Sometimes the smallest change in how you ask your question can make the biggest impact.

Even a single word can completely reshape how your team thinks, answers and engages.

Consider these three questions. At first glance, they look almost identical:

• What Shouldwe do?
  • What Mightwe do?
  • What Could we do?

But each one activates a different mental mode.

“What Should we do?” — The Pressure of the “Right” Answer

“Should” implies that one best answer exists.
When a leader asks this, team members often feel pressure to identify the correct solution. If they’re not confident, they go quiet or default to:

“I’m not sure.”

“I don’t know.”

The question unintentionally narrows thinking and limits contribution.

“What Might we do?” — Opening the Door to Possibility

“Might” removes the pressure to be right and invites brainstorming.

It signals that multiple ideas are welcome and that exploration is encouraged.

People stop worrying about whether their idea is perfect and start sharing freely.

This simple shift unleashes creativity.

“What Could we do?” — Action Within Current Resources

“Could” directs thinking toward what’s feasible right now with the resources at hand—time, budget, people, capacity.

It helps teams move from imagination to practical options without shutting down creativity.

“What could we do with what we already have?”

This question balances realism and innovation.

Small wording changes in your questions influence not just the answers you receive but the mindset your team enters.

Here are additional powerful Single-Word alternatives:

“What Will we do?” — Commitment

“Will” moves the team from exploration to decision.

It creates clarity, alignment, and ownership.

This is the language of action and accountability.

“What Would we do?” — The Ideal Scenario

“Would” encourages imagining the ideal path if certain conditions were met.

This removes current constraints and helps define a long-term vision.

It’s a powerful question for strategic planning

“What May we do?” — Boundaries and Permissions

“May” introduces what is allowed or appropriate.

It focuses thinking on policies, ethics, authority, and stakeholder expectations.

This question avoids false starts by clarifying constraints early.