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Looking to radically elevate the quality of your conversations?

Ask High Velocity Questions (HVQ's).

A term coined by podcaster @FerraroOnAir, an HVQ is a total game changer.

Here's why HVQ's matter, and how to ask them.

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As Joe defines it, a high velocity question (HVQ):

“Asks one thing but accomplishes multiple things. It can set a tone, make the guest think, and even add an element of surprise for the guest and the audience.“
One example of a HVQ:

Instead of: “How did you go from working on Wall Street to becoming a professional miniature golfer?”

Ask: “What did your wife say when you told her you decided to become a professional miniature golfer?”
There is an equation you can use to determine if a question has velocity:

Ideas per word + idea in a desired direction = HVQ

In other words, a HVQ needs to have speed (ideas per word) and direction (an idea that heads in a desired direction).
WHY HVQ’s are important

- For the asker:
It can set a tone, makes guests think, and even add an element of surprise for the guest and the audience.

Opening with a high-velocity question lets the guest know that this will not be the typical conversation.
- For the guest:
It demands they search their memory and pull out an anecdote that will often surprise and delight them.

It gets them to think about a situation in a new way AND gets to the center of the journey that the host hopes to take the guest and the audience on.
- For both the host (asker) and guest:
Creativity and discovery flourish in situations where constraints are carefully placed.
Moral of the story - ask more HVQ’s!

It’s easier than you think. A one word change can make a big difference:

- A change as simple as using ‘when’ in the example above… “When did you know that you were going to go from Wall Street to becoming a professional miniature golfer?”
- HVQ’s build rapport and establish a relationship between two people faster than any other method (besides fear & romance, IMO).

- HVQ’s are great for trust building. They allow people to be vulnerable without feeling vulnerable.
- HVQ’s allow the asker to showcase more of their personality and unique traits, while still making the listener feel like the conversation is all about them.
@FerraroOnAir wrote a fantastic article on this concept, which you can find here:

www.onepercentbetterproject.com/new-blog-1/highvelocity.
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