Asking the Questions

My eleven-year-old daughter is very “spirited.” From the age of three, when people asked, I would describe her as having “strong leadership skills.” Recently, we planned a girls’ movie night and went to see Little Women with friends. I smiled at the similarities between the character, Jo, and my daughter.

For kicks, I decided to ask her which character she felt that she was most like, fully expecting her to reply with “Jo.” Instead, she replied, “Beth,” referring to the timid and sweet younger sister. 

This dialogue reminded me of the importance of asking questions, even if we think we know that answer. No matter how much we think that we are in tune with our colleagues and team members, we may be creating our own stories about why they do what they do and how they think and feel. 

In fact, the better we know those around us, the more inclined we might be to make assumptions. By asking the question, even when we think we know the answer, we’re likely to uncover a new piece of information that may help us to be a more supportive colleague and help the person be even better.

Always ask the question.