The 111 Files: What if we ask the right questions?

I recently read a couple of research papers on what people want from the police. The following themes emerged. Firstly, you want police officers to behave in a way that inspires trust. You also want us to be competent, treat people fairly and do what we say we will do. Those are pretty reasonable expectations and the overall satisfaction rating is pretty good - in the range of 85 to 90 per cent. One of the other themes that emerged is that people want us to provide good leadership, which includes giving good advice.

Good advice arrives in all sorts of packaging. There is the classic "When I was your age ..." package some of us heard from our parents. (I never use that line by the way. Things change and the challenges our kids face are very different to ours. Sometimes good advice is presented without words, through example. Sometimes it comes through a question. Good questions are really powerful because they make you think.

A while ago a friend shared a story with me about a boy who asked the friend's son for advice, whether there was a possibility his life could take a different course to the one others were trying to force him into. A life of violence, hate and prison.

Thinking about possibilities is pretty liberating. Some of the most significant events in history began with someone simply asking, "What if?" Likewise, some of the dumbest things ever said came from people who "dissed" people who dared to have a dream. Like the bank manager who refused Henry Ford a loan because he thought cars were a passing fad.

"What if" is perhaps the most important question you can ask. So why don't you grab a pen and some paper and write down five possibilities; five "what ifs?" and see where it takes you.

Here's a few starters to get you thinking. What if I started following through on the things I keep saying I am going to do? What if I was free from the abusive relationship I feel trapped in? What if it wasn't always about me? What if I followed the "golden rule"? What if I forgave my dad? What if I stopped thinking about helping others and did it?