The purpose of questioning assumptions is to avoid making mistakes and suffering unintended consequences based on false or incomplete information, both in your own thinking and in your interactions with other people at work and at home.

To practice questioning assumptions do the following:

Think of a situation in which you are stuck, frustrated or where you want a change. Use the following list of assumption-busting questions to help you take a disciplined approach to unearth any false or faulty assumptions that might be blocking your success.

• What assumptions am I making about myself?

• What assumptions am I making about others?

• What am I assuming from the past that may not be true now?

• What am I assuming about available resources?

• What am I assuming about what’s impossible – or about what is possible?

To read more, visit page 119-134 and 199 from Change Your Questions, Change Your Life: 12 Powerful Tools for Leadership, Coaching, and Life.

Practice asking these questions about a particular situation and share with me what you discovered in questioning your assumptions.