Question to Learn: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Career, Team, and Organization

by Joe Lalley

Every company or team assumes they are curious, that their questions are a strength. In my experience, that assumption is often wrong. In many organizations, questions have become something else, something negative.

The good news is that we all have the power to change that. It just means tapping into a skill we all had as kids—pure, unfiltered curiosity.

Question to Learn is a mix of my life story, the stories of other professionals like me and examples of companies who have struggled and thrived with questions. My goal is to guide you through a journey from feeling stuck to unstuck, much like I would with clients in a workshop.

If you’ve ever felt like you wanted to ask a question to learn but buried it below a layer of self-doubt or fear, this book will help you break that cycle. If you’ve ever been asked a question that was clearly not intended to learn, this book will help you create an environment where questions are used in their purest form—to learn. If you’ve ever been frustrated by endless meetings spent debating something that could be learned simply by asking, this book is for you.

155 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 15, 2025

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe Lalley had me at his call to join the community of the curious - “a community where questions from professionals at all levels are celebrated, not discouraged” - I am a huge fan of questions and connection, and if you are too, this book is for you! His goal of readers having a renewed relationship with questions that are full of meaning, purpose and fun, deeply resonated for me.

It was great to see that Lalley is a fan of Warren Berger’s A More Beautiful Question too - that was part of what drew me to this book’s title. I enjoyed how this book dovetails with Berger’s book with Question to Learn being about moving from not knowing to knowing via some key questions - The Hero Question, The Power Move Question, The Time Machine, The Unspoken Question, The Leading Question, and The Selfie. I’m sure these names will intrigue you and make you want to read and know more!

Similarly interesting, The Platinum Rule concept rooted in empathy and questions is particularly creative - “treat others the way they want to be treated.” The implications for deeper relationships based on seeking to truly understand, learn and connect are powerful. Also inspiring is the How Might We? design thinking concept, and the lenses to use to look at problems and find imaginative answers:

Lens 1: Question an assumption
Lens 2: Explore an analogy.
Lens 3: Explore the opposite.
Lens 4: Go for descriptive adjectives.
Lens 5: Break it down into smaller pieces.

This and other concepts in the book provide sparks for visionary and different thinking. Hoping you decide to join the community of the curious too!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lalley made me think about what curiosity really was and how leaders easily kill it through their behavior and misunderstanding of its importance. He effectively showed how different questions can shut people down, which then stifles the team's ability to reach the best solutions that can be game changers for the organization. Lalley did a beautiful job showing how question storming can ignite a team’s curiosity. The first few chapters may make you want to dismiss this book as just another rehash of what you already know about the importance of questions. Don’t stop reading because after Chapter 5, there are so many great examples of the power of questions and very thorough explanations of how questions can squelch or champion curiosity. If you really want to have a team that values finding the best solutions, then you’ll want to use this book to teach people how to use curious questions.

[Lisapins · Rating 4 out of 5]

For curious cats...
• Are you a seasoned leader? How do you open up stuck conversations?
• Do you want a better weekly team meeting? How can leaders cultivate a culture of curiosity?
• What is the curse of knowledge? Have you ever played Kitty Cat Career?
• Have you noticed that questions are perceived negatively?

You might have felt a jolt of discomfort even reading these questions. If you did, this book might help unstick some gummy gears and help you create an environment where curiosity no longer kills the cat.

We received a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Daryl J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed QUESTION TO LEARN by Joe Lalley. One of the critical characteristics of a good leader is the ability to get to the heart of an issue by asking questions and being curious. After all, great innovations have resulted from people being curious. Awhile back I read A MORE BEAUTIFUL QUESTION by Warren Berger, and found it enjoyable and thought provoking. QUESTION TO LEARN does that, and more. I found that Lalley’s concept of “question-storming” was one of those nuggets that can make a difference in the process of problem solving. Well-written with excellent practical examples, QUESTION TO LEARN is a great book to add to any leader’s library.

[Crystal Furgerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lead with clarity, listen with purpose, and make an impact—these are essential qualities of great leadership. In Question to Learn: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Career, Team, and Organization, Joe Lalley explores how cultivating curiosity can elevate these traits and transform your approach to leadership. Lalley's passion for empowering leaders shines through, offering practical insights that can help you grow both personally and professionally. If you're looking to deepen your leadership skills and inspire your team, this book is a must-read.

[Anastasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book expecting a toolkit of questions to spark learning. What I found instead was a deeper exploration of how questions—especially one powerful question—can drive transformation.

The question ‘How Might We?’ stood out. Joe Lalley breaks it down: “ ‘How’ is about action. ‘Might’ is about experimentation and curiosity. ‘We’ fosters shared ownership.” It’s not just a question—it’s a mindset.

If you’re looking for a fresh lens to tackle challenges, this book—and this question—might be the spark you need. So… how might you use ‘How Might We?’ to transform your work?

[Michele Gorruso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great tool about the power of questioning to learn. The author shared a personal story about how he used this skill in his own life. This book will get you thinking!