January Power Hour: Humble Inquiry – Key Takeaways & Reflections

By: Dominika Bula and Kerri Sutey

WiA’s Mentorship program focuses exclusively on women navigating their career within Agile enterprises and puts special attention to creating value and development opportunities for those who offer their time as mentors through monthly events called Power Hours.

This January we focused on “Humble Inquiry,” a powerful communication approach introduced to us by one of our very own mentors, Jackie Niro.

Meet Jackie Niro

Jackie is an Agile Coach at a major bank, a co-organizer of the Buffalo Women in Agile chapter, and a devoted dog mom to six pups (2 Australian Shepherds, 2 Corgis, and 2 Schnauzers!). She holds multiple credentials—Certified Scrum Professional, Certified Scrum Master, Certified Scrum Product Owner, Agile Coach, and Agile Leadership—and has mentored in our WiA program across multiple cycles. One of her previous mentees even documented their journey in this blog post, underscoring Jackie’s impact as a guide and confidante.

Cultivating Curiosity & Connection

During our Power Hour, Jackie introduced the main concepts of Humble Inquiry—asking questions to which you genuinely do not know the answer and listening without judgment or hidden agendas. She started with a prompt, “Are You Asking in 360 Degrees?” – meaning are we asking questions of our team, those who report to us, and our leaders. This encouraged us to examine whether we’re genuinely curious when we pose questions, or whether our questions sometimes conceal assumptions. Or even if we take the time to ask questions at all.

The “Questions Only” Game

To drive the lesson home, Jackie facilitated a lighthearted yet eye-opening small-group activity called “Questions Only.” In groups of four:

1. We could only ask questions of each other—no answering allowed!
2. We discovered just how tricky it is to resist giving an opinion or jumping in with advice.
3. We learned that curiosity—not certainty—is often the key to deeper connection.

Laughter filled our virtual room as we fumbled to form questions. If you answered the question (which many of us did a few times!), you “lost” and the next person stepped in. 

This simple but powerful exercise highlighted how challenging it can be to set aside the urge to answer or “fix” things right away. It revealed how focusing on asking questions fosters genuine curiosity and empathy, creating an environment where deeper understanding can flourish.

How to Practice Humble Inquiry

Conversations go wrong sometimes; we unknowingly offend people by telling them things they don’t want to hear. Whether you’re a mentor, mentee, or just someone looking to become a better communicator, take inspiration from Jackie’s experience—embrace the power of a well-placed question, and lean into the discomfort of not knowing. You might be surprised at the depth of conversation that unfolds.

Here are three basic techniques for practicing Humble Inquiry:

1. Ask Respectful Questions: Ask open-ended questions rather than closed response questions or leading ones that basically ask if you agree with what you know or think.
2. Listen Attentively:  Don’t just hear the sound of their voice (while you are busy thinking your own thoughts in your head). Rather, hear what the other person is really saying and pay attention to the message and its meaning.
3. Focus: Concentrate on the person you are questioning, not the problem you are hearing about. 

The Concept of Humble Inquiry & Takeaways

This powerful approach was first introduced by Edgar Schein, a renowned expert in organizational culture and leadership. His book Humble Inquiry: The Gentle Art of Asking Instead of Telling looks at how Humble Inquiry differs from other kinds of inquiry, offers examples of it in action, and shows how to overcome the cultural, organizational and psychological barriers that keep us from practicing it.

From Jackie’s interactive workshop and storytelling, we learned:

1. True Curiosity is Powerful: When we prioritize being curious over being right, we foster a sense of trust and openness.
2. Silence and Pauses Matter: Resisting the urge to fill every moment with answers or suggestions can lead to more meaningful dialogue.
3. Build Deeper Relationships: Humble Inquiry shifts focus from telling to listening, which ultimately strengthens team and mentor-mentee bonds.
4. Practice Makes Perfect: Like any skill, Humble Inquiry takes time. The more we consciously ask open-ended questions, the more natural it becomes.

Connect with Jackie

If you’d like to hear more about Jackie’s work or how she balances an Agile career with caring for six dogs, feel free to connect with her on LinkedIn. 

Here’s to staying curious and daring to ask more meaningful questions!