It is probably quickly forgotten if we bring a stuffed animal to a hockey game and throw it onto the ice after the home team scores. However, if the home team holds a toy drive and thousands of stuffed animals are thrown onto the ice after the first goal, it is remarkable. Questions are similar; one rouge question might get a quick response, but a cascade of intentional questions can steer an enterprise’s future strategy.

What questions must you answer before you can ask another question?

Do you need to agree that contributed income is a vital source of revenue for your venture? Once established that contributed income is a priority, you can commence with questions about how your cause engages potential supporters in meaningful conversations about their philanthropy? The sub-questions have little value if we have not answered the essential question.