Nate’s Notes 236: Peter Schein on Humble Inquiry | Asking Instead of Telling

I love the Humble Inquiry approach Peter described, and how it’s a philosophy about how to get along, gather information, and build relationships. The key is to ask people questions we don’t know the answer to. If we tell people what to do, or guide them with questions we already know the answer to, we are telling them that we know best. But by asking people questions we don’t know the answer to, we communicate genuine curiosity while also gathering information we don’t currently possess.

In summary, remember to ask people questions that we don’t know the answer to. It’s a simple idea. Please take it seriously.

Peter Schein Bio:

Peter Schein is co-author of the worldwide best seller, Humble Inquiry: The Gentle Art of Asking Instead of Telling. Together with his father Edgar Schein, one of the founders of organizational psychology, Peter has co-written six books, including Humble Leadership and Career Anchors Reimagined.

Peter holds degrees from Stanford, Northwestern and USC.