The Importance of Asking Questions

“So, you’re all going to do it fucking perfect then, right?” I was slightly taken aback when my Jiu Jitsu professor shouted that at my class. Sure, nobody had questions, but the move seemed relatively simple. “When I work with white belts, there’s hardly ever any questions. When I’m with black belts, they’re curious about the movements we are learning, it’s hard to get past all their questions.” he finished.

Asking questions is often viewed as a weakness for the asker. Asking a question means that you didn’t know something. I believe that asking a question shows curiosity and a desire to learn more, which is one of the greatest strengths someone can have.

Why We Avoid Asking

Many people hold back questions because they don’t want to seem uniformed. You can stay quiet, nod your head, and hope that clarity comes to you later. Holding back questions often comes from a fear of judgement from others. There have been numerous times where I’ve held back important questions in classes, jobs, and relationships, and it costed me time, opportunity, and clarity. It also could have saved me from getting choked out in Jiu Jitsu a couple times.

So What?

After that moment in Jiu Jitsu, I started paying closer attention to those around me and their relationship with asking questions. I noticed a common denominator:

High performers ask questions, because they are high performers. At the same time, they are high performers because they ask questions.

Looking at my coworkers, people I manage, bosses, even friends, the people who asked questions usually made faster progress on their goals than those who don’t. It’s easier said than done, but the obvious takeaway – be curious and open doors by asking questions.

What holds you back from asking questions?

2x2 grid, how I categorize questions

“My greatest strength as a consultant is to be ignorant and ask a few questions.”

– Peter Drucker