Today's "always on" world creates a sense of urgency in the way people answer questions. With ubiquitous access to information, volatile business demands, and ever-faster technology, the need to understand others has never been more urgent. As leaders, we need to embrace the power of the question to understand others and make informed decisions. Asking questions exposes answers given by rote and gives us a chance to understand what is being said.
Some people shy away from asking questions for fear of making mistakes. Others feel self-conscious or overconfident. Others worry about asking the wrong question or revealing they don't know the answer. Whatever the case, asking questions is a fundamental part of creating a social contract. A well-asked question can lead to a productive dialogue with others. Listed below are some tips to ask questions. They may not be easy or obvious, but they can be highly beneficial.
Use acronyms sparingly. Ask people to abbreviate words to prevent silent assumptions. Likewise, don't assume people know your answer. If you're a little shy, you can also make a mental note of the answer without saying a word. However, if you're shy or too embarrassed to share details, this will only result in you building a homework log that takes double the time to answer.
Ask questions to learn about your child's education. Asking questions to your child's teacher will help them understand the classroom environment, and will allow you to support their learning at home. If you don't ask questions about your child's learning experience, they may be unable to learn anything or form relationships. They may also be unable to communicate with others. They may have trouble with speaking, but that doesn't mean they don't want to.
In a classroom setting, teachers must model how to ask good questions. Using questions to engage students in critical thinking is one of the most effective strategies for increasing student comprehension. Most students are reticent to ask questions that are open-ended. But students are not the only ones who struggle with open-ended questions. It's an art and one that can be perfected with practice. So, how do you go about mastering the art of asking questions?
- Be sure to use closed and open questions. Open questions ask the speaker to elaborate on a part of the point and closed questions ask them to repeat the ambiguous part of their answer. When asking a question for clarification, make sure to be clear about your intent and avoid blaming the speaker for an incorrect answer. In this way, you can ensure that the answer will be meaningful and accurate. There's no point in blaming your speaker if they can't make you understand their message.
The step in mastering the art of asking questions is to develop the skill of critical thinking. If you don't have the skill to ask good questions, you're unlikely to be able to inspire your students' curiosity and attention. Developing a questioning habit will make students much more open-minded and hungry to learn. They'll be more engaged in the learning process and understand their environment better. But before asking a question, students must decide what its goal and purpose is.