The Power of Perspective: Unlocking Insights through Thoughtful Questioning

Chris Rosato

Chris Rosato

Published on Friday, May 17, 2024

Shifting Perspective

"Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers." - Voltaire

As a leadership coach, I've learned that the quality of the answers you receive, whether from humans or language models, is directly influenced by the quality of the questions you ask. By exploring the importance of thoughtful questioning, we can unlock valuable insights and foster growth in our personal and professional lives.

What's this series all about?

Welcome to the series entitled: "Smart Questions, Smart Results: Elevate Your AI Game." In the following articles, we will delve into various techniques and prompts that can help you interact more effectively with language models (LLMs) and improve the quality of the responses you receive.

Perspective-Shifting: The Key to Unlocking Insights

Perspective-shifting is a powerful tool that can help you gain new insights, generate creative solutions, and foster a deeper understanding of complex issues. By challenging yourself to view a situation from different angles, you can break free from conventional thinking patterns and uncover hidden opportunities. In this article, we'll explore two prompts that you can use with LLMs to practice perspective-shifting and enhance your critical thinking skills.

The 'Shifting Perspective' Prompt

Description

Challenge the LLM to write from an unusual or underrepresented point of view to gain new insights and creative solutions.

How It Works

This prompt encourages the LLM to adopt unique perspectives, leading to more diverse and innovative responses.

When To Use

Use this prompt when you need fresh ideas or want to explore unconventional viewpoints.

Benefits

  • Encourages creativity

  • Provides diverse insights

  • Breaks conventional thinking patterns

Contrasting Examples

Standard Prompt

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"Write a marketing plan for a new bakery."

Improved Prompt

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"Draft a marketing plan for a new bakery from the perspective of a customer who is highly skeptical of marketing tactics."

Prompts

  • "Everyone focuses on the success stories in [field], but I'm interested in the unconventional failures. Can you give me a few ideas to spark an essay?"

  • "What are some counterintuitive factors that might lead to success in [field/industry]?"

The 'Historical Perspective' Prompt

Description

Challenge the LLM to write from the perspective of a historical figure or during a specific historical event to add depth and context to the response.

How It Works

By adopting a historical viewpoint, the LLM can generate responses that incorporate historical context and insights.

When To Use

Use this prompt when you want to add historical depth to your writing or explore how past events influence current situations.

Benefits

  • Adds historical context

  • Enriches content with historical insights

  • Enhances understanding of past influences

Contrasting Examples

Standard Prompt

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"Write a letter advocating for climate change action."

Improved Prompt

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"Write a letter advocating for climate change action from the perspective of an environmentalist in the early 1900s."

Prompts

  • "How would a key historical event be reported by a journalist of that time?"

  • "Describe the impact of modern technology from the perspective of a historical figure."

Make the shift

Practising perspective-taking can help you grow both personally and professionally. By putting yourself in someone else's shoes, you'll develop a deeper understanding of their experiences, thoughts, and emotions. This, in turn, can improve your relationships, communication skills, and problem-solving abilities. When you make an effort to see things from different angles, you open yourself up to new ideas and possibilities, leading to more creative and effective solutions in all areas of your life.

Try it yourself

Why not take a few minutes today to experiment with these perspective-shifting prompts and see how they can expand your thinking? Remember, the more you practice, the more natural it will become to consider multiple viewpoints in your daily life and work.

Ready to Shift Your Team's Perspective?

Perspective-shifting isn't just a solo activity – it's also a powerful tool for teams. By exploring different viewpoints together, you can foster a culture of empathy, creativity, and collaboration. Check out this blog for engaging activities that will help your team unlock the benefits of perspective-taking in a matter of minutes.