Ask the Question

It’s been a long while since I last wrote. I am glad that the reason was because I was busy, very busy. A lot of travel and a lot of speaking to business leaders, in SEAsia no less. Happy me. The weather here on the East Coast hasn’t quite warmed up yet and I was glad to be out of here to enjoy the warmer climes.

After I gave my talk, naturally there were Q&A sessions. What I found was that regardless of level of manager, there are always those questions that you get that don’t necessarily need technical skill development in order to find a solution. The answers were simple and common sensical. My answers came in the form of a question back at first — have you asked your supervisor? have you asked your direct reports?

It was common that the answer to my questions was, no.

If you need to know something, don’t be afraid to ask. The worst that can happen is you get a no. But what if you don’t and you get a yes? Again, common sense. If you get a no, you are at the same place you were at, status quo. Nothing to lose. So ask the question.

I know it is Friday and no one wants to read a long piece so I am keeping this brief. Don’t hold yourself back and keep things to yourself. If you need help or need an answer, then by all means ASK THE QUESTION. It is the only way you will get to move forward. If the answer is no, go back to the drawing board and figure out another way to get what you want. If the answer is yes, then hey … imagine if you never opened your mouth. Have a great weekend and enjoy the warmer weather coming up! I know I will.