Make a Prudent Decision
The Art of Asking Good Questions & Listening (Part 2)
(Consider using the questions related to J.O.Y. (Jesus Others You) before this found in the Toolbox titled “J.O.Y. Categories.”)
Note: These questions are organized into the various facets of the virtue of prudence to guide your conversation while leading the second half of a mentoring session. This is NOT a script but rather a guide so that the mentoring session is organic and natural while still attaining the objective.
Questions to guide a mentee in the decision-making process:
Involve the Mentee: BRAINSTORM BEFORE YOU STRATEGIZE!
Did you ask enough questions for you and the mentee to understand the issue you are focusing on clearly and concretely?
What are the options?
What’s most important here?
What are the pros and cons?
What does God want?
Prudence Defined: This is the virtue that assist someone to know what the right thing is to do, how to do it at the right time, in the right way, with the right measure.
Each question is therefore categorized according to whether it helps the mentee determine the right thing to do, the right way in which to do it, the right time in which to do it, and with the right measure. (Thing, Way, Time, Measure.)
Thing 1. What’s good about this issue?
Thing 2. What’s not perfect, yet?
Thing 3. If you had to do it over, what would you do differently?
Way 4. What am I willing to do to conform to God’s Will?
Way 5. What am I willing to no longer do so that it conforms to God’s Will?
Way 6. How can I enjoy the process and cooperate with God’s Will?
Way 7. What is the 1st step you could take to work on this issue?
Way 8. Who could you ask for help on this?
Time 9. When are you going to do this? (‘Let’s schedule it right now.’)
Measure 10. What could be an appropriate amount of time or energy?