The Repeating Question
The Repeating Question is a paired walk-and-talk for practising attention, in which one person answers a single open question for five minutes while the partner only listens and may do nothing except repeat the question, after which the roles swap. The session form described here was written by Maleah Knevel, Margreet Smit and Miranda Trippenzee for the Transition Makers Toolbox, where the walk sits between reflection on what participants value and a short introduction to how attention works. It ends with each person choosing one small step for directing attention to what matters to them.
Facilitation script
- 1
Individual notes and pair sharing on what participants find enjoyable and important, and where their attention goes.
20 min - 2
Plenary: build a shared definition of attention; add that it is selective and limited.
10 min - 3
Brief the roles, then walk in pairs: five minutes speaking and listening each way, the listener only repeating the question.
15 min - 4
Individual writing on what each person noticed about their attention in both roles.
10 min - 5
Plenary debrief; introduce inward and outward, narrow and broad attention.
15 min - 6
Each person formulates one small step for daily life and checks it with a peer.
15 min
Tips
Say clearly that the listener's silence is the exercise and not rudeness, and that nodding along or adding 'mm' is also a response worth noticing.
Tell speakers that when they run dry, the pause is where the more interesting answers tend to come from.
Send pairs in different directions so they are not within earshot of each other.
Common pitfalls
Listeners slipping into conversation, which turns the exercise into an ordinary chat and removes the experience of being listened to without response
Choosing a question that can be answered in one sentence, so speakers finish in a minute and the repetition feels like an interrogation
Skipping the written reflection straight after the walk, by which time people remember the content of what was said and not what their attention did
Pairs walking in a bunch, where overheard voices pull attention away and speakers censor themselves
Ending on the theory of attention without the concrete step, leaving a pleasant walk and no change in habits
Variations
Without the surrounding session, the walk and the written reflection alone take about 25 minutes and work as a listening exercise inside a longer programme. Indoors or online, pairs sit facing each other or use a breakout room, with the same five minutes per role. The question can be changed to suit the theme, for example what good work means to you; choose one that is open and personal enough that the first answer is not the last. With an odd number, the facilitator pairs up with someone or one group of three rotates speaker, listener and silent walker with shorter turns. The source page itself gives two different wordings for the question, so pick one and print it.
Where it fits
When to use it
A programme on leadership, coaching or wellbeing needs people to experience full listening, not just hear about it
Participants complain of scattered attention and you want them to observe their own in a simple, low-risk setting
A group has been sitting and talking in plenary and would benefit from movement and one-to-one contact
You want people to get past their first, rehearsed answer to a personal question
There is a safe place to walk and the weather allows ten minutes outside
When not to use it
Pairs need to prepare for a difficult conversation or get to know each other through free exchange: a Paired Walk allows dialogue, which this format forbids
The goal is to collect ideas or answers from the group: Walking Questions or a Walking Brainstorm produce shared output
Participants have mobility limits and no accessible route exists; run it seated instead
Trust in the group is very low or pairs include people in open conflict, since five minutes of uninterrupted personal talk to that partner will feel exposed
Related methods
Frequently asked questions
What is The Repeating Question?▾
The Repeating Question is a paired exercise, usually done while walking, in which one person answers the same open question for five minutes and the partner listens without responding. When the speaker stops, the listener may repeat the question and nothing else. Then the roles swap. It is used to practise presence and to notice where attention goes.
Why does the listener only repeat the question?▾
Removing every other response takes away the listener's usual jobs of reacting, reassuring and steering. The listener can attend fully, and the speaker has to keep looking for further answers beyond the first one. Both then have something specific to reflect on about their own attention.
Which question should you use?▾
The participant handout in the source uses 'What does being happy mean to you?'. Any open, personal question with more than one layer works. Avoid questions with factual answers or ones that are too private for the level of trust in the group.
Does it have to be done outdoors?▾
No, but walking side by side helps. People find silence easier when they are moving and not facing each other, and the surroundings give a natural test of whether attention stays with the partner. Indoors, sitting at a slight angle works better than sitting face to face.
How is it different from a paired walk?▾
In a paired walk two people talk freely about a topic as they go. Here only one person speaks at a time and the other is limited to repeating one question, so it is a listening and attention practice, not a conversation. The two fit well in the same programme, with this one first.
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Try it freeMethod descriptions on Workshop Weaver are original content written by our team, based on established facilitation practices. This method was inspired by work from Maleah Knevel, Margreet Smit and Miranda Trippenzee, Transition Makers Toolbox.