Never Be Afraid To Ask Questions

Has This Ever Happened To You? 

You are sitting in class or in a meeting. The teacher or speaker says something that doesn't quite make sense to you, then asks, "Does anyone have any questions?" You hesitate but don't speak up. Suddenly, the opportunity for clarification has passed. Maybe you acted out of fear. Or maybe embarrassed by the thought of asking a dumb question in front of your peers. It has happened to all of us. You are not alone.

Most of us have been told at various points in our lives that there is no such thing as a stupid question.

As we grew and learned in classroom and boardroom environments, however, we would occasionally notice that somebody would ask a question and the room would be filled with giggles or sarcastic murmurs. "Did that person really just ask that question? Isn't the answer obvious?" or "That's so simple, are they stupid?"

A negative experience could discourage you from raising your hand again and cause you to miss out on valuable knowledge. Sure—the answer may be obvious to everyone else, but sometimes the point needs to be repeated or explained another way for it to click.

 "He who asks a question remains a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask remains a fool forever" – ancient Chinese proverb

Asking Leads To Learning 

By asking questions, you are exercising your desire to learn more and dig deeper. You are saying "I know that I don't know, and I want to know what I don't know". Curiosity can bring new ideas to the table, by challenging someone else to expand on their knowledge of a subject and opening new avenues of discussion. This can make things easier to remember, since both you and the person explaining the subject have gone into greater depth.

If you are uncomfortable raising your hand during the class or meeting, approaching the teacher or speaker afterward can provide an opportunity to fill the gaps in your understanding. The speaker may have more time to explain one on one and to answer your questions in more depth.

Sometimes we underestimate other people's willingness to help. It is highly likely that the person will offer their assistance and knowledge. All we have to do is ask. If you don't, then when it comes time to use that information you risk looking foolish while bluffing your way out of the situation and regretting not asking for help earlier. Remember that the worst thing that can happen when asking a question is hearing "no". But if you are genuinely asking about something you won't hear a "no". 

Summary

No one knows everything, and a group learns more than a person on their own. It is best to ask and expand your knowledge. Learn something new; soak up as much wisdom you can. The more knowledge you have, the more you can teach others. The more you teach others, the better role model you will become.

If you would like to learn how to start asking better questions, read our article How To Start Asking Better Questions

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