The Power of Questions
Remarkable Questions for
Remarkable Results
Compliments of…
Kevin Eikenberry
Chief Potential Officer
The Kevin Eikenberry Group
KevinEikenberry.com
Preface
Questions are a powerful tool for communication, problem, learning and growth. Pick nearly
any professional role and you will find that the ability to ask better questions will make a
person more proficient at that job.
Let’s take my life roles as an example. I’m a speaker, trainer, consultant, and coach. I write, I
lead and I’m a spouse and parent. In everyone one of these roles being better at asking
questions, and asking the right questions at the right times will make me more effective. I
could give you examples of each, but it isn’t necessary.
In my work I often tell people that you become a better question asker when you ask more
questions. That truth is one reason this book exists. It exists to give you a starter list of
questions to use in different situations.
It is also meant to spur you to continue to collect and use questions in your interactions with
others.
Lastly, it is meant for you as an individual. The first section is all questions for you personally,
and the other sections contain questions that you can use personally as well. These questions
are meant to challenge and push you. They are meant to be fodder for regular reflection on
your progress towards becoming the human being you are capable of becoming.
And they are meant to just be the start.
Dip into what follows and you will find the power that is there.
Read from these questions regularly.
Use them for inspiration, use them to help you solve a problem, use them when coaching
someone, just use them.
And most importantly, when you ask the question, take time to consider your answer.
Your answers might change your life.
Yours in questions, and learning,
Kevin Eikenberry
The Kevin Eikenberry Group
www.KevinEikenberry.com
© 2015 All Rights Reserved
Section 1: Questions for Yourself
When did I last jump for joy?
In what parts of your life are you most curious?
What will I read today?
What is the most important thing I will do today?
Will I work solely on my work today or will I invest time in myself?
What is your fondest wish?
When do you feel best about yourself?
What is your biggest opportunity?
Is my attitude worth catching? (from Zig Ziglar)
What keeps you up at night?
What am I most proud of?
What is your favorite book and why?
What are some of my favorite places, and why?
When was the last time I failed? (and what did I learn)?
How accountable am I right now?
What is the truth of my life in this situation?
What will you do to be more grateful today?
How many times have you said, ‘I love you’ today?
Who do I need to be listening to?
Who do I need to be talking to?
What is worrying me and why?
What am I thinking about today?
What did I learn yesterday and how will I apply it today?
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www.KevinEikenberry.com
© 2015 All Rights Reserved
What is holding me back?
How could I improve right now?
What is the most meaningful book you’ve ever read, and why?
What is the most powerful movie you ever saw, and why?
What products inspire you? (and why?)
What keeps you up at night?
In what areas am I most courageous?
What is your favorite book and why?
What book has influenced you the most?
What song fires you up? (and when did you last listen to it?)
What don’t I have time for?
What can I learn by observing others?
What else could I be doing right now?
How can I add more value today?
What movie inspires me?
What WON’T I do today (that will help me be more productive)?
What are the most important lessons I learned from my father?
Who have been the most influential people I my life and why?
What can I learn from observing others today?
What are the most important lessons I learned from my mother?
When am I happiest?
Who will I serve today?
When am I most at peace?
The Kevin Eikenberry Group
www.KevinEikenberry.com
© 2015 All Rights Reserved
Section 2: Questions for Creativity and Problem Solving
How will I inspire myself today?
How will I create more happiness in the world today?
If not now, when?
What would perfect look and feel like?
What is the best next step?
How would you suggest we proceed?
What great questions have I asked today?
What has to be done?
Thinking about a problem? Ask yourself How do you feel about it?
What can I do to help you?
What key results are we/you looking for?
What can we change to make this better?
What is the most important question to ask right now?
What do you see contributing to this problem?
What is the most important thing to do right now?
What is your biggest concern?
What worked well?
Why wait until tomorrow?
When reviewing a project . . . What are some of the reasons this didn’t work as well as we
had hoped?
What will you do to be more creative today?
Are you more focused on your goals or firefighting? Why?
Which do you fear more – failure or success?
The Kevin Eikenberry Group
www.KevinEikenberry.com
© 2015 All Rights Reserved
What is the perfect result?
Have I missed anything important on this?
Is there anything I should have asked, but didn't? (via Wally Bock)
What support do I need?
What options haven’t I tried yet?
What other options are there?
What am I missing?
Is there an easier way?
What problem am I solving?
What is the highest and best use of my time right now?
Is it time to try a different way?
Why am I doing this?
What rule or policy needs to be broken or changed today?
What does my intuition tell me?
What change am I facing today, what choice will I make?
Where is my best place to get ideas?
How do I feel about the change in front of me and what can I do to make the choice to
change?
What idea do I need to let go of, or kill, in order to move forward?
The Kevin Eikenberry Group
www.KevinEikenberry.com
© 2015 All Rights Reserved
Section 3: Questions to Develop Others
How will you show your caring for others today?
What is your recommendation?
What does winning mean to you?
What is your biggest challenge?
Can you say more about that?
What is your favorite way to reflect?
What do you wish you had said yes to?
What have you said no to lately?
What are you grateful for?
What have you said yes to lately?
What is the best use of my time?
Do you believe in yourself?
Do you believe you can succeed?
What have you done today, to make you feel proud? (from The Biggest Loser television
show)
What is your fondest wish?
What does perfect look like to you?
How productive are your meetings?
Can you see your success?
What is your heart’s desire?
When are you at your best?
What problems can you solve?
What fascinates you?
The Kevin Eikenberry Group
www.KevinEikenberry.com
© 2015 All Rights Reserved
What gets you up in the morning?
What is your favorite question?
What role does speed play in my life?
Do you have more money in your closet or on your book shelves?
If not now, when?
If not you, who?
What’s most important to you?
What role is your attitude playing in your situation? How do you think/feel about it?
What’s important to you?
What three actions did you take today to begin or build a relationship?
The Kevin Eikenberry Group
www.KevinEikenberry.com
© 2015 All Rights Reserved
Section 4: Questions to Inspire
What idea am I in love with today?
What idea will I advance today?
What will I do today to make my tomorrow the best ever?
What lifelong memory will I make today?
How hard am I willing to work to improve myself and my results?
What step, however small, will I take towards my dreams today?
How will I show my passion today?
If I could paint a perfect picture (of your project or future or goal), what would it look like?
What amazing thing have I tried today?
What am I best at?
How will I serve today?
What is my intention today?
Who will I thank today? (when?)
How will I be my best self more today?
If you aren’t listening, are you leading?
What is my biggest goal for the week?
Have I told the people that I love, that I love them yet today?
What skills must I magnify to reach my dreams and goals?
What will I learn today?
How will I serve today?
What is my contribution?
Do I believe in others? How do I let them know?
What opportunities related to my goals remain untapped?
The Kevin Eikenberry Group
www.KevinEikenberry.com
© 2015 All Rights Reserved
How can I nurture a relationship right now?
How courageous am I?
How you start the day has a lot to do with how you experience it. | How will I start my
tomorrow?
What is the next task on my way to success?
What will I do today to make someone else great?
How can I be more courageous today?
Who do I need to listen to today?
What opportunities surround me?
Who do I most admire?
Am I settling for the ordinary?
What am I working toward today?
The Kevin Eikenberry Group
www.KevinEikenberry.com
© 2015 All Rights Reserved
This Special Report was written by Kevin Eikenberry, Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin
Eikenberry Group.
Kevin Eikenberry is an expert on team and leadership development and is the
Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group.
He has spent over 20 years helping organizations all across North America with
leadership, learning, teams and teamwork, creativity and more. His client list
includes: the American Red Cross, Chevron, Chevron Phillips Chemical Co., John Deere, Purdue
University, Southwest Airlines, TriHealth, the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.S. Mint and many more.
He is a frequent presenter at professional conferences and a sought-after keynote speaker. He
currently serves on four boards of directors in order to contribute, hone his leadership skills and
add an additional dimension to his experiences.
He is the author of the bestselling books Remarkable Leadership, From Bud to Boss and
Vantagepoints on Learning and Life, and a contributing author to more than 20 other books. He
was recently named one of the Top 100 Leadership and Management Experts in the World by
Inc.com.
Additional Resources
The Kevin Eikenberry Group offers a variety of public workshops on leadership,
communications, and much more. These workshops are offered in metropolitan areas across
the country, and since they are being offered somewhere every month and nearly every week,
they allow participants to attend exactly when they need the skills. Workshops include:
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Bud to Boss
Communicating for Results
Conflict Confidence
Remarkable Coaching
Remarkable Leadership
Other Resources
The Leadership & Learning Blog
Unleashing Your Remarkable Potential
20 Days to Remarkable Leadership – a FREE, online video training series
Remarkable Learning
The Kevin Eikenberry Group
www.KevinEikenberry.com
© 2015 All Rights Reserved