Better Questions, Better Results

How Does Prior Planning Impact Performance? January 27, 2025 | Decision Making, Mental Models, Planning, Question a Day, Risk Management, Strategy, Time Management Question a Day Mastering Success: The Power of Prior Planning  When it comes to achieving goals—whether personal, professional, or academic—the age-old adage “Failing to plan is planning to fail” couldn’t be more accurate. Prior planning lays the groundwork for success, ensuring clarity, efficiency, and resilience. In this post, we’ll explore how prior planning impacts performance and offer actionable tips to help you plan more effectively. The Importance of Prior Planning for Performance 1.  Clarity of Purpose Prior planning provides a clear roadmap for your journey. By defining objectives, milestones, and end goals, you minimize confusion and ensure your energy is directed toward what truly matters. Example: Imagine setting out on a road trip without a map or GPS. Sure, you might find some scenic detours, but the ...

How can childlike curiosity inspire growth in life and work? January 26, 2025 | Challenge Assumptions, Creativity, Curiosity, Life Long Learning, Personal Development, Question a Day Question a Day How Childlike Curiosity Inspires Growth in Life and Work Today is my eldest daughter Hazel’s birthday, and this post is for her. Hazel, like so many kids her age, is a ball of curiosity, energy, and determination. She’s a 4.0 student, a cross-country runner, and a swimmer, but what I admire most about her is the way she approaches challenges—with endless questions and an eagerness to understand. Just the other day, she was telling me about how she wanted to learn the science behind swimming techniques to improve her efficiency in the water. On her own, she dove into videos and articles about hydrodynamics, determined to figure out how to shave seconds off her time. Watching Hazel reminds me how powerful childlike curiosity can be—not just for kids, but for adults too. Somewhere along the way...

Why is "What Do You Want to Eat?" the Hardest Question to Answer? January 25, 2025 | Decision Making, Health, Humor, Mental Models, Question a Day, Uncertainty Question a Day Unpacking the Psychology, Decision Fatigue, and Social Dynamics Behind the World's Most Frustrating Question  "What do you want to eat?" —a question so simple yet so frustratingly hard to answer. It’s derailed dinner plans, sparked arguments, and even inspired countless memes. What makes this question such a universal struggle? The answer lies in a mix of psychology, decision-making fatigue, and social dynamics. Let’s unpack why this innocent question feels like such a monumental task. 1.  Decision Fatigue: Your Brain is Over It By the time most people face the  "What do you want to eat?"  question, their mental energy has been zapped. This phenomenon, known as  decision fatigue , occurs when the brain becomes overwhelmed after making too many choices throughout the day. From deci...

What Really Happens in Davos? 24 January 2025 | Collaboration, Conferences, Conversation, Ethics, Government, Leadership, Networking, Question a Day, Strategic Partnerships Question a Day What Really Happens in Davos? Inside the World Economic  Forum's Annual Meeting The mention of Davos often conjures images of billionaires, world leaders, and celebrities sipping champagne while discussing global inequality in designer snow boots. But beyond the clichés and memes, the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos is a complex and carefully orchestrated event. Let’s dig into what really happens in Davos, Switzerland, when the world’s elite descend on this tiny Alpine town. What is Davos? First, let’s clarify what we’re talking about. "Davos" is shorthand for the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting, held every January in the Swiss ski town of Davos-Klosters. This isn’t your average conference. It’s a gathering of political leaders, business titans, academics, NG...