question

I love clarifying questions or statements. There is something about having a discussion when someone chimes in with the question, that if answered, will bring clarity to the situation. Often times the clarifying question makes the decision easier. It gets to the root of the issue.

We try to "clarify the win" when we are having a meeting or starting something new. We ask ourselves questions like these:

/ what do we want people to know when they leave here

/ what do we want them to do
/ if they only walk away with ONE thing, what do we want that to be
/ is what we are communicating clear and easy to understand
/ is there a better way to get this information out
/ would I want to attend this event
/ if you were a sandwich, what would you be and why

Asking the right question helps people answer a lot of their own questions. When someone asks for advice or my opinion, I usually ask them a question or two. I want to know if they really want my thoughts or if they just want me to agree with theirs.

There are usually two main reasons why people ask questions.
1. to show you how much they know.
2. to show you how much you don't know.

Don't be one of these people. Ask questions to get information. Ask with the intent to learn and grow. Ask because you really want the answer.

My point: questions are a great way to grow. Don't use them to flex your brain muscle. If you have to ask a question just so you can answer it, there is probably a reason you didn't get asked in the first place - they don't care. Don't ask questions just so you can answer the question you ask.

Can you tell this is a pet peeve...