Chris A. Petersen

Strategic Thinker, Professional Speaker, and Workshop Facilitator

Tips for Asking Good Questions

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “There’s no such thing as a dumb question,” right? It may be true, and of course it’s important to be curious and seek clarification, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put any thought into the questions you ask—especially at work, where time is valuable and everyone is focused on their own tasks. If you want to be as effective and efficient as possible in your question-asking, here are a few strategies sure it impress your boss and grow you as an employee.

Do Your Research
Before running to your supervisor every time you encounter a question about an assignment or project, try doing a bit of research first to see if you can’t find the answer on your own. Explore online—there’s a good chance Google will know. If it’s a question someone else has already asked, the answer you’re looking for might be in an email chain or your notes. Take the couple of extra minutes to search your inbox—you don’t want to waste your supervisor’s time having to repeat information when the answer was already available you.

Make a Plan
Determine exactly the information you need before you ask your question. Have a purpose for what you are going to ask, and then do so efficiently. Is your question clear and concise? How much background information is actually necessary? Don’t beat around the bush, either, and don’t ask too many questions at once. Also find out what time of day is most convenient for your coworker or boss. Be respectful of their schedule so you’re not interrupting phone calls, meetings, or crucial work time. Make a plan, practice in your head, and then ask away.

Keep it Professional
Only ask questions you really need the answers to. Nosy, personal questions are distracting, unnecessary, and unprofessional. Ask questions relevant to the projects you are involved in and need to know about.

Be Authentic
Only ask questions you don’t know the answer to, and don’t use questions as an opportunity to push your opinion. If you have an opinion to share, state it openly. Don’t try to obscure it behind a question mark. Save asking questions for things you don’t know.

Be Thoughtful
Your supervisor will notice if you have taken the time to craft a quality question. Such thoughtfulness will demonstrate you are not only a capable employee, but are also respectful of their time. These well thought-out questions will also show your ability to iterate and improve your thoughts, as well as your ability to tackle challenges from every angle. So take the time to think about the topic at hand, figure out what you need to know more about, and then ask the appropriate question.

By following these principles, you may ask fewer questions, but you’ll find the more careful and intentional you are with your questions, the more you will ultimately learn. Such intentionality will help you to think critically and deeply, as well as impress your employers. Curiosity leads to improvement and growth, but only if you ask the right questions at the right time. So keep asking… after you think.

5 Things You Need to be a Good Communicator

communication

Good communication allows one to forge a real and personal connection with other people.

We all think that communication is easy and that we’re rather good at it. The truth is, speaking well does not automatically make a person a good communicator. It’s the same way simply hearing does not make someone a good listener. Communication is more than the simple act of exchanging information. It is creating an understanding between you and the other person about the emotions and intentions that lie behind the message.

Being able to communicate effectively is one of the most important life skills. Communication is an integral part of every interaction we have, and can shape both our personal and professional lives. This is especially true for the latter, as strong communication skills are a tell-tale sign of great leadership skills and are often equated with efficacy in the workplace, opening up more opportunities. Most importantly, good communication allows one to forge a real and personal connection with other people.

Fortunately, good communication is a valuable skill that can be learned. If you are looking to become a better communicator, here are five things to keep in mind:

Be a good listener. When it comes to communicating well, it is important that you truly understand what the other person is trying to say in order to respond appropriately.

Be aware of who your audience is. A good part of communication is knowing who you’re talking to in order to deliver the message and tailor it in a way that your audience can relate to it and easily understand.

Be positive. When it comes to giving comments or feedback, it is important to be constructive and to use words that have a positive connotation to them to prevent the listener from either going defensive or zoning out. You have to be careful not to be seen as aggressive to ensure that no misunderstandings will take place.

Don’t hesitate to ask questions. People don’t often say what they mean immediately and it often takes asking questions to get to the heart of the matter. It also serves as a way to confirm whether your message was received the way you intended it to be.

Be succinct. The problem with beating around the bush is that your message may be clouded or overshadowed by irrelevant information. Get to the point as quickly as possible in order to help the listener/audience understand the message properly.

Changes don’t come overnight and there may be times that you will find yourself slipping or committing a mistake. All it takes is constant practice to make a difference. That, and remaining conscious and aware during every interaction that you have can pave the path to being a good communicator.

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Chris Petersen has more than 30 years of experience in the technology and the financial services industry. She is an author, Fintech strategist, speaker and an advocate for women’s leadership. For a dose of inspiration, you can follow her on Twitter, Facebook or connect with her on LinkedIn.