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Are You Asking Provocative Questions?

By Jill Konrath

The other night on TV, I saw an ESPN special on the Football Hall of Fame. Just before the final commercial break, the announcer said something like, "When we get back, you'll have a chance to learn what we asked these Hall-of-Famers."

Then they showed clip after clip of the most famous football players ever, all shaking their heads saying things like, "Wow, that's a tough one" and "I don't have a clue." Of course, I stayed glued to the television to find out the question that elicited these incredulous responses. When the show returned, the announcer posed the question:

"If you were the captain of a football team composed only of Hall-of-Famers, who would be the first person you would pick to be on your team?"

What a great question! Every single person had to really think before they answered it. Did they want an offensive or a defensive player? Someone they'd played with or against? Perhaps even a player from an entirely different era? What qualities would they want in that first pick?

Great questions are like that. They're provocative, forcing you to look beyond the obvious, to analyze, assess and make decisions.


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