02/11/2026
The Question Corner©
Mke Collins
Here’s a question you’ve never been asked:
How often do you have flat-head moments? You know, it’s an hour or so after a meeting and you figuratively, or literally, smack your forehead with your hand and think, “Now, what was it they said?”
The average American forgets half of what they hear in a meeting before the meeting ever ends; they forget 70% within 24 hours and 90% within a week. The same numbers apply for doctor’s office visits—which can have serious impacts on health. Those statistics can make for a lot of serious flat-head moments.
In today’s constantly changing world it’s easy to have important information slip by us; information we later need.
A great way to counter information escape is with The Question Corner©.
First, don’t ever go into an important in-person or online meeting, phone call, or back-and-forth text/email conversation without something to write with and something to write on. Capturing crucial information on your phone or computer can work, but studies show writing to be the best way to implant information in our brains.
Next, in the upper left-hand corner of whatever you’re taking notes on simply write seven questions: What? Why? Who? Where? When? How? How Much?
Why the left-hand corner? Because our culture reads left-to-right so it’s the first place our eyes go when we see almost any type of document.
And, you stack the questions. Don’t write them out in a line. When we read we don’t see/read every word. Our eyes jump what we determine to be less important words and we try to see only the words that matter. By writing the questions out in a line it’s too easy to jump over some of them.
Here’s another important question: Why these specific words/questions? Because they point us to the crucial information in any situation or plan.
What? What is the goal? What do we need to make sure gets done? What is the one thing that, if we get it done, we’re closer to success?
Why? What is our motivation/reason? Why are we doing whatever this is in the first place?
Who? Who is involved in this? With whom do we need to connect? Who else might help us?
When? Is time an issue? Is there a timeline and/or deadline?
Where? Does location matter? Where does the event happen?
How? How will this get done? Does process matter? If we can’t get it done the usual way is there another way?
How Much? In our society, when people hear How Much? they almost always think, Money. The How Much? could be focusing on financial cost or it might point to Time (How much time will this take?), Energy (How Much physical or mental effort will be required? Do we need help?), or Ego (Are you attempting something new to you that might make you a little—or, a lot—uncomfortable?).
After learning about The Question Corner© Nash General Hospital, part of the UNC Health Care System, created a pad (see below) for The Question Corner©, and a well-known, regional law firm had sticky-note pads created with the tactic printed on each sheet. Now, when a phone call comes in or their employees enter in-person or online meetings they pull out a note pad and make sure they have the important information they need.
No more flat-head moments.
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