Socrates, the famous Greek philosopher and teacher, who was a mentor directly or indirectly for both Aristotle and Plato. Socrates taught his students in a manner that was beyond some of the conventions of the time. The method involved questioning Socrates was one of the greatest educators who taught by asking questions and thus drawing out answers from his pupils .One of the key teaching methods that is of great importance is using questioning as a learning tool.
This method of using questions to teach and evaluate performance is called the Socratic Method. Socratic Method is also a powerful tool in the organisation to help employees
About moving people along—in a direction they want to go. It’s not coercion, or manipulation— it’s a means to help people see the world around them, and how they think about it, more clearly
The “moving” is done by guiding and, when necessary, nudging people to examine those things they take for granted such as their assumptions, beliefs, experiences, and paradigms.
The Socratic Method uses questions to challenge these things, to check their accuracy and their completeness. Through these questions the Socratic Method guides people on a journey of discovery, and moves them toward greater understanding and increased performance.
Putting the Socratic Method into Action
Essential element to using the Socratic Method: 1) questions, and 2) knowing the path.
1. Staying focused on the path:
When you’re working in a team, think of yourself as a facilitator, where your role is to convey that person to where he or she wants to go. If you’re not sure where that is, ask. What’s the desired outcome/end result? Then stay focused on helping the person to move there.
2. Questioning
Once it’s been decided where you and your organization are going and why,
The next part is questioning
If there is any problem
• What is the problem?
• Why It is a Problem?
• Can we break it down into a set of smaller problems?
• What condition do we need to create to overcome this problem?
• What actions can we take to create this condition?
• Which do we need to do first?
Why use the Socratic Method instead of just telling your people what to do or directing them? When you have a tough challenge, what’s your reaction when someone walks up and tells you the answer? Anger? Frustration?
