You need to ask questions because curiosity drives learning
UGANDA - Najam Saifee Japan, Director Uptraining Consultancy Limited, Kampala advises that humans need to ask a lot of questions in order to become better at what they do.
Here is an example of a question asked and how to approach the situation:
I have been working for 24+ years in the field of Learning & Development in Oil & Gas Sector. Over these years, I have had the opportunity to manage teams as large as 500+ people.
A lot of them have been from the best schools/colleges in the world. A lot of them have been from schools/colleges whose names we would not have heard of. People from all sorts of background - economic, social, and mix.
So if someone were to ask me this question: "Hey, what do you think is the #1 indicator of professional success?" I would have my answer immediately ready.
Curiosity.
Irrespective of college, grades, background, and experience - this one attribute is singularly, in my experience, something I have found in all top performers. They are innately curious. Before giving answers, they love asking questions. And they are genuine when they do so.
Why does it work?
Because this curiosity drives learning. They question why things happen a certain way, why people behave a certain way, why the results came out that way, how can they do better, how they can do different? They question and that drives new ideas, new plans and new journeys. Which is baffling, because we are ALL born with curiosity as a trait. Remember how many questions we asked as a kid? Why does this happen? Why does that happen? What happens when this happens, that happens? We are ALWAYS asking questions.
Unfortunately, for most of us, this curiosity is crushed! School, and even parents - silence us.They qualify us asking questions as dumb. They say that asking questions is irritating. They suggest answering, instead of questioning. So over time, we stop. But the ones who don't, keep moving forward!
Here are 3 ways for you to inculcate curiosity as an innate habit.
1. Ask questions. This is the surest way. Ask a LOT of questions. More than you give answers to.
2. for all important decisions you have taken in the past, ask WHY did you take that decision, 5 times. Start with "why did I do that?" Whatever answer you get, ask again "Why did I do that?". So on for 5 times in all.
3. When presented with a new fact or new piece of information, go on Wikipedia and read about it.
Do this for 30 days and you will be a changed person. I guarantee you!
Najam Saifee Japan, Director
