Socratic Questioning - "Meetings are a waste of time"

Changing perspectives since 400 BCE.

Socrates offered a framework to dig deeper into problems and ideas by asking targeted questions. It can help us with critical thinking and discovering first-principles.

Socratic questioning is a discussion led by a person who focuses only on asking questions. But these questions help others think in new ways by making them explore different perspectives.

You can dive deeper into philosophical disputes as Socrates did but also use the following set of questions to work on practical applications.

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In Practice

For this exercise, I was inspired by comment threads on my article "On One-on-Ones - Insights From 1,500 Meetings." My questions will focus on demonstrating possible Socratic questioning in action and potential responses.

The take is on: "Meetings are a waste of time":

1. Clarification

• Why do you say that?

• Could you explain further?

For example: Why are meetings a waste of time? But more importantly: What kind of meetings are we talking about?

Possible Answer 1: The team meeting lasted an hour with no clear agenda or takeaways. It felt like an interruption rather than progress. So, meetings are a waste of time.

Possible Answer 2: During our one-on-one, my manager talked for the whole time about new processes in the company which I'm not interested in.

Each employee might have their reasons, from lower productivity to feel their time is wasted. But clarification is needed for everything that might be subjective.

Step’s Focus: It helps us understand what we are talking about and to be on the same page.

Library of Trinity College Dublin, Sep 22, 2024

2. Challenge Assumptions

• Is this always the case?

• What are your assumptions? Why do you think that this assumption holds here?

For example: Do you think that all the meetings are a waste of time? Which aren't? What are your assumptions?

Possible Answer: While one-on-ones and standups could be written updates, brainstorming sessions for system design are giving us good progress. I assume that most of my colleagues think like me.

Step’s Focus: Ask them to list their assumptions. By asking if it is "always the case," we can find counter-arguments.

3. Look for Data / Evidence

• Why do you say that?

• Is there any reason to doubt this evidence?

For example: How would you measure whether the meeting is a waste of time?

Possible Answer: After meetings, I often lose focus for 20 minutes, but I’ve never tracked this impact objectively. Lack of action points, however, is a clear signal of wasted time, when we assume that action points are the measure of a productive meeting.

Quality of meetings is an interesting case to look at. We can track if they're happening but it’s hard to measure its value objectively.

Step’s Focus: Asking what kind of evidence they have can help them verify the sources of their beliefs.

4. Change Perspective (Perspectiveship's favourite)

• What is the counter-argument?

• Can/did anyone see this another way?

For example: What kind of meetings are valuable? For whom meetings are valuable?

Possible Answer: I find meetings frustrating as a developer, but some colleagues like them. For managers meetings are their default, for collaboration and decision-making.

Trying to determine in which roles in the organisation see the value in meetings, but also what can be changed for groups which dislike meetings the most.

Step’s Focus: Look at the problem from others’ points of view. If we assume that other people, especially those we know well, are as rational as we are, it becomes easier to question and update our assumptions.

5. Explore Implications and Consequences

• But if ... happened, what else would result?

• How does ... affect ...?

For example: What happens if we remove all the meetings from the organisation?

Possible Answer 1: Organisations that eliminate meetings need to learn asynchronous communication. While this approach can improve productivity, it risks leaving behind people who prefer real-time collaboration.

Possible Answer 2: Not having meetings will free up a lot of time, but does that mean I need to work more?

Can we remove one-on-ones and daily stand-ups? It’s possible in some cases. These meetings should benefit both employees and managers. Bad one-on-ones might be removed without much impact, but losing good ones would affect the organisation.

Step’s Focus: Explore the possible outcomes and effects of actions to understand their impact.

6. Question the Question

• Why do you think that I asked these questions?

• Why was that question important?

We ask about the method itself. I didn’t offer any solutions just by asking questions, but it’s not the goal of Socratic questioning.

Step’s Focus: Check with your audience if answering the questions made any difference to them.

Summary

The key is to remain open to possibilities and be ready to face our beliefs. Socratic questioning is a great way to work on improving our critical thinking.

When following Socratic questioning ask to:

• Clarify the idea: It helps us understand what we are talking about and to be on the same page

• Challenge assumptions: Ask them to list their assumptions.

• Look for evidence: Asking what kind of evidence they have can help them verify the sources of their beliefs

• Change perspectives: Look at the problem from others’ points of view.

• Explore consequences: Explore the possible outcomes and effects of actions to understand their impact

Thanks for reading,

— Michał

P.S. The framework illustrated by TED-Ed in the video:  This tool will help improve your critical thinking - Erick Wilberding

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Articles that might help you explore new perspectives, which I’ve read recently:

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