Caring what people think of you can often be detrimental but it can also be beneficial. It probably means you take care of your appearance and personal hygiene, that you’re polite in situations that require it and that you improve your emotional intelligence. However out of the anxiety that people will think you’re stupid you probably bite your tongue when confronted with information you feel you should know but don’t. Don’t do this. It’s more stupid to sit in befuddlement and silence. Here are a few reasons why asking ‘stupid’ questions makes you smart…
Business: Everyone is on the Same Page
Working anywhere, you are part of a team. So bearing that in mind, what do you think happens if one member of the team doesn’t know how to do their job? There will always be errors and in the worst-case scenario the business could lose money, clients or an account. If someone within the team isn’t performing properly it won’t be a good enough excuse to say you were too embarrassed to ask a rudimentary question. Don’t risk the company’s reputation and money. Ask.
It’s a Learning Experience
In every aspect of your life, you should be striving to acquire more skills and knowledge. Questions that your brain tells you are ‘silly’ are its’ way of telling you that this is vital information. In a way, questions like these are exactly the ones you should be asking and are probably the most important questions if you are to grow as a person. These are the questions that tell you there is a bit of a gap in your understanding of a topic or person and you need to rectify that. Listen to your brain. You can always approach with both honesty and caution and state: ‘I should know more about this and want to better understand…’
Proves you’re Inquisitive
The truth is that far from proving you to be someone empty-headed, it actually showcases a naturally inquisitive mind. In this way, you may unravel hidden complexities within an issue and actually change the way in which the person doing the explaining understands it. Being inquisitive means you have an unconventional approach to solving problems and your originality will never be looked at as a bad thing. Most people understand that if someone is asking genuine questions it’s because they’re trying to better understand the topic.
Proves you’re Paying Attention
Sitting back passively while the information you cannot decipher washes over you can never be a good thing. If you are the sort of person who flags up things they don’t understand it proves you are an active listener; someone who is constantly alert to their surroundings. It will impress others if you are asserting your thoughts to them as it proves you are a willing participant and will be a valuable team member going forward.
To conclude, it really shouldn’t be necessary in today’s society to reason that genuine questions are not ‘stupid questions’. Everyone needs to better understand an array of subjects if there was no one to ask ‘stupid questions’ it really would be the blind leading the blind. It’s no joke that the most successful people ask these questions and they’ll be the ones explaining them in years to come. Be courageous > Ask away!
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