Book: Change Your Questions, Change your Life: 12 Powerful Tools for Leadership, Coaching and Life
Author: Dr. Marilee Adams
Reviewed by: Colleen Jones
The Premise: In the international best-seller Change your Questions, Change your Life, Dr. Marilee Adams introduces her readers to the concept of Question Thinking, challenging them to seek positive change through the adoption of a mindset of inquiry. Adams uses a relatable cast of characters to illustrate our pre-disposition to view situations, others and ourselves with a judger mindset which can lead to blame, negativity and limited thinking. Adams teaches her readers to use switching questions to shift from a judger mindset to a learner mindset, where they can activate their curiosity for more effective and productive conversations and outcomes.
Adams’ story-telling approach makes Change Your Questions, Change Your Life an accessible, quick and relatable read. The book centres around three key lessons and includes several tools including the Choice Map to guide readers step by step through the Question Thinking process.
The Bottomline: As a coach and talent management professional, curious questions are at the heart of what I do every day. Even still, it can be a challenge to stay in learner mode when working with clients, when we feel tempted to apply our own experience and “lens.” Change your Questions, Change your Life serves as a tremendous resource to support our skills to remain curious and stay out of the Judger Pit!
Recommendation: Highly recommend. This thought-provoking read helps us feel comfortable in a world of inquiry and possibility. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for tools and inspiration to challenge their own assumptions to stimulate more positive and productive thinking.
