Keeping a question journal is one of the most effective ways to develop your questioning skills and capture insights over time. Unlike traditional journals that focus primarily on recording events or thoughts, a question journal centers on the evolving inquiries that guide your thinking and growth.
This appendix provides several templates for different types of question journals, each designed for specific purposes and contexts. Feel free to use these as starting points, adapting them to your particular needs and preferences.
This simple format helps you bookend your days with purposeful questions and reflections.
Date: _____
Three questions I want to live with today:
One question that might shift my perspective today: ______________________
Question I’m continuing to explore from yesterday: ______________________
Date: _____
Questions that arose today:
Insights or partial answers that emerged: ______________________ ______________________ ______________________
Questions to carry forward tomorrow: ______________________
Meta-question: What did I learn about my questioning today? ______________________ ______________________
This template helps track the evolution of your questions through a specific challenge or problem-solving process.
Date: _____ New questions emerging:
Questions I’m letting go of or modifying:
Why my questioning is shifting: ______________________ ______________________
Date: _____ Question that led to insight: ______________________
The insight: ______________________ ______________________
How this changes my understanding of the problem: ______________________ ______________________
Questions about potential solutions:
Questions to test and refine the chosen solution:
How did the quality of my questions influence the outcome? ______________________ ______________________
What questioning patterns were most helpful? ______________________ ______________________
What would I ask differently next time? ______________________ ______________________
Use this template to prepare thoughtful questions before important meetings or conversations.
Date and purpose: _______________ **Participants:** __________________ Desired outcome: ________________
Context-Setting Questions (to establish shared understanding):
Perspective Questions (to explore different viewpoints):
Challenge Questions (to test assumptions or explore alternatives):
Action Questions (to move toward decisions or next steps):
Backup Questions (if conversation goes in unexpected directions):
Which questions were most effective and why? ______________________ ______________________
Questions I wish I had asked: ______________________
Questions to follow up on: ______________________ ______________________
How to improve my questioning in the next meeting: ______________________ ______________________
This template helps leaders track the impact of their questions on team dynamics and outcomes.
Team/situation: ________________ **Current challenges:** ________________ Leadership goals: ________________
Date: _____ Setting: __________________
Key questions I asked:
Observations about impact:
Patterns I’m noticing in my questioning: ______________________ ______________________
Questions I’m avoiding asking: ______________________ ______________________
Question types I want to use more often: ______________________ ______________________
Question timing or delivery aspects to improve: ______________________ ______________________
Questions to explore about my own leadership: ______________________ ______________________
This template supports deeper learning through structured questioning about what you’re studying or trying to master.
Subject/skill: ________________ Current understanding level: _____________ **Learning goals:** ________________
What do I already know about this subject? ______________________ ______________________
What am I assuming about this topic that might not be true? ______________________ ______________________
What conceptual frameworks might help me organize this knowledge? ______________________ ______________________
Date: _____ New information/concepts encountered: ______________________ ______________________
Questions this raises for me:
How this connects to or challenges my previous understanding: ______________________ ______________________
How might I apply this learning to real situations? ______________________ ______________________
What would a practical experiment with this knowledge look like? ______________________ ______________________
What questions would test the boundaries of this knowledge? ______________________ ______________________
How has my questioning evolved throughout this learning process? ______________________ ______________________
What meta-learning have I gained about learning itself? ______________________ ______________________
This template helps develop deeper understanding and connection in important relationships through thoughtful questioning.
Person/relationship: ______________ Current dynamics: ________________ Aspirations for the relationship: ____________
What am I curious about regarding this person’s:
Questions I’d like to explore with them:
Date: _____ Questions I asked:
Insights gained: ______________________ ______________________
New questions that emerged: ______________________ ______________________
Questions about my role in this relationship:
Questions about patterns I notice:
Questions to help me show up differently:
This template supports creative thinking and innovation through systematic questioning.
Challenge/opportunity: ______________ **Current approaches:** ________________ Innovation goals: ________________
Questions that challenge fundamental assumptions:
Questions that reimagine the problem/opportunity:
Questions from completely different domains or perspectives:
Date: _____ Promising idea: ___________________
Questions to explore and expand this idea:
Questions to test potential limitations:
How the idea has evolved: ______________________ ______________________
Questions driving the evolution:
Questions about implementation and scaling:
This template supports deeper self-awareness and intentional development.
Major themes/situations: _____________ **Challenges and opportunities:** _____________ Personal growth aspirations: ____________
Date: _____
What patterns am I noticing in my thoughts, feelings, and behaviors? ______________________ ______________________
What is energizing me and what is depleting me right now? ______________________ ______________________
What am I avoiding that needs my attention? ______________________ ______________________
What experiment might help me grow in an area that matters to me? ______________________ ______________________
What question do I need to sit with that I’m not asking myself? ______________________ ______________________
Insights emerging over time: ______________________ ______________________
How my questions are evolving: ______________________ ______________________
New questions opening up as others resolve: ______________________ ______________________
Choose what resonates: Select the template that best fits your current needs or combine elements from different templates.
Establish a consistent practice: Set a regular time for your question journaling practice—whether daily, weekly, or tied to specific events like meetings or problem-solving sessions.
Focus on question quality: Pay attention not just to recording questions but to crafting better ones. Review previously written questions and refine them as your understanding evolves.
Track patterns: Notice what types of questions consistently lead to valuable insights for you, and which questioning approaches tend to be less productive.
Be patient with the process: Some questions will yield immediate insights, while others may need to be lived with for extended periods before their value becomes clear.
Create your own: As you become more familiar with question journaling, develop your own templates that match your specific thinking style and needs.
Review periodically: Schedule regular reviews of your question journal to identify patterns, track your development as a questioner, and integrate insights across different situations.
The power of a question journal lies not just in recording questions but in developing a reflective relationship with them. Over time, this practice builds your capacity to formulate increasingly powerful questions that can transform your thinking, relationships, and results.
Remember that the goal isn’t to fill pages with questions, but to develop the habit of thoughtful questioning that becomes integrated into how you approach all aspects of your life.