Give or take the Energy Question [appreciative inquiry #006]

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[from book part 2 When the beginning starts to begin]


Can you remember a person who highly inspired you?
Would you tell me about your favorite music, or song?
What are you the most proud of?

These kind of questions – so-called ‘energy questions’ – help the other to find examples of inspiring experiences they once had. The act of remembering positive emotions boosts one’s energy. The person feels good while appreciating its positive memories and appreciates the question and the one questioning it. He or she is willing to tell more and, if invited, to tell the full story behind it. In other words, an energy question is the perfect starter of a constructive conversation. It’s fun for you as well! Just look at the face of someone who is telling about that what makes her proud…

Asking these questions puts you in an appreciative mode. Being in an appreciative mode helps you to find more energy questions. It’s generative!

Loesje says: “I know you already for years, but I’m sure you have new ideas.”

Once you are going to use energy questions regularly, you’ll find out that there’s unlimited stock. Add an age to the question, like “what would you like to become when you were eighteen” and you open up a complete new source of energy.

So, what would be a suitable energy question for the first person you will meet? Would you like to give that person and your question some thoughts? And when the two of you meet, will you be going for it?


You’ve just read one of the 110 chapters of my book Appreciative Inquiries of the 3.0 Kind. Find out more (and a special pre-ordering offer) on www.appreciativeinquiries.eu