A gift of questions

“No one has ever become poor by giving.”
– Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

One of the greatest privileges of working in talent development is learning from people whose ideas have shaped the way others think, lead, and grow. Even more inspiring is discovering that the people behind those ideas are every bit as generous as the work itself.

Yesterday, Advantage Performance Group had the privilege of spending two full hours with Marilee Adams, author of the international bestseller Change Your Questions, Change Your Life—a book that has sold more than 500,000 copies worldwide—and her team from Inquiry Institute. They generously invested their time not to lecture or persuade, but to engage us in thoughtful dialogue and invite us to experience the power of better questions. Their curiosity, humility, and authentic desire to help others think more deeply made a lasting impression.

The session reinforced a simple but profound truth: Questions shape our thinking. They interrupt assumptions, expand perspective, and reveal possibilities that might otherwise remain hidden. Better questions don’t just lead to better answers—they open the door to better conversations, better decisions, and ultimately, better results.

Perhaps that’s one of the highest callings in learning and development. Beyond transferring knowledge or building capability, our role is to help people uncover how they can do the best work of their lives. We do that by creating space for reflection, sharing what we’ve learned generously, and asking questions that help others discover possibilities they can’t yet see.

In a world eager for answers, perhaps one of the greatest gifts we can offer is a gift of questions.

One great thing for 06.30.26 – The Inquiry Institute • Bringing to life the ideas in the international bestseller, Change Your Questions, Change Your Life