It is said that knowledge means to know the right answer but intelligence means asking the right question.
The truth is we are born with a natural desire to question everything and be curious, but along the path of growing up many of us lose that desire.
” Know how to ask. There is nothing more difficult for some people, nor for others easier“- Baltasar Gracian
Most of us would have experienced this at school or college. Your teacher or professor midway through the class asks ” Does anyone have a question? “. Nine times out of ten, no hand would go up. The professor has reconciled to the fact that she is doing an excellent job of explaining the material and secretly patting herself on the back.
Looking at our performance in the exams, nothing could be further from the truth which is most of us did not understand what was taught.
A better way for the professor to reframe the question would have been ” Given how complex the topic is, I am sure you would have plenty of questions. This is a great time to ask them “.
This nudge would go a long way. More hands would go up and more questions will get asked.
” Does anyone have a question? ” was not the smartest of questions in any case. Most of us would pride on our ‘intellectual ability‘ and the last thing we would like to do is come across as dumb in a class full of peers by asking what may potentially be a stupid question.
We have perfected the art of asking stupid questions even outside the classroom. Take your HR Managers’ appraisal session and the first question you get asked is ” Everything going well? “, which leaves most people with no room to segue into what ideally should be an honest feedback. A better version that will elicit an honest response( the very purpose of an appraisal) would be ” What are the challenges you are facing at work ? ” and you open the floodgates for relevant feedback.
When we reframe a question—when we change our method of questioning—we also change the outcome.
Werner Heisenberg, the brains behind the uncertainty principle in quantum mechanics, had it right: “What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning.”
In an always on, expert run, industrialised economy, the pressure | expectation is to be the person who is sure, the one with all the answers. Do you think someone who has all the questions is more valuable?
I encourage you to take a look at this throwback article from BrandKnew
ENDS