Humble Inquiry, Second Edition

This worldwide bestseller offers simple guidance for building the kind of open and trusting relationships vital for tackling global systemic challenges and developing adaptive, innovative organizations-over 200,000 copies sold and translated into seventeen languages!



We live, say Ed and Peter Schein, in a culture of tell. Rather than trying to genuinely relate to other people, we tell them what we think they need to know or should do. This is particularly problematic between superiors and subordinates because anybody anywhere could have that vital fact or spot that fatal flaw that could mean the difference between success or disaster.

Humble Inquiry encourages honest and open interactions, stimulates creative thinking, and protects against costly misunderstandings and mistakes. Edgar and Peter Schein defines Humble Inquiry as the fine art of drawing someone out . . . of building a relationship based on curiosity and interest in the other person. In this seminal work, the authors look at how Humble Inquiry differs from other kinds of inquiry, offer examples of it in action, and show how to overcome the cultural, organizational and psychological barriers that keep us from practicing it. This second edition has been updated throughout with new examples and a new chapter that shows how a lack of Humble Inquiry is at the root of so many modern organizational problems.