There are dumb questions… and they ruin your credibility

Face it. There ARE dumb questions. And you shouldn’t ask them.

Questions can do two things: They can build your credibility or they can take away from your credibility.

Ever been at a meeting where someone asked a question about something that was supposed to be reviewed ahead of time? That automatically ruins the pace of the meeting because someone didn’t do their homework. Doesn’t it suck to be that person?

On the other hand, have you ever been to a meeting where someone asked a question that created a giant pause? There was a pause because everyone took a moment to think. These are the questions that build credibility.

So what’s the key to asking GREAT questions?

Ask questions that make people THINK, not remember.

A GREAT question is one that makes the other person think of the answer. It forces them to look at something in a new light. To question something deeper or to notice something they missed before.

An average question is one that makes someone “remember” something. A fact. A statistic. A process. Sometimes these questions are necessary and are certainly fine in 1 on 1 meetings.

But if you’re in a large meeting, focus on asking the questions that force people to think on a deeper level. Do that and people will view you as older, smarter, and you’ll get that age barrier to disappear.

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