The Power of Asking Questions

Table of Contents

“Thank you for your insightful questions!” said the host at the end of the event. That was a rarity to hear in my growing-up years. So, despite being excited about being a part of the audience in a coveted event in my firm, when the mic was being passed around to the audience, I let it pass. That was not a first but one of many times.

Thank you for asking questions. is a phrase we often hear, but how often do we use it to connect with others?

Key Takeaways

Questioning promotes the acquisition of more profound insight and encourages continual learning and development.
It is perfectly acceptable to ask questions. Overcoming questioning takes mentorship, encouragement, and confidence.
Questions show a genuine interest, create empathy, and foster stronger professional relationships.
Top executives use questioning to empower their teams, build trust, create ownership, and innovate.
Frameworks, like Warren Berger’s, work to solve problems and are used for better decision-making.

Barriers to Asking Questions

Perhaps mental conditioning, fear of sounding stupid or ignorant, or just an inability to frame my thoughts into a question were my blockers then. But I knew I was missing an opportunity to learn, even if I would have said, ‘Thank you for asking,’ and left the mic behind. Answers are rewarded… questions are… well, questionable.

In many environments, asking questions is discouraged—if not explicitly, then through social cues:

We often hear:

“Don’t come to me with questions—come with answers.”
“Why disrupt the process?”
“I am superior; I know it all.”

In many workplaces, the importance of asking questions is often overlooked. Yet, understanding how to ask questions to get information can lead to innovation, learning, and improved communication.

Suggested Read: How to Overcome the Fear of Asking Questions

Source: ADP

Did You Know?

According to the ADP Research “People at Work 2025” survey for India, only 19% of Indian employees report being fully engaged at work — a drop from 24% the previous year.

The Journey to Embracing Questions

It took quite a few years and mentoring from some of my mentors for me to ditch that hitch and embrace asking questions and to encourage them too. The motto was: “It’s better to ask and risk sounding foolish than to remain silent and make a costly mistake.”

But no one should actually need help in asking questions… right? I mean, is it not like an elementary aspect we are born with? That’s what most people may think.

Asking questions is a skill we need to develop, which requires skill to learn and exchange information; it indeed is a skill that needs to be grown, encouraged, and honed. The power of questioning lies in its ability to challenge assumptions and inspire new thinking.

(Source: Acs)

Did You Know?

The Polaroid instant camera was invented after Edwin Land’s daughter asked why she couldn’t see the photo right away. One simple question led to a photography revolution — a perfect power of asking questions example that changed technology forever.

The Role of Questions in Human Connection

Among the myriad doctrines of questioning, the fundamental one is human connection. Whether it is with a child or an elder, or in general with other humans in personal and professional worlds, asking questions displays a genuine desire to know about others or learn from others, which builds empathy.

Asking a friend about how they are or what happened helps deepen the bond.

In a group with strangers, questioning can build rapport and relationships. In learning setups, questioning assists learning, knowledge gain, and sharing perspectives.

In workspaces as well, it is the central nervous system in many ways. A common question people ask is, ‘How do you say thank you for asking?’ Acknowledging a thoughtful question not only encourages deeper engagement but also builds stronger human connections.

Our work depends on asking questions and answers all the time. “What do you think about this?” is such a question—when my senior asked me this, it defined ownership, building competence, confidence, empowerment, and so much more for me.

When leaders ask the team for ideas or opinions, this simple question makes me feel valued, responsible, empowered, and confident. It opened up a space for real dialogue and trust—a hallmark of powerful questioning techniques in leadership.

The Scientific Basis for Asking Questions

The scientific premise behind asking questions is simple: curiosity about how things or the world work and what happens if things are done differently—this can be termed as gaining or deepening knowledge.

Better ways to do things, new ways of solving problems, and creativity all erupt from the volcano of questions if it’s allowed to open.

Certainly, posing queries incorrectly could damage dialogue or trust worse than anything else. It is not merely about how to ask smart questions so that it leads to fruitful comprehension.

This is the point at which the power of asking questions in communication shows its mighty effect; it builds up relationships, clarifies comprehension, and encourages teamwork.

The Art and Science of Questioning

There is a whole lot of research and science behind the art and power of questioning or asking the right questions. It is not one particular theory or one way to do it. It is learnt by first opening up and accepting the idea and then observing and practising.

If one is a shy person by nature, even answering questions is not easy, so asking questions is a far cry. But, like any skill, it can be learnt, practised, and improved. Knowing what are the benefits of asking the right questions and when to ask them is crucial.

An effective way is to use Warren Berger’s three-part system to ask a question. Simple statements like ‘Thank you for asking me out’ can express most strongly how a question can affect all our social interactions. Beyond politeness, the meaning encompasses appreciation for curiosity or interest from someone’s side.

Source: Culture Amp

Did You Know?

In India, 2 million questions answered across 400 organisations, one of the lower-scoring dimensions was: “Most people here make a good effort to consult other staff where appropriate.

Warren Berger’s Three-Part System of Inquiry

Author Warren Berger proposed the powerful questioning framework to be used for innovation:

Why: Uncovers the core issue. Why does this problem exist? Why has it not been solved yet?
What if: Encourages creative thinking. What if we do things differently?
How: Deals with the actual implementation. How are we going to test, improve, and implement it?

Enterprises like Airbnb, Netflix, and Square have all been fully innovated within the framework of this format—proving the power of questions book is not just theory but a practical model for innovation.

For organisations seeking to nurture curiosity, the best power of asking questions training can help leaders and employees master this framework for better collaboration and decision-making.

Conclusion: The Value of Continuous Inquiry

In summary

‘Why’ can be the game changer.
‘What if’ possibilities are the seeds of innovation.
‘How’ is the action stage of inquiry.

But this isn’t a master key—there should not be one. The idea is to first be open to asking and encouraging others to ask and using inquiry to progress.

As Albert Einstein said,

“The important thing is not to stop questioning.”

So, go ahead—ask. And when someone asks you, say it with meaning: “Thank you for asking.”

Amity Institute of Training & Development (AITD) has the best power of asking questions training that is very helpful for professionals and leaders to question and properly use the power of questioning. Develop curiosity, communication, and confidence to lead with purpose and clarity.

Is Your Organisation Fostering A Culture of Curiosity and Continuous Improvement?

Master the Power of Questions

Senior Leaders People Managers Individual Contributors

Latest Blog