Sometimes the only thing that is required is to ‘Ask’.
Our society is designed in a manner that ‘Asking’ is considered as a weakness. ‘Can you help me’ is considered to be an indication that ‘This guy doesn’t know his stuff’.
There is a general tendency in people that asking questions at the workplace make them vulnerable. Do you remember any situation from school when someone asked a question in the class and was ridiculed? Such instances prevent us from asking questions.
Due to this:
- We do not ask questions when we are in a meeting
- We refrain from asking our doubts from clients and do not share new strategies assuming that the client will get offended if it does not align with his objective
- We do not ask for feedback
At a campus placement interview, I posed a question during the company presentation. However, for five minutes, nobody spoke anything. The students, it seemed, were feeling vulnerable, probably because of questions like, ‘What if my answer is wrong and I might come across as a fool?’ or ‘What if my teachers and batchmates think of me if I give a wrong answer?’ swarming in their heads.
Breaking the awkward silence, I announced that only those who would respond to my query would be considered for job placement. Soon enough, all the hands were up in the air and answers and ideas were flying in the air, all jumbled up!
Most organizations want people who just can’t stop sharing their ideas or suggestions on things that can be improved. Even if it’s a wild suggestion, it’s fine, as every invention was once a wild idea that people laughed at.
‘Asking questions’ is the only way to grow in the modern industry where every request is considered as an opportunity to move fast together. If you can train yourself to ask questions without hesitation, you will feel a sense of freedom that will help you go up faster.
‘Ask, and you shall receive!’
To Dos:
- Tell people it’s okay to give wild ideas
- Make it easy for people to ask
- Allow people to ask basic questions to break the barrier
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