Go Ahead, Ask

The Pressure Point

No matter how many times we have heard people say, "There are no dumb questions," there is still this nagging voice in our head telling us not to ask our question out loud.

Especially when we are in a room full of people who seemingly know everything about the topic.

We often think that by asking questions, we are somehow going to appear unprepared for the conversation or like we are not keeping up with the flow of the conversation.

But I am here to tell you that there is more behind a question than you might think.

There is a saying I recently learned that says, "Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers."

Now, there is still some debate out there about whether Voltaire or Lévis should get the credit for that, but that is neither here nor there.

What if I told you that questions have a way of displaying your depth?

How curious you are.

How far you are willing to work through concepts in your mind.

Sometimes there is a cognitive itch that you are working to scratch.

And sometimes, the question you are afraid to ask may be the very thing that helps the room think more clearly.

The Proof Point

Have you ever been brought into a meeting, or maybe around the third touch point, and the luxury of getting caught up to speed was nonexistent?

Well, that is what happened to me.

I was asked to be part of a steering committee.

While I was afforded a quick rundown of the intent and the goal of the committee, I did not get the full introduction to the logistics that had already been developed or what still needed to be developed from the first two calls.

So as you can imagine, the questions started to flood my mind.

A few of my questions were eventually answered through natural conversation, but I had two burning questions that were burning a hole in my brain.

In my mind, I thought, "I do not want to ask because it will likely divert the conversation."

I also assumed others already had the answers.

Everyone in the room looked attentive.

They looked certain.

They looked clear-minded.

So, I sat there as long as I could.

But what the team was planning seemed to not take into account a new mandate that had been rolled out by the organization.

They did not mention it.

They did not plan around it.

And they did not speak to how this committee would be in compliance with that mandate.

So I asked one of those questions you would assume everyone had the answer to.

Not to call anyone out.

Not to derail the conversation.

But to bring clarity.

That was my question.

And you can classify that as a strategic alignment question.

The Pivot Point

What happened in that room after I asked that question is what changed everything for me.

There were a lot of hmms.

A lot of oohs and aahs.

And then the wheels started turning.

What I know happened in that room is that it shifted.

The question I asked influenced the minds of others.

It helped us go deeper.

It helped us tackle uncharted territory that we had not tackled already.

Basically, it was a righteous move to ask my question.

And I really want to empower you not to be subjected to your own wavering thoughts.

Ask your questions, period.

There are different types of questions. Not all questions are simply inquisitive.

• There are questions that help bring reality back to the room.
• There are questions that help your direct reports think more critically.
• There are questions that bring clarity when you are in a meeting, such as the example I just shared.
• And honestly, there are questions you ask because you genuinely do not know the answer.

That is okay too.

The Turning Point

Here is what I want you to take in:

Asking questions can elevate even the room that appears to be fully aligned.

When people have trepidation around asking questions, they are often fearing that they are not the smartest one in the room.

But can I just tell you something?

A lot of times, because of your discernment, because of your clarity, or because of your curiosity, you are actually showing that you are one of the smartest in the room.

So hold on to that.

Making the assumption that quietness equates to competence or full understanding is where we go wrong.

The Leadership Undercurrent

Let me leave you with one last encouraging thought for the road.

During an on-site meeting, my CEO at the time decided to go around the room and share his thoughts about each of us and what he appreciated about the team.

When he got to my name, I was a little tense. I was really wondering what he was going to say about me.

But here is what he said.

He told me that he admired me for my curiosity and for the questions I asked.

He said my questions often elevated the thinking in the room. From his experience, my questions brought up something he had not considered, and because of that, he was able to pivot, prepare, and sharpen his approach.

And honestly, I have to say that was probably one of the kindest compliments I could have ever received because I had always second-guessed whether I should speak up and ask my question.

So here is what I want leaders to do.

When someone on your team asks a question, whether they ask it to slow down the room, challenge the plan that is already in place, or rethink the strategy, encourage them.

Encourage your team members to be bold enough to speak up.

We are all here as one team to conquer the goal, and we cannot do that alone.

We need those inquisitive minds to help carry us through and, sometimes, take us out of a stuck state.

And finally, never ever confuse silence as clear-mindedness or sheer confidence.

The same question you were bold enough to ask is very likely the question the next person was too afraid to ask.

They would rather risk walking away from that meeting with MORE questions.