I’m not entirely sure where I’m going with this, but that’s kind of the point, **figuring things out by asking questions.** Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how questions shape our relationships, careers, our choices, and even our relevance in the workplace. You know those people in meetings who always seem to have a question for everything? The ones who aren’t afraid to raise their hand and ask the VP why they made a particular decision? Yeah, those people. **They get noticed.** And it’s not just about looking smart. It’s a signal, one that management pays attention to. Because the people who ask questions aren’t just following orders; they’re thinking, engaging, and **challenging the status quo.** That’s a different playing field altogether. --- ### **Wait, Aren’t Questions Annoying?** Let’s be real, **we weren’t raised to ask questions.** If you grew up like I did, asking too many questions meant you were *difficult* or *rebellious.* There was a fine line between being "curious" and being "disrespectful." You obeyed. You nodded. You didn’t question authority. To this day, I still hesitate before calling people older than me by their first names, unless we’re friends. Even then, it’s always something like *“Boss”* (just to be safe, hahaha). And yet, we were somehow expected to grow up and become leaders? **How does that even make sense?** Leadership isn’t about blindly following orders, it’s about making decisions. And making decisions? That starts with asking the right questions. --- For the longest time, I didn’t ask enough questions. Sure, I asked the obvious ones, but not the real, uncomfortable, **game-changing** ones. You know that moment in a meeting when someone presents an idea, then asks, *"Any questions?"* And everyone just sits there, nodding, pretending they understand? Yeah, I used to be that person. Not because I understood. **I just didn’t want to look stupid.** And then, plot twist, I’d leave the meeting totally lost, only to realize **everyone else was just as confused as I was.** Hahaha. Classic. But here’s the thing: If no one asks, **no one learns.** And if you don’t learn, you don’t grow. So about two years ago, something clicked. I started asking more questions, not just at work, but in life. Why are we doing this project now? Why is this task a priority? What does that acronym even mean? (Seriously, why do people throw around acronyms like we all signed the same secret contract?) And something amazing happened. **I felt more informed.** More aware. More *relevant.* --- ### **Not All Questions Are Created Equal.** Let’s be honest, **not all questions are good questions.** There’s a difference between asking a question to learn and asking a question to flex. We’ve all seen that one person in a meeting asking questions just to sound smart. (Spoiler: It never works.) But when you ask **the right** questions, the ones that seek clarity, challenge assumptions, or spark new ideas, you level up. Imagine if **everyone** asked better questions. The right ones. The hard ones. The ones that get to the root of things. There’s actually a framework for this called the **"5 Whys" method.** (I don’t practice it much, maybe when I’m an exec, I will, but the idea is cool.) The concept? Ask "Why?" five times, and by the fifth, you’ll hit the real problem. Example: 1. Why is this project delayed? → Because we’re waiting on approvals. 2. Why are we waiting on approvals? → Because the VP is busy. 3. Why is the VP busy? → Because they’re swamped with too many decisions. 4. Why are they making all the decisions? → Because the team isn’t empowered. 5. Why isn’t the team empowered? → Because we don’t have clear ownership. Boom. Now we’re talking about real solutions. --- You know who asks the best questions? **Kids.** They don’t care about looking dumb. They don’t hesitate. They just ask. And because they ask, they understand the world with more clarity (and a lot more fun). Atleast, before they stopped asking questions. Or we Adult prevent them from stop asking questions. Somewhere along the way, we stop doing that. **But what if we didn’t?** What if we questioned things more? Our jobs, our choices, our assumptions? What if instead of blindly following, we asked: *Why?* And more importantly, **what could change if we did?** Disclaimer: I don't think I like when people ask me too many questions, weird!