Questions, Questions & More Questions

Wanda Wade

I enjoy talking to children because of their natural curiosity to want to know about everything around them. Begin a conversation with a child and it will soon go far beyond where you thought it would. They have such a propensity to ask questions, usually one after the other. Why, becomes a part of their everyday vocabulary. I remember when my niece was about four years old and the wide eye curiosity that formed with every new thing she encountered. She’d rattle the questions off one by one until she was satisfied that she had gotten the answer she was looking for. As adults we should feel the same way. Question a situation until you’re fully satisfied with the answers given.

I don’t recall f I was like that as a kid, but I know as an adult there was a point in my life where asking a lot of questions wasn’t something I was comfortable with, usually taking the situation or thing for what it was. I believe my hesitancy came from a lack of not knowing how to formulate the question correctly. Overtime I’ve trained myself to ask questions so that I’ll get the answer I’m looking for.  Questions are important and should not be avoided for fear of not asking them in the right way.

Though people around us may have good intentions, it should be common practice to question anything you’re uncertain about. If you’re like me, I looked at questioning someone as an indication of not believing what was being said. Only to realize, asking questions is a natural part of our curiosity to want to know the answer to a certain thing. After all the bottom line is to get an intended result. Let’s face it asking questions lead to answers which help to increase learning as well as communication.

my quest to become better at asking questions I’ve come up with some tips that have been beneficial to me and I’d like to share those with you.

• Be clear on why your specific question is important. For example, will it help with a specific need or goal?
• Make sure there’s an open dialogue so that you’re more likely to get the question answered.
• Probing questions will lead to a more detailed answer.
• Don’t feel the need to fill the space when it gets quiet. Dead-air is ok and helps to enhance your ability to listen.
• When the question is being answered, don’t interrupt, you may miss something important.

Remember, it’s ok not to know the answer, just make sure to ask the question. It’ll not only build your confidence in asking questions, but it will increase your knowledge in those unfamiliar areas.

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