Scaling Conversations

CHAPTER 8The Hierarchy of Questions

A man walks into your office. He's visibly upset. You ask him to close the door and take a seat. He begins to speak and before he can get a word completed, you cut him off. “Before you say anything to me,” you say, “I'd like you to start by telling me three things you most appreciate about our organization…and then…I want to hear one big idea to help us create a vision for the future we can strive for together.”

It's a cringe‐worthy scenario and everyone who reads it will say to themselves some version of: That's mildly comical—but—I'd never do that.

Are you sure you wouldn't? Maybe you already have many times. I'll explain.

In his research on the hierarchy of needs, and after connecting with Blackfoot leadership (please google this and then let's all give credit where credit is due), Abraham Maslow famously amplified wisdom on the reality that humans must have their basic needs addressed in order to attain the motivation to quest for the fulfillment of higher‐level needs.

The first layer of Maslow's hierarchy begins with physiological needs, such as food and water and sleep. The next layer is safety and security related to health, property, employment. Above that is belonging and love, followed by esteem and accomplishment. After all of those needs have been addressed you can grapple with self‐actualization and creativity. At the risk of oversimplifying a complex and academically debated subject, the basic idea is that it's hard to dream ...