An inquiry alone, when posed in a genuinely curious and friendly manner, can be the debriefer’s go-to maneuver when the perfect A-I molecule eludes them.

I love the advocacy-inquiry (A-I) method of debriefing. I think it is the gold-standard that we should all strive to achieve when talking to learners in a safe environment. However, I sometimes find it exhausting to compose the perfect A-I molecule while carrying on a normal conversation. My tip is to always remember to be nice; being nice while asking non-judgmental questions can get you just as far as the perfect A-I molecule. At the core of the A-I technique is the idea of “remaining curious” – and that is the most important concept to embrace. An inquiry alone, when posed in a genuinely curious and friendly manner – while always giving the learner the benefit of the doubt regarding the motivation for their performance – can be the debriefer’s go-to maneuver when the perfect A-I molecule eludes them.