Our job as leaders isn’t to just to clarify a thought-processes — but to give a framework and confidence for more critical thinking. We raise consciousness, unlock the fullness of human potential, and ultimately enable greater freedom. – Shel Hart
There has been a gradual decline in people’s ability to think critically and reason independently. The carrot/stick and task-oriented approaches (learn the skill, get the score, get the degree and get the job) have grown in proportion with the rapid rate of change, stress, and desire for immediate gratification we are experiencing. This extrinsic motivation (outside push or influence) can stifle creativity, impair self-determination, lower self-esteem, and have the unintended effect of creating less meaning in what someone does. Extrinsic motivation often results in declining standards and lack of motivation due to the lack of experiencing motivation through the learning process. We are slowly turning into “human doings” and it is happening at an accelerated rate.
As a liberal arts graduate from a Jesuit College, I had to take a disproportionate share of philosophy classes. One of my perennial favorites was Socrates and his Socratic Method. According to Socrates, “Wisdom is limited to an awareness of your own ignorance.” Socrates used his Socratic Method as a means of uncovering this ignorance by challenging the completeness of thinking. His series of disciplined and probing questioning brought his students to a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter or issue.
While providing the answer is a quicker way of imparting information, it is an illusion in the development of the student. By nature, humans are curious, try to make meaning from experience, and strive to be effective at what is valued. Our ultimate goal as leaders and parents is to create opportunities, through teaching, that can evoke motivation, stimulate critical thought, and help move people closer to their objectives.
Our roles as leaders is not to solve problems. It’s to help others solve problems, themselves. Leadership is stewardship. It’s navigating our teams through uncertainty, change, and division to the desired destination, all while making sure people feel heard, valued, and respected.
So how do we create learning environments that are more agile, adaptable, and creative? How do we encourage independent thinking, and sound reasoning while respecting the natural consequences of our actions and behaviors?
The Socratic Method offers us a time-tested method of questioning in which the teacher imparts little or no information but asks a series of questions, through answering, the respondent eventually comes to the desired knowledge. This is a disciplined process and one that requires commitment, practice, and patience.
The Socratic process can be broken down into a series of 6 steps of questioning:
Clarification – Why are you stating that? What do we already know about this? How does this relate to our discussion? Can you provide an example?
Probing assumptions – What could we assume instead? How can you verify or disprove? What would happen if…? How did you choose those assumptions? What do you see as the underlying root cause of the problem? What are the options, potential solutions, and courses of action you’re considering? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each course of action?
Probing rationale – How do you know this? What do you think causes …? What evidence is there that supports …? How might it be refuted? How do you know you will have been successful?
Questioning viewpoints – What are alternative ways of looking at this? What are the strengths and weaknesses of…? Explain why this is necessary or beneficial and who benefits from it. Is there an easier way to do what you suggested? What would happen if you didn’t do anything at all?
Probing consequences – What are the consequences of this assumption? How does … affect …? How does … fit with what our experience tells us? What generalizations can we make? How would you define success in this scenario? What would the worst possible case outcome be? What’s the most likely outcome? What’s at stake here, in this decision? Is there another solution that isn’t immediately apparent?
Questions on the question – What is the point of the question? Why do you think I asked the question? What does … mean?
One important thing to remember is that Socrates, while an excellent teacher, also used this method of questioning to “shred” his opponents. The Socratic Method can be used both for both building up and tearing down so remain mindful of how you use this method. While facilitating a Socratic dialogue be sure to:
Let the person / group know you don’t have all the answers. Show you also have fears, doubts and insecurities.
Be honest and listen carefully.
Don’t rush to judgment. Dialogue is pointless if there is not trust and a willingness to get things out in the open.
Take the dialogue seriously and show respect for thoughts and opinions (especially in disagreement).
Philosopher or not, each one of us has room to grow and improve in our teaching capabilities. Remember, the concise and expedient answer you provide for the student in solving a problem may not build the character, emotional fortitude, depth, and self-esteem we seek in our future generation. This is a front -loaded proposition for today’s leaders and parents in seeing these opportunities that will enable self-directed, self-disciplined, and self -corrective thinking. Eric Hoffer summed it up well, “In times of change learners will inherit the Earth; while the learned find themselves perfectly equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.”
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