4. Seperate the Learner and Judger Mind Structures from Each Other
5. Be Friendly with the Judger
6. Question the Assumptions
7. Take Advantage of Transition Questions
8. Create Learning Teams
9. Catch the Exits with Brainstorming
10. Ask “12 Questions” for Success
Dr. Marilee Adams, in the last chapter of the book, has given at least one application suggestion that we can make to carry 10 powerful tools that will work in private life outside of work into our lives. For example, in order to make the tool number one more involved in our lives, “staying calmly where you are letting the phone ring” is probably one of the suggestions that I will have the most difficulty with.
Bu kısa girişten sonra gelelim kitaptan bana kalanlara…
After this short introduction, let's come to what remains to me from the book…
First thing that remains to me: I have the power to choose my reactions, regardless of the reason. Staying in the moment and being in a calm and coolly observant mode is an incredible skill in negotiations, decision-making, acting effectively under pressure and building good relationships with others. The number one “Strengthen your observer identity” tool may be beneficial right at this point.
Second thing that remains to me: Transition questions can completely change the aspect of an event I experience.
Let me introduce the “Electoral Map” to you:
One copy of the image hangs on my refrigerator, the other copy is in my agenda. When I feel like I'm in my judge mode, looking to this keeps me on track.
Third thing that remains to me: It may be difficult to find questions at first, then comes here a list of 12 questions that will save lives:
What I want?
What are my choices?
Which assumptions do I make?
What am I responsible for?
How else can I think about this?
What does the other person think, feel and want?
Is there anything missing?
What I can learn from this person/ situation/ mistake/ failure or success?
Which actions make sense?
Which questions should I ask?
How can I change this situation into a win-win?
What is possible?
Coming across similar question patterns that I have practiced a lot in my individual coaching journey that started in 2021 on this list was like providing information that I learned, it made me feel good.
This is what left to me from the book; if you want to learn more, you will need to read the book.
Pleasent readings …
P.S. You can contact us by clicking here to share your experiences and ask questions about the agile working method.
Reference : If Your Questions Change, Your Life Will Change, Dr. Marilee Adams, Beyaz Publications, 2018
Dr. Marilee Adams is the founder of the Inquiry Institute and the creator of “Thinking with the Power of Questions”. She has written in the categories of people and society, personal development. As a thought leader, consultant, executive coach and professional speaker for some of the world's leading companies, he is often referred as the “Chief Question Manager”. His work has transformed the spirit of curiosity into practical, realistic, powerful and user-friendly question skills and tools that are used all over the world. She worked as a psychological therapist for more than 25 years before turning her attention to business and organizational efficiency.
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