Better Questions

The Ski Bus

As a kid, I would take a ski bus from the resort to the ski area’s base. It had large metal racks outside the bus, and you placed your skis into a rack by raising them high enough to slot their tails into the rack. It was the most stressful part of the day. I often needed help and feared the bus would depart before I finished loading or unloading my skis. Most of the time, a kind stranger would give me the little assistance I needed to execute the maneuver successfully. The anxiety almost kept me from going skiing.

The bus was designed for adults before anyone considered the consequences of getting road grime on the ski bases. Now, most buses allow skis to be taken inside the bus.

What barriers have we created, intentionally or unintentionally, that are keeping people from engaging with our cause or benefiting from our services? Are we asking the right questions to assess the barriers?

Right Questions

“Is this the boat?“

This summer, I watched a scenario in which tourists were instructed to board the next ferry that arrived in port. They intended to take the inter-island ferry to a city a few hours away. When a small tender arrived to take a handful of passengers to the ship anchored in the harbor, they attempted to board with their bags. The crew had to explain that the ferry was a much larger vessel that could carry hundreds of people and would travel far beyond the harbor. The tourists insisted that this was the right boat until a ferry agent guided them back to the line.

If we want the right answers, we are better served to ask the right questions.

What Next?

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What is next is uncertain. What we can manage is our mindset and the questions we ask. Asking, what next, may leave us in a reactive state. Some alternative questions. How are we uniquely positioned to lead in uncertain times? What is different, and how might I use this new information to serve more effectively? What gives me hope? If we can facilitate one interaction today, what would be most valuable? Who is making significant progress, and what might I learn from their success? Who is ready to partner? What are the needs and mindset of the individuals we are hoping to serve?