- Who is your current Hero… and Why?
- Do you remember your first birthday or Christmas? …
- Speaking of holidays, what is your favorite part about Thanksgiving?
- What is your favorite and least favorite food at Thanksgiving?
- Who is your favorite relative to see during the holidays?
This time I wasnt talking to a group of newsroom managers. I was invited to speak to a community group in my hometown of Milwaukee. A religious charity had set up a day this fall that focused on getting the most of life — from happiness and health to wealth (or at least prudent money management.) I was to deliver the keynote speech — consistent with the days theme.
So I developed a list of ideas for “Getting the Most our of Life — Whatever Path You Take.” As I wrote it, I realized that it was influenced by the work I do each day with journalists and those who lead them. True to our coaching-style of teaching at Poynter, my list is filled with questions. For this offering, Ive added a few thoughts to each of those questions.
1.) Who have you helped lately, with nothing in it for you but the joy of seeing others succeed? Working with newsrooms has taught me that managers become true leaders as they realize their greatest joys come through the success of others. You need not be a manager to enjoy this blessing of leadership.
2.) What have you cared about so much that you would put it in writing? A sincere thanks? A love note? Praise for a job well done? When we teach about feedback, I ask if anyone in the group has a note of praise from someone that they keep to this day. Most hands go up. A card, a note, a letter of positive words is priceless. When in doubt, write it.
3.) What tradition have you carried on — or started? Families have them. So do newsrooms and colleagues.They begin because someone takes the time to start them and others join in to keep them alive. Whats yours?
4.) Which of your assumptions have you challenged lately? If you arent challenging your assumptions, can you really say you are learning? If you arent challenging your assumptions, can you really say you are doing your best to resolve conflicts in your life?
5.) How did you help someone have a great day at work? Do you know what their “great day” would be? I love to talk (and write) about this. From the clerk at the grocery to the colleague across the organization, how much do you know about the professional standards they aspire to, and what, at the end of a day, makes them proud of their work? When you do, you can help them — and yourself.
6.) Who would say youve really listened to them lately? Really listened? I love the quote by author/humorist Fran Lebowitz: “The opposite of talking isnt listening. The opposite of talking is waiting.” I fear that describes too many of us. Lousy listening isnt helpful in leadership or life — and its curable.
7). What risk have you taken recently? What have you tried thats new? What have you failed at and learned from? And how have you supported someone for trying?
8.) What connections have you made or renewed? There are good people — friends, mentors, former colleagues — from whom weve lost contact. Dont wait until a downsizing-driven need to network or a funeral brings you together. Reach out for the sheer joy of touching base with a bright light in your life.
9.) What have you done for fun lately? Isnt it a shame that I have to ask this? Poynters past president, the late Jim Naughton, said it best in an essay: “The wonderful thing about having fun in journalism is that anyone can start it. Talk about empowerment.” Exercise your right to have fun at work — and balance in your life. If you are the boss, do your part to keep fun — and balance — alive.
10.) What question did I forget to ask? What kind of question is that? The best way to close, says Bob Schieffer. When he spoke recently at Poynters Leadership Academy, he told us he always ends an interview that way, and has found a gold mine of important information in the process. Asking people what theyd like you to know may demonstrate that you dont know everything — and thats precisely why they will take the time to teach you.
Ina Garten Answers ALL Your Thanksgiving Questions | InStyle
Personal History Interview Questions: Thanksgiving Edition
Use these questions merely as a guide or to give you ideas for questions of your own. The key to any good personal history interview is listening—so ask follow-up questions that genuinely interest you, and let the stories take their own paths…that is usually when the magic ensues!
Is there a dish you always associate with Thanksgiving? Do you know who has the recipe, and who originally cooked it for your family?
Did your parents make you eat anything you absolutely hated?
What food(s) do you associate with comfort? With the onset of the school year?
Who made the cakes for birthdays in your home?
Do you recall any massive failures at cooking—a horrible dinner, burnt pie, missing ingredients?
Who taught you how to cook?
What traditions do you most fondly recall from your childhood?
Are there certain traditions that have persisted for generations in your family?
What traditions have you begun anew with your own nuclear family?
Is there a memorable gift you have given someone?
What is the best gift you have ever received?
Was there ever a moment where you laughed uncontrollably?
Whose laughter do you find heartwarmingly contagious?
Who in the family tells the best jokes?
Do you recall a time you failed in a big way? Can you share the story of how you felt, who comforted you, what you learned? Did that failure hinder you from taking chances in the future, or embolden you in any way?
Do you remember lessons your grandparents taught you?
How were you punished as a child?
Is there a fear you have that you have never been able to overcome?
Who was your first love?
Do you remember the first time you said “I love you” to someone who was not part of your family?
How would you describe the love you received from your parents?
Was your grandparents’ or great-grandparents’ love different in any way from that of your parents’?
What teams do you root for?
Did you ever tailgate at a football game?
Did you play sports growing up? Were you a team captain?
Do you remember any big wins? Any big losses?
Are/were there any big rivalries among family members and team loyalties?
What do you remember most about your childhood home?
Where did you do your homework when you were a kid?
Did you have a secret hiding place in your home?
Did you ever move from one home to another? What was that like?
Was there another place you considered a “home away from home”?
Were there any comforts from your childhood that you translated into all your adult homes?
Did you play outside after school? What was it like being a kid in your neighborhood?
Did you have a favorite teacher as a kid?
What were your favorite years in school? Why?
What did it say about you in your high school yearbook?
Did you have a childhood dream about what you wanted to do with your life? Do you ever think about it now?
Do you remember drills during school (depending upon age of interviewee, could refer to duck and cover drills during war, fire drills, etc.)
What subjects were you good at? Which ones were more challenging for you?
What kind of grades did you get?
Did you belong to any clubs? Go to dances?
What were some challenges from your school years, particularly ones that made you a stronger or more compassionate person?
Describe your family legacy with regard to education—who was the first to go to college; have any of you attended the same schools; etc.
Download all 55 questions in a handy printable booklet!
Questions to Spark Meaningful Conversation
On Thanksgiving, many of us find ourselves with people we rarely see or hardly know. In these kinds of situations, meaningful conversation is often difficult.
Here are some questions designed to spark not only conversation, but also dialogue relevant to the season.
When used with a group, one option is for each person to answer each question. Another option is for each person to answer just one or two questions.
When answering the questions, don’t forget to explain the “why” for each answer.
Afterward, look for an opportunity to conclude the discussion with a prayer of gratitude to God.
Donald S. Whitney (PhD, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa) is professor of biblical spirituality and associate dean at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He has written several books, including Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Don blogs regularly at BiblicalSpirituality.org.
Thanksgiving Questions to Ask Around the Table
Involve the youngest members of your family and friends in the dinner table interactions with these kid-friendly Thanksgiving conversation questions to ask at dinner.
Thanksgiving and the holiday season is a time to catch up with your relatives and talk with those who you might not see very often. Surround yourself with good food, great people and create long lasting memories. This holiday season, take advantage of having all of your loved ones together in one place and dive deeper into your family history. Interviewing your family members has always been a great jumping off point for genealogists and family history enthusiasts alike. While the stories and details that they share might not be what lands you that missing marriage record, they will go a long way in understanding your ancestors, your family and how they got to where you are. In hopes that you might use this Thanksgiving as an opportunity to talk to your relatives, we have a few ways to help you approach your family members to inspire great family stories. Start off by making everyone feel comfortable by letting your family know that this Thanksgiving you want to talk about family stories. By setting the stage, your family will be more likely to open up and wont be so surprised when you start asking them a few interview questions. As the family historian in the family, let people know that this is an important step in telling your familys story and theyll be much more willing to share. If your family is open to the idea, record some of the responses or stories that you get. Not sure how to record your conversations Luckily we wrote a blog post on different ways to record audio, which will help you out with apps and computer software. Of course, not everyone is comfortable around a microphone or being recorded, so be ready with some paper and a writing instrument to take a few notes. Always keep in mind that youre trying to inspire a conversation, not an interrogation. Ask questions that might stir up a story rather than ones that elicit a brief response. A great example is, rather than asking when someone died and getting a date in response, ask about their funeral, who was there, where was it, etc. Also, remember that if you take notes, write down as much of the story as you remember as soon as possible. And if you were able to record what was shared, transcribe it! Without further ado, our expert Juliana Szucs Smith has made a handy downloadable PDF filled with great questions sure to kick start a great dialogue amongst your relatives! Click here to download our interview questions PDF.
FAQ
What are some good questions to ask about Thanksgiving?
- What’s your favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal?
- Is Thanksgiving your favorite holiday?
- How did you celebrate last Thanksgiving?
- What are you most thankful for?
- What family members come to your Thanksgiving Dinner?
- What’s your worst Thanksgiving memory?
What are the questions asked in interview with answers?
- Tell me about yourself? …
- Why are you interested in this job? …
- What would you say are your greatest strengths? …
- What do you think are your biggest weaknesses? …
- Where do you see yourself in five years?
