The Four types of Deliberate Questions
Generally we find four types of Deliberate Questions:
- Personal Deliberate Questions (PDQ’s)
- Professional Deliberate Questions (ProDQ’s)
- Spiritual Deliberate Questions (SDQ’s)
- Social Deliberate Questions (SoDQ’s)
It is very rare to come across a sincere question that can’t be categorized in at least one, if not multiple, of these groups. Although it is not crucial to sit and label every DQ that we ask, it can be helpful to start by asking which category we are searching for better answers in, and then develop appropriate DQ’s using knowledge specific to that category.
Below I have listed some basic definitions and suggestions for each type of these categories. Later I will be adding more specific posts that go into depth on each, so be sure to follow DQM and read the additional posts for a deeper understanding. (I will link each section below to the related in depth articles as they publish.)
Personal Deliberate Questions (PDQ’s)
PDQ’s are questions related to matters in our personal lives, of which we have the ability to impact outcomes.
PDQ’s should be centered around personal goals and priorities. These questions especially help us take proactive ownership for what happens in our life, rather than just reacting as the whirlwinds of life spin around us.
When asking PDQ’s, make sure that you are in a position to impact the answers or outcomes. Then start by asking what things matter most in your life, and develop questions that help you track or develop habits in pursuit of those priorities.
Professional Deliberate Questions (ProDQ’s)
ProDQ’s are questions related to effectively executing and producing results in our professional employment or career settings. Often we don’t have full control over the outcomes, but it is crucial for us to recognize and understand the answers in order to advance.
ProDQ’s are extremely important in business. Whether you hold a leadership role, or just have responsibilities related to your specific position, ProDQ’s should be used to keep our professional responsibilities on track (and hopefully accelerating!)
ProDQ’s are closely related to commonly used tools such as KPI’s (key performance indicators). However ProDQ’s are meant to guide actions rather than merely report on results. (Although well crafted report drivers can do both and become effective ProDQ’s when understood and used correctly.)
When asking ProDQ’s, you should generally start at a very high level to define the situation, such as “what is going wrong?” or “what do we want to accomplish?” Then progressively ask more targeted questions until you hit an action opportunity that will drive improvement.
(You may have heard of the 5 Whys developed by Sakichi Toyoda, founder of Toyota Industries…that is an amazing place to start if you want to learn more about the value of ProDQ’s)
Spiritual Deliberate Questions (SDQ’s)
Whether you consider yourself “spiritual” or not, there are some very big questions that are asked universally, such as the purpose of life, or what happens after death.
These are the types of questions that fit under the SDQ category.
I realize that some people may not be interested in reading about SDQ’s. For this reason, I will be using a special “SDQ” tag on all articles that discuss questions of this nature. This way, such articles can easily be recognized and skipped by anyone that is uninterested. In return I just ask that you equally respect those readers who are interested in learning about and discussing these deliberate questions of a spiritual nature.
I am myself a very active Christian, and find significant meaning to the words often repeated in scripture “Ask and ye shall find.” The art and importance of deliberate questioning is taught in many books of holy writ (both directly and indirectly).
Social Deliberate Questions (SoDQ’s)
Possibly the most complicated of all are the SoDQ’s.
SoDQ’s deal with matters that impact society and social change. They are most easily recognized as political topics, and as such, can be connected to deep opinions and arguments.
On the DQM blog I will not address SoDQ’s with as much depth as other questions. Nor will I profess any authority or expertise on answering questions regarding social matters. I will merely observe and appreciate the value of asking and recognizing questions inside this category.
Deliberate questioning is a skill that takes practice to master. It is extremely common to find that those who can successfully navigate/use the social and professional DQ’s have previously devoted much attention to mastering their powers of inquiry with spiritual and personal DQ’s.
The DQM blog is designed to help you start learning and practicing deliberate questioning skills. Then you will become addicted to the wisdom and wealth of knowledge that follows!
You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.
— Naguib Mahfouz
