All posts by Carlo

Can you tell me about your personal experiences that make you believe that?

When you don’t agree with people, it is completely useless to try to convince them to change their minds.  Instead, the point of your conversation should be simply to understand each other better as people.  This question about personal experiences does this beautifully. Continue reading Can you tell me about your personal experiences that make you believe that?

 

What would 80-year-old me think about this decision?

This question is excellent if you have a big choice to make and you’re struggling with the pros and cons.  Take a minute to imagine in some detail how you’ll look at 80 years old.  Imagine where you’ll be living.  Imagine a chair that you’d be sitting in at that age.  And then imagine what 80-year-old you would think about the decision you’ve made on your issue.  Old you is wise.  Very wise.  Yoda level. Continue reading What would 80-year-old me think about this decision?

 

What was the first piece of music you ever bought and what format did it come in?

This is a perfect way to start a team meeting or weekly check in.  You learn about the music your colleagues first liked.  You get people talking.  And if there’s a wide age range in the room, you get the added chuckle of LP vs. 8-track vs. CD. Continue reading What was the first piece of music you ever bought and what format did it come in?

 

If aliens came to school and beamed up 3 kids, who do you wish they would take? Why?

If you ask your little dude/dudette, “How was school?” you’ll probably get a 1-word answer.  On the other hand, this aliens question is much more likely to get your kid talking and also telling you about the classroom dynamics. Continue reading If aliens came to school and beamed up 3 kids, who do you wish they would take? Why?

 

When did you feel loved today?

If you can’t imagine asking your S.O. this question, you’re not alone.  But if you can get over the initial weirdness, it will pay off huge dividends.  As Glennon Doyle Melton writes over at the massive blog she started at Momastery, this question saved her marriage.  It’s a deeply honest article.  The questions included in it work 100x better than the vanilla, “Hi honey.  How was your day?” Continue reading When did you feel loved today?