Kids ask the best questions. Kids ask a lot of questions. I have two young boys who are the lights of my life. Jackson (5 yrs old) and Cooper (4yrs old) are some of the best question askers I know. In a five minute car ride to the grocery store, I may get twenty questions. Those with kids, nieces, nephews or those who spend time around young people know exactly what I am talking about. My kids’ most common question is “Why…Why is the sky blue?....Why did you say that?....Why do I have to do that?”
As we get older, we start replacing our questions with answers. We often just stop asking questions. One of the most powerful tools we have is our ability to ask the right questions. Questions allow us to learn from others and they often help those around us.
If you’re a coach, teacher, business leader, parent or friend, your ability to be more
impactful is in direct proportion to your ability to ask great questions.
At times, when I have grown the most is when someone has challenged me with a great question. I had a coach one time ask me what it felt like to be coached by me. It challenged me to be introspective and really think from the athlete's perspective. A great question forces us to think more deeply, to be inquisitive. A great question leads us to better answers. Better answers lead to a more fulfilling life.
Why Ask Questions
1) Questions show an interest in others' lives. They show you CARE.
2) It leads people to their own answers. Next time someone asks you a question, ask a question back. This is especially effective for those that are leading others.
3) It makes you BETTER. Remember, success leaves CLUES. Seek answers from the people you look up to, respect and view as successful.
3 Questions to find CLUES for success
1) What three things have allowed you to become successful?
2) What’s the best advice you have been given?
3) What would you tell your younger self?
Why do we stop asking questions? I don’t know…why did you stop?
A few years ago, I realized that somewhere along the way, I stopped asking questions. Maybe I thought I had figured most things out in life. Maybe I was embarrassed to ask and show vulnerability? Whatever the reason, it really doesn’t matter. What matters is that because I wasn’t asking questions, I had missed opportunities to grow myself and the people around me! I had lost my inner-child, my curiosity and along with it one of my most powerful means of improvement. What I needed was to Stop Answering and Start Asking…
-Sam Allen
www.bcbball.com
@CoachSamAllen
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