Ask More: The Power of Questions to Open Doors, Uncover Solutions, and Spark Change

FOREWORD

If you want answers, you have to ask questions.

It sounds simple. But it isn’t. Asking the right question, at the right time, of the right person—and knowing what to do with the answer you get—takes thought, skill, practice and—sometimes—luck. As my friend and former colleague Frank Sesno explains in this inspired and inspiring book, questions can solve problems. They can change lives. And the right questions at the right moment can even influence history.

In the spring of 1977 a group of reporters shuffled into a small room on the first floor of Blair House, the brick townhouse on Pennsylvania Avenue across from the White House. Anwar Sadat, the President of Egypt, was staying there and had agreed to take questions from the media. Tension in the Middle East was high, but Sadat—erudite and savvy—seemed eager to open a new chapter in the region. A young reporter in the back of the room eventually raised his hand.

“Mr. President,” he said, “you seem so sincere in your quest for peace. Why don’t you do something to demonstrate that to Israel? Perhaps you could open some direct human contact with Israel? Why not allow an exchange of journalists or athletes or scholars?”

It seemed like a simple question, but it was one no one had asked. If you want peace, wouldn’t there have to be face-to-face contact first?

Sadat thought for a minute. Then he answered: “Part of the Arab-Israeli conflict is a psychological one. I myself have no objection to this. But, believe me, our people are not yet ready for this after 29 years of hatred and four wars and bitterness. All that has happened …we must take it gradually.”

I was the young reporter at the back of the room. And that question, Sadat would later say “germinated” in his mind for months, eventually leading to his groundbreaking trip to Jerusalem to address the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, and later, in 1979, to a peace treaty signed at the White House. For all the trouble in the region, that Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty remains in effect, a shred of stability in a volatile area.

There are few people in journalism better at asking questions than Frank Sesno. As CNN’s White House Correspondent, Frank never shied away from speaking truth to power. He was smooth yet forceful, respectful but skeptical. He asked probing and sharp questions. There were no speeches in his questions, no grandstanding. He listened closely to the answers and he followed up when the White House dodged or tried to change the subject.

Later, as the host of CNN’s Sunday talk show, Frank interviewed people from every walk of life. He questioned politicians and business leaders, Nobel Prize winners and celebrities, activists and athletes. He asked tough questions when necessary, but he could also gently draw out a guest who had suffered a setback, or been through tragedy. Frank’s passion for engaging people and asking questions reflects his deep curiosity in others and their stories. It shines through in Ask More, as Frank shows how anyone can be more successful by asking questions more effectively.

When I came to CNN in 1990, my experience was as a print reporter. I wasn’t used to my questions being seen on-camera or scrutinized by viewers. In those early days, Frank allowed me to shadow him as he worked. Later, when he was CNN’s Washington Bureau Chief, I benefited from his advice and counsel as I formulated my own questions to ask presidents, kings, and dictators. Frank was not only a friend and mentor; he was an exceptional teacher (something he now does for a new generation at The George Washington University). His talent for getting to the heart of the matter and making fundamental concepts clear through compelling stories and vivid examples makes this a truly engaging book from which everyone will benefit.

There are different types of questions for different types of situations. Sometimes you’re asking questions because you really don’t know the answer; other times you need to confront a person in power to hold him or her to account. In Ask More Frank explains how questions differ and how they can be used to elicit information, educate your audience, explore untold stories, build bridges, and more. His insights and practical tips—from the types of questions to ask and the best ways to structure them, to suggestions for better listening—are useful in all aspects of life and will change the way you think about asking questions.

In Ask More, Frank shares real-world examples from fascinating people skilled in probing for answers to show how all of us can use the right questions to obtain information that might otherwise elude us, to solve difficult problems, to be more creative and better informed, or to make stronger human connections. Ask More can help anyone become a better learner, leader, innovator, or citizen. From the boardroom to the living room—and maybe even the White House briefing room—if you’re looking for answers or inspiration, this book is for you. It will give you a deeper understanding of how questions work and the best ways to learn and succeed when you ask more.

Wolf Blitzer