Adonis Diaries

Never assume your question is dumb. The obvious question is the right one to ask…

The hardest question to ask is the obvious one to you. How could you assume that the other attendees know better than what you don’t know and let the opportunity to learn pass you by?

Why are you afraid to ask what feels obvious to you?

Frequently, speakers take for granted that what they spent years to learn are basic to the audience, and they forget that they had to ask the obvious question in their first step to “professionalism”

The best way to challenge the status quo is with questions. Dumb questions test basic assumptions.

Are you afraid of looking dumb? Is remaining ignorant a better substitute?.

“It is not the answer that enlightens, but the question,” Decouvertes.

When you think you know, assume you don’t.

Questions create confusion initially and  eventually end confusion.

Dan Rockwell wrote: “Courageous leaders ask these questions.

1. What are we doing?
2. Compared to what?
3. Who said?
4. Why not? Move from “either/or” to “and” by asking, “Why not?”
5. What problem are we solving?
6. What’s working? How? Why?
7. Begin agenda items by asking, “What questions should we ask?”
8. What are our values? When employees cut themselves, values should come out.
9. Which of our values is driving this decision? How?
10. Where are we going?
11. Who are we?
12. How does this take us where we want to go?
13. Who is our customer?
14. What value do we deliver?
15. How are we communicating our value to customers? Unperceived value isn’t valuable.
16. How am I doing?

How about

1: Ask questions that lead to action. Knowledge emerges when people take uncertain action.

2: Always follow questions with silence.

Interested in more: Read Facebook responses to: “Leaders should ask stupid questions like _______.”

What dumb question can you suggest?

Seth Godin posted: “Is this the best you can do?”