We learn best when we are given good questions to find our own answers. All the "information/knowledge" is now on the internet. What we need is to learn how to grow in character & responsibility and at the same time learning about how to truly find/inspire the best in others, how to relate to people, how to listen (not to respond, but to understand) and how to self-regulate...control our minds instead of reacting to emotions. How much of that is taught in school? How much of that could be helpful in marriages, businesses, teams, political organizations, society in general. At the end of the day, we can wait for the educational system or government to fix things, or do it ourselves. Hint, it starts with me.

Have you ever tried to convince a child to do something they simply don't want to do, or perhaps an adult? Imposing your opinion on others, regardless of your position or relationship with the other person, can be very ineffective. Others will be more interested in your opinion once they feel you have listened to them. Debates rarely convince anyone. Listening and showing curiosity (even if you strongly disagree with the other person's point of view) opens the door to more thoughtful thinking. Instead of debating, we can show curiosity. Here are some ideas for deepening the conversation and creating more listening, inclusion, and connection. Before moving on to some questions that can broaden the conversation, let's first consider some questions we may want to avoid: Yes/no questions tend to end conversations or limit their breadth and understanding. 2. Questions with a suggestive inflection can put the other person on the defensive. “WHY” is a very loaded word and tends to put the other person on the defensive. Using “for what reason?” or “what was...?” can be much softer and more welcoming. Some more open-ended questions are: Tell me more about that idea. Can you explain that in more detail? What might happen if we pursue that idea? How will this affect you? How will this affect your loved ones? What if... What do you think about the other possible outcomes? What do you think might be the best idea? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts. Why do some people follow that line of thinking and others take a different direction? Deepening the conversation: Hmm, that's an interesting (creative, useful) idea/point of view. How could it work? On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being certainty, how do you think this possible solution could work? What would be the potential benefits and challenges? How enthusiastic would you be about this solution once you started facing those challenges? Knowing the challenges, what other solutions can you think of? I really appreciate you sharing your ideas. They help me broaden my understanding.