Ask questions

Cultivate a curious spirit.

This should be something you require from yourself.

Before you have any meeting, answer any email, respond to any brief….

Formulate questions.

Think of things that need asking in order to make whatever business transaction you’re doing…a success.

Let’s put business aside for a second and consider LIFE….the personal side of things. Really it’s hard to distinguish between life and business but be that as it may.

If you’re getting into any kind of romantic situation, I’d hope you would ask questions.

Be curious about others; their lives, their processes, how they get from point A to point B.

Ask questions in order to learn.

You ask questions to find potential red flags.

To uncover problems.

If you’re a supplier you should ask questions to better understand the project and the client expectations.

If you’re a buyer you should ask questions to better understand the supply side and make sure the supplier understand what YOU’RE asking.

If you’re an employer.. a big fat cat boss you should ask questions of your employees.

“What do you do on the weekends?”

“What are your children’s names”.

“What things do you think we can do better in this organization?”

Don’t be afraid of answers.

Many supposed leaders don’t ask questions because they’re afraid of real answers. They also don’t volunteer information because they walk in shadows and are terrified at being exposed.

This type of leader or person usually shares real estate with 100’s of white elephants, but nobody talks about it.

I’m a father and I ask my children questions; this how I can gauge where they’re at, what they’re thinking, how they perceive things.

On the flip side, if you interact with people who don’t ask questions… then flee.

This is a bad sign.

If they don’t ask pointed questions to understand.

If they don’t casually ask questions about you…personally.

If they don’t have a curious, inquisitive spirit…it’s not a good sign.

It shows they lack human-to-human awareness and there’s something that down the road is going to go south.

These type of people are generally in their own worlds and are oblivious to others.

They weren’t taught to share.

As adults we don’t share our toys.

We share experience, guidance and answers.