The Power of Asking Questions – Amity Institute Of Training & Development

“Thank you for your insightful questions!” said the host at the end of the event. That was a rarity to hear in my growing up years. So, despite being excited about being a part of the audience in a coveted event in my firm, when the mic was being passed around to the audience, I let it pass. That was not a first, but one of many times. Thank you for asking questions is a phrase we often hear, but how often do we use it to engage deeper with the world around us?

Did You Know?

Questions as a Learning Tool: Studies show that children ask around 300 questions a day, highlighting the natural human curiosity that drives learning from an early age.

Barriers to Asking Questions

Perhaps mental conditioning, fear of sounding stupid or ignorant, or just an inability to frame my thoughts into a question were my blockers then. But I knew I was missing an opportunity to learn, even if I would have said thank you for asking though and left the mic behind.. Answers are rewarded… questions are… well, questionable. In a world of here and now, tolerating questions itself is rare, forget about encouraging them. “Don’t come to me with questions—come to me with answers,” Who has the time?, I am superior—I know it all?, Why disrupt? And the list is endless….Even in social scenarios, such as when someone says, ‘Thank you for asking me out,’ it demonstrates the importance of valuing curiosity and genuine interest.

The Journey to Embracing Questions

It took quite a few years and mentoring from some of my mentors for me to ditch that hitch and embrace asking questions, and to encourage them too. The motto was: Better to ask and risk appearing stupid than to continue on your ignorant way and make a stupid mistake. But no one should actually need help in asking questions… right? I mean, is it not like an elementary aspect we are born with! That’s what most people may think. While human beings may be the only primates gifted with the ability to learn and exchange information, it indeed is a skill that needs to be grown, encouraged, and honed.

Did You Know?

Historical Innovations: The Polaroid instant camera was invented after Edwin Land’s daughter asked why she couldn’t see the photo he had just taken immediately, showcasing the power of a simple question in sparking innovation.

The Role of Questions in Human Connection

Among the myriad doctrines of questioning, the fundamental one is human connection. Whether it is with a child or an elder, or in general with other humans in personal and professional worlds, asking questions displays a genuine desire to know about others or learn from others, which builds empathy. Asking a friend about how they are or what happened helps deepen the bond. In a group with strangers, questioning can build rapport and relationships. In learning setups, questioning aids learning, knowledge gain, and sharing perspectives. In workspaces as well, it is the central nervous system in many ways.A common question people ask is, ‘How do you say thank you for asking?’ Acknowledging a thoughtful question not only encourages deeper engagement but also builds stronger human connections.

Our work depends on answers to questions all the time. “What do you think about this?” is such a question—when my senior asked me this, it defined ownership, building competence, confidence, empowerment, and so much more for me. When leaders ask the team for ideas or opinions, it builds trust and empowerment and spurs growth. It also helps avoid many blind spots and snares.

The Scientific Basis for Asking Questions

The scientific premise behind asking questions is simple: curiosity about how things or the world works, and what happens if things are done differently—this can be termed as gaining or deepening knowledge. Better ways to do things, new ways of solving problems, and creativity all erupt from the volcano of questions if it’s allowed to open. Of course, there is as much weight in doing it right or wrong. A wrong question or a wrong way of asking could change the whole course of things too.

The Art and Science of Questioning

There is a whole lot of research and science behind the art of asking questions or asking the right questions. It is not one particular theory or one way to do it. It is learned by first opening up and accepting the idea and then observing and practicing. If one is a shy person by nature, even answering questions is not easy, so asking questions is a far cry. But knowing some tactics is a sure help to grow the mindset of asking questions. A simple and popular method is Warren Berger’s three-part system of inquiry. Expressions like ‘Thank you for asking me out’ are simple yet powerful examples of how questions shape our social interactions. The meaning goes beyond politeness; it reflects appreciation for someone’s curiosity or interest.

Did You Know?

Cognitive Benefits: Regularly engaging in asking questions can enhance cognitive flexibility, which is the brain’s ability to adapt to new, changing, or unexpected events, crucial for strategic thinking.

Warren Berger’s Three-Part System of Inquiry

Warren Berger calls it The Why, What If, and How of Innovative Questioning.

Why: Asking “Why” helps us understand the core problem or challenge—why it exists, why it hasn’t been solved already, and why it might be worth tackling.
What If: “What if” questions are used to explore new ideas for improvements or solutions to the problem from a hypothetical standpoint.
How: When it’s time to act on those ideas, the most effective questions are practical and action-oriented—how to give form to ideas, how to test and refine them, and how to transform possibility into reality.

This cycle of inquiry can be seen in many stories of recent innovations by companies such as Netflix, Pandora, Square, Nest, and Airbnb. Or, for a more timeless example, consider the invention of the Polaroid instant camera.

Conclusion: The Value of Continuous Inquiry

In summary, ‘WHY’ can be the game changer. ‘What if’ possibilities are the seeds of innovation. ‘How’ is the action stage of inquiry.

But this isn’t a master key—there should not be one. The idea is to first be open to asking and encouraging others to ask, and using inquiry to progress. Thank you for asking anyway, because as Albert Einstein said, “The important thing is not to stop questioning…”