Principles
Conversation Principles
The purpose of Question for Today is not to persuade people to agree on everything. It is to encourage healthy conversations that lead to greater understanding and the discovery of common ground.
Our Conversation Principles
Principle I
Begin with a thoughtful question.
Honest, open questions are essential for gaining understanding.
Principle II
Listen to understand before responding.
Give the other person your full attention and seek to understand what they mean before deciding how you will respond.
Principle III
Think carefully about what the other person has said.
Reflection often reveals meaning that is missed when we listen only to prepare our next response.
Principle IV
Clarify before disagreeing.
Ask questions that help ensure you understand another person's position accurately before challenging it.
Principle V
Look for what you share in common.
Common ground provides a foundation upon which trust, cooperation, and meaningful relationships can grow.
Principle VI
Respect people even when you disagree.
Respect doesn't require consensus. Every person deserves to be treated with dignity.
Principle VII
Continue the conversation.
Don't end the conversation too soon. Continue talking long enough to reap the fruit of discovering what you share in common and to achieve greater understanding.
Our Guiding Principle
Understanding doesn't require agreement. Respect doesn't require consensus. Every meaningful conversation begins with a thoughtful question, a willingness to listen, and a sincere desire to understand one another—continuing the conversation long enough to reap the fruit of discovering what we share in common. It is our shared understanding and common values that establish the foundation upon which healthy relationships, strong communities, and meaningful lives are built.