“If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on the solution, I would spend the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask . . . for once I know the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes.”
So said Albert Einstein, arguably one of the greatest minds of modern times.
All too often, in the course of our own hectic workdays and the backdrop of uncertainty, given the state of everything from democracy to the climate and the economy, it seems more efficient to shortcut. Don’t ask too many questions, play safe, get things done.
Both research and thought leadership suggest the opposite. Especially now.
How asking questions makes you look smarter
For starters, bust the myth that questioning makes you appear stupid. Sure, you could google it, but why not tap the expertise of a colleague or manager. According to organizational psychologist Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, asking questions makes you appear more intelligent. “Don’t be afraid to come across as insecure or unconfident,” he says. “Ultimately these are the things that are going to make you stronger and going to improve your reputation at work.”
Letting go of assumptions like that is a tough, but necessary, part of training yourself to become more curious. Instead of assuming, become an “admitter,” suggests Scott Shigeoka, author of Seek: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World. That goes for those times when you need to admit you’re wrong or don’t know the answer. With a little practice, you can get over that bone-in-the-throat feeling when you’re confronted by a mistake, and say, “Tell me more.” Shigeoka reminds us to prioritize learning and growth, as well as the fact that we humans are wired for forgiveness.
Using questions to inspire and succeed
From there, it’s an easy leap to start asking three simple questions that inspire great leadership. As Yonason Goldson wrote: “What needs to be done? What can be done? How much can I do?” Goldson points out, “It goes hand in hand with the ethical mindset that asks not whether it’s legal but whether it’s right, not what I can get away with but what kind of person I ought to be.”
Once you’ve determined this, you’ll need to be thinking about who you’ll be working with. And asking the right questions at the right time is essential in this pursuit. Constantine Andriopoulos, author and professor of innovation and entrepreneurship advises looking for “people who demonstrate curious qualities; people who are collaborative, unabashedly passionate about the subject, resilient, and iconoclastic, and who have outside interests, feel an urgency to act, and seek surprises.” Frame each of these factors as a question immediately when you’re vetting team members and you’re on the right track.
In day-to-day operations, leaders who ask questions are more likely to succeed. And if you’re planning to take the Einstein approach, even better according to Hal Gregersen, former executive director of the MIT Leadership Center. He recommends attempting to generate at least 50 questions about a problem. Most people get stuck about halfway through. “I have watched this a hundred times around the world,” he said. “People say: ‘I don’t have any more questions, I am stuck.’ Keep going, because it’s that pass forward that can sometimes give you some of the greatest questions.” Like brainstorming, but better, Gregersen maintains that “question storming” will get you closer to asking the right questions that will give you the answer you need.
Inspired leaders, concerned colleagues, and compassionate friends are all often tapped for their counsel at some point. Reframing a request as a question is one way to both gain personal wisdom and display emotional intelligence, Bill Murphy Jr. wrote. “Asking, “What do you think you should do?” in almost any advice-giving situation puts the focus on the other person, and establishes your role as more of a sounding board than an ultimately responsible problem solver,” he explains.
The right questions at the right time
Finally, it’s imperative that you’re not only asking the right questions (as many as possible) at the right time, but that you’re allowing others to question you, as well. Natalie Nixon pointed out that it’s not enough to go back to the same people who give you a reliably positive answer, you have to seek out friction—specifically “creative abrasion.” Coined by Jerry Hirshberg, former head of design at Nissan to describe “the friction that’s created when different minds, perspectives, and processes clash yields energy.” Nixon observes that people shy away from because they believe it creates unnecessary conflict between people and groups that don’t “need” to collaborate. Alternatively, Nixon says, this energy and friction can be turned into something positive.
So, what are you waiting for?
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