Page 3 - October 2023

GOOD QUESTIONS
Weliveinaculturethatvaluesanswers. Answersthatarewitty and make for good sound bites. We use technology and media to broadcast our answers at the highest decibel level to persuade and influence. Sometimes the answers are not very good.
Good answers are the product of good questions. While good answers often make the front page, it’s good questions that move us forward in our work and relationships. Good questions require hard work. They demand listening, engagement, critical thinking, articulation and humility. A good question engages others in these same demands. Collectively, the group then has more resources to arrive at the best answer. We’re a better nation, foundation, colleague, friend, and spouse when we prioritize good questions over good answers.
My first impression as a freshman Director at JSF was the caliber of questions that came from the Grant Program Committee. I was struck by the curiosity of such an accomplished group. I am often told by grantees how appreciative and impressed they are by the questions from the Grant Program Committee. Our richest discussions at the Board level are riddled with good questions. It’s been a calling card of JSF that continues to serve us well.
Periodically, we gather to step back from our work to reevaluate our approach, mission and strategies. The last time was September 2017. It’s been six years since we took a hard look at the principal statement that governs and guides our partnerships. This December, we will lift the periscope again to critically evaluate our bearing. The Retreat Planning Committee has worked to set the stage for our success. Lowell Weiss is a gifted facilitator... but the impact of our retreat will be determined by the quality of the questions we ask.
I’ve spent the last nine months soul-searching to offer questions and thoughts that will serve our discussion. One of the focuses of our time together in December will be our mission statement. On the pages that follow this article, I offer some thoughts regarding this defining statement. I’m not yet suggesting we change it, but I am asking us to challenge it. I look forward to the benefit and wisdom of our discussion. My hope is that these questions will prompt better questions, better answers, and ultimately better continued impact from JSF.
Robert A. Krause
Page 1 HORIZONS