Asking questions is important in any job and industry, but this importance is magnified when working with procedures. This simple action of asking questions can make a difference in terms of safety for yourself and your colleagues.
Have you ever been afraid to ask questions when you notice a discrepancy in a procedure? You’re not alone!
A Harvard Business Review study found that 70% of employees face barriers to asking questions at work. One of the biggest barriers?
A fear of ridicule and rejection from colleagues for asking a “dumb” question. However, the facts show that this is an unnecessary fear.
The same study found that “92% of employers credited curious people with bringing new ideas into teams and organizations and viewed curiosity as a catalyst for job satisfaction, motivation, innovation, and high performance.”
The truth is that asking questions promotes better decision-making, improves your knowledge and understanding, and shows your passion for your work.
Asking questions is important in any job and industry, but this importance is magnified when working with procedures. This simple action of asking questions can make a difference in terms of safety for yourself and your colleagues.
While asking questions is a great first step in mitigating risk, knowing how to ask questions effectively can have an even bigger impact.
How to Discern What Makes an Impactful Question
You need to know how to ask an impactful question to get an impactful answer. For example, asking, “Do I have to perform this step?” will elicit an obvious answer because if an action step is written in the procedure, one would assume that the expectation is that it’s performed.
However, if you’re questioning a step because you noticed it’s written as an action step but would work better as a conditional step, you might want to ask instead, “Does this step introduce a condition that may or may not occur?”
This question offers more clarity, elicits participation, and introduces a discussion on whether this step can be improved for the safety of all.
An impactful question should be asked plainly and concisely. Adding too many jargon words and overexplaining the question wastes valuable time and can confuse the person you’re asking. If a follow-up question is necessary, you can ask them to elaborate on a particular aspect of the question.
Additionally, you should have already defined a specific purpose for your question to yourself before asking. Make it clear if your goal is to learn how to perform a particular task, correct an action step that could introduce human performance errors, or increase your knowledge of how to perform a particular action. Defining this purpose will help you evaluate your question to ensure it is framed in a way that will help you reach your goal.
If you’re questioning a procedure, there’s a chance at least one other person has the same question, too. Most importantly, if you don’t ask the question, you may risk your and your colleagues’ safety.
How to Ask Impactful Questions at Work
Plan Your Questions
Before asking your question, think about how you want to phrase it to get the most effective answer. Consider if you might need to ask follow-up questions and make sure that they’re relevant to the original question.
If you have time, write down all your questions so you don’t forget to ask anything and to ensure your questions are phrased as effectively as possible. This practice will help you determine if they’re clear, concise, and easy to understand.
This is also a time to reflect on your purpose and what you hope to accomplish with these questions to ensure you receive the most impactful answers.
Ask Open-Ended Questions
Open-ended questions go beyond a simple yes or no answer. They encourage thoughtful and comprehensive answers and foster a collaborative discussion.
Often, closed-ended questions—questions that invoke a yes or no response—limit how your question is answered. These questions may even put the responder into a passive role while they wait for you to ask for more information.
Additionally, closed-ended questions can introduce bias and manipulation. If the responder only has a certain set of responses to choose from, their options are narrowed, and they may be prevented from sharing their true answer. Many answers require further explanation, and you are robbing yourself of the actual answer if the responder is inhibited from explaining themselves further.
Actively Listen
Many people listen to respond rather than to understand. When you ask a question, really listen to what the other person is saying. Don’t think about what you’re going to ask next, and do not interrupt.
It can be challenging to do this, and it really takes some practice, but you will be able to think of your questions when the other person is done talking. Actively listening will help you fully understand the answer to all your questions and provide perspective on where the other person is coming from.
This also helps to build rapport with your colleagues, improve the accuracy of your communication, resolve conflicts amicably, and build trust with your fellow team members. Actively listening allows for more productivity and will help get your questions answered much quicker.
Have A Question? Just Ask It!
The biggest barrier to asking questions is the fear of ridicule and rejection from colleagues. The best way to overcome this fear is to just ask your question!
This is easier said than done, but the more you do it, the more comfortable you become with asking questions. If you’re questioning a procedure, there’s a chance at least one other person has the same question, too. Most importantly, if you don’t ask the question, you may risk your and your colleagues’ safety.
If you want to learn more about how to ask impactful questions that improve procedure quality, join our next Lunch & Learn webinar on Thursday, September 5th, from 12-1pm ET!
Our Founder, Stephen McCord, will discuss how to determine the most impactful questions to ask to improve procedure quality and human performance. He will share how your questions are often the answer that helps uncover potential error traps. Save your spot here!
