Some men see things as they are, and say why. I dream of things that never were, and say why not. - Robert Kennedy
All highly competent people
continually search for ways to keep learning, growing, and improving. They do
that by asking WHY. After all, the person who knows HOW will always have a job,
but the person who knows WHY will always be the boss. - Benjamin Franklin
Why? As the author said in May, she likes to ask “why”. Asking “why” at the right time provides the
opportunity to get additional insight and develop a stronger understanding of an
individual’s perspective. In a
professional setting, asking why in a respectful manner opens the door for a
better understanding of a decision being made.
On the other hand, asking “why not” provides insight and also often opens
the line of communication to allow for an in-depth conversation to help comprehend
the decision and hopefully calm any apprehension.
The common question that gets asked
in business is, 'why?' That's a good question, but an equally valid question
is, 'why not?' - Jeff Bezos
When asking “why” or
“why not”, approach the matter respectfully and ask something like “to help me
understand this decision made, why was this the path chosen?” or “please help me
understand why this choice made and why not this other option.” By asking respectfully and calmly, it will
hopefully diffuse any apprehension on the responder’s part and show the individual
asking the question is only looking for clarification.
ACTION: Asking questions unlocks the door to grasping so
many new things. Create 2 or 3 options for
asking why or why not questions that show respect and desire to learn.
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