I was attracted to a short article the other day titled "The Role of Curiosity in Learning." In a nutshell, the author defines a learning organization as one that encourages a culture where employees can – and do ask questions. Unfortunately, she says, many adults have forgotten how to be curious after having lived through the "sit down and be quiet" approach of many of our educational systems. And our organizations haven't always made it easy for employees to be curious!

 

The article reminded me just how important it is for companies to use the power of questions to help employees through the turmoil of change.  

 

What, why, how, when and what about me? These questions are very real to employees as change occurs -- new systems, mergers and acquisitions, senior leadership changes, reorganizations, layoffs and more. When organizations use one-way communication during times like these, questions will usually get answered around the watercooler -- and not necessarily answered correctly. Employee morale, retention and productivity can suffer.

 

Organizations need to tackle change questions by getting employees to talk. Conversation is the key ---but it needs to be structured conversation that allows participants to explore the right questions in a setting of participation, honesty and safety.

 

That’s why Discovery Maps® work so well for major change initiatives. This high-involvement approach  drives discussion around issues that employees are already highly curious about. It guides small teams of learners to discover answers and to raise even more questions of their own. As they learn, they  integrate new information (ah-has!) into their own knowledge base.

 

Here’s what the author says about "great questions" (paraphrased):

 

When Paradigm Learning helps clients communicate strategic change, our biggest challenge after understanding the change issue is to help them come up with great questions -- those that get at the what, why, how, when and what about me concerns.

 

Questions that tap into employees' curiosity.  Questions that guide deep thinking. Questions that are simple yet relevant and revealing. Questions that point the way to new insights  The second challenge, then, is to integrate those questions into an experience that is engaging, challenging, nonthreatening, targeted, relevant and honest. 

 

For change communication professionals, then, one of the keys to success is posing the right questions in the right setting.