The power of “What did you learn today?”

How asking this simple question changes team dynamics

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

A habit my family has recently developed is to ask one simple question at dinner every night, “What did you learn today?” Answers have included:

• My husband learned from our daughter’s teacher that she has a very special job at school
• Our daughter learned you can’t hum with your nose plugged (See here)
• I learned scientists filmed a sperm whale giving birth for the first time ever. Eleven whales, which are typically solitary, showed up to take turns holding the newborn while it learned to swim on its own. (Story, film)

After a few weeks of this practice, I find myself intentionally reading the news during downtime to find something interesting to share. Even my husband, the biggest initial skeptic, sets aside special nuggets to talk about until the end of the day. It’s been a powerful tool for bringing engaging conversation to the dinner table, and can be an equally powerful tool for driving collaboration and connection within remote teams. Here’s why.

Human brains are hardwired to share

Scientist and author Matthew Lieberman posits that the human need for connection is as fundamental as our need for food and…