In an era of information overload and political divisiveness, it can seem harder than ever to identify accurate facts, make sound decisions and build the meaningful personal connections that enrich our lives.
Fortunately, all of us have access to one of the most valuable tools available for cutting through the noise and achieving better outcomes – the questions we ask. But knowing how to ask the right questions at the right time cannot be taken for granted. The art of asking questions is an invaluable skill set, but few of us ever stop to examine how it works or what’s necessary to fully take advantage of it.
Author Frank Sesno aims to change that with Ask More, a guide to unlocking the power of inquiry that will change how you innovate and communicate in both personal and professional settings.
Sesno, an Emmy Award-winning journalist, has spent decades questioning global leaders and everyday people alike. In the book, he draws on his formidable interviewing skills and experience to break down the art of inquiry into eleven useful categories of questions, each designed for a specific purpose.
Ask More is packed with illuminating interviews and stories from dozens of leaders who have used these questioning techniques to innovate and excel. By the end of the book, you’ll discover what to ask and when, what you should listen for and how each different type of question will move you toward your goals.
Among the insights you’ll find in Ask More …
Colin Powell shows how strategic questions can define a mission and forecast success – or failure.
Turnaround expert Steve Miller employs diagnostic questions to get to the heart of a company’s problems.
NPR’s Terry Gross digs deeper with empathy questions.
Journalists Anderson Cooper and Jorge Ramos explain how they use confrontational questions to hold people accountable.
Creative questions drove a couple of techie dreamers to imagine Uber, and a young mayor to challenge history.
Karen Osborne asks mission questions to help nonprofits raise awareness – and money.
Dr. Anthony Fauci posed scientific questions to help crack the HIV/AIDS mystery.
Amid the proliferation of instant answers, fly-by facts and relentless clickbait, Sesno makes a powerful case for the value of observing carefully, listening intently and asking more. He reveals a roadmap to inquiry that will change the way you question – and that might even change your life.
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Reviews of Ask More
“Ask More encourages us to defy our fears and tackle those problems that beset us with measured, careful inquiry.”
“Both intriguing and inspiring, Ask More shows how questions convey interest, feed curiosity, and reveal answers that can change the course of both your professional and personal life.”
“In Ask More, Sesno’s experience as one of the world’s premier interviewers is clearly evident ... his well-told stories illustrate just how and when to use every inquisitorial technique at your disposal.”
“When it comes to asking the kinds of questions that get you the kinds of answers that actually mean something, Sesno is your guy. ”
“Post-election America has prompted a reflective period for many ... Sesno couldn’t have timed any better the release of his research- and interview-based exploration of the art of strategic questioning.”
“… helps you learn, understand, connect, observe, push boundaries, solve problems and hold people accountable. ”
“The book covers a lot of territory ... there’s a lot to be learned from his thoughtful, in-depth exploration.”
“… easy-to-read and the ideas are logical. Readers will be hard pressed to not find several nuggets to add to their own toolbox of questioning strategies.”
“… comprehensive question guide to provoke thought and inspire creative answers, complete with scenarios ranging from identifying a physical illness to acing a job interview.”
Praise for Ask More
“Ask More is an essential guide to asking questions in a way that can better achieve your goals. Through engaging stories and remarkable people, this illuminating book will show you how you can use questions not only to learn, but to challenge, inspire, innovate and excel.”
“Frank Sesno is a master interviewer driven by his insatiable curiosity. In Ask More, he reveals his secrets to an engaged life. Read this book: It will help you liven every conversation, navigate through complexity, slice through evasion, turn strangers into friends, and chart your course through major life decisions. This book is not only about asking questions. It is also about living a rich life.”
“Do we want to be right? Or do we want to understand? (Spoiler alert from this remarkable read: the latter increases the odds of the former.) I wish I had had this book before I started a company, made an investment, travelled the world, and raised kids. In the complex journeys that are today, we gravitate to quick and simple answers. But never has it been more important to take the time to ask the right questions. Ask More is our journey’s road map.”
“This book challenges us to take an expansive approach to problem-solving. Frank Sesno shows us how to diagnose a problem or identify an opportunity through incisive and sustained questioning. If we ask with others’ perspectives in mind, we can come up with bigger and more innovative solutions.”
“Using rich stories and practical takeaways, renowned journalist Frank Sesno shows us the surprising, powerful ways that questioning can improve our lives – and even our world.”
“Frank Sesno asks all the right questions and shows their power. The message: Don’t avoid the question marks, just learn how to use them. I use questions as a weapon. But Frank is wiser; he uses questions to improve our lives.”