Comments on: Underrated career skill: Asking questions http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/12/15/underrated-career-skill-asking-questions/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:05:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: J http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/12/15/underrated-career-skill-asking-questions/comment-page-1/#comment-227608 J Mon, 10 May 2010 01:33:28 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=4510#comment-227608 Or is the question: are there ways you (ie us) are behaving at work that aren't helping you? are there ways you could change your behaviour to make your work better? Or is the question: are there ways you (ie us) are behaving at work that aren't helping you? are there ways you could change your behaviour to make your work better?

]]> By: J http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/12/15/underrated-career-skill-asking-questions/comment-page-1/#comment-227606 J Mon, 10 May 2010 01:30:23 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=4510#comment-227606 This is SUCH an interesting discussion! I haven't read such a thought-provoking roll of comments before - wow! This is interesting - that you would "- Project myself as if I knew all the answers (even if I didnt). - Never admit to not knowing something (even if I didnt)." I understand these two, and that many men I work and have worked with do these things, but do we actually think they are good? I heard someone talking about some lawyers (that's my job) and say the best ones she's dealt with tell her straight up if they don't know the answer, but that they will find it out. I've started saying that directly now. I don't know if it comes across as weakness, but I sure as hell feel better about it. And I think that makes me feel better about my work and myself. And that's what's important to me. I agree with the others tho- and the newspaper thing. Ewww. This is SUCH an interesting discussion! I haven't read such a thought-provoking roll of comments before – wow!

This is interesting – that you would
"- Project myself as if I knew all the answers (even if I didnt).
- Never admit to not knowing something (even if I didnt)."

I understand these two, and that many men I work and have worked with do these things, but do we actually think they are good? I heard someone talking about some lawyers (that's my job) and say the best ones she's dealt with tell her straight up if they don't know the answer, but that they will find it out. I've started saying that directly now. I don't know if it comes across as weakness, but I sure as hell feel better about it. And I think that makes me feel better about my work and myself. And that's what's important to me.

I agree with the others tho- and the newspaper thing. Ewww.

]]> By: J http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/12/15/underrated-career-skill-asking-questions/comment-page-1/#comment-227605 J Mon, 10 May 2010 01:24:04 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=4510#comment-227605 Yes yes yes! When I moved from England to Australia, people would ask "how are you?" and my family and I thought they were, like English people, genuinely interested. No, they're not. "How are you" does not have a question mark, and is in fact a longer version of "hello". It took a while to work that one out. Yes yes yes!
When I moved from England to Australia, people would ask "how are you?" and my family and I thought they were, like English people, genuinely interested. No, they're not.

"How are you" does not have a question mark, and is in fact a longer version of "hello".

It took a while to work that one out.

]]> By: Umkhonto Labour http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/12/15/underrated-career-skill-asking-questions/comment-page-1/#comment-223265 Umkhonto Labour Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:25:03 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=4510#comment-223265 Hahahahah! A "vark" is a pig in one of my countries official languages, Afrikaans, as well as in Dutch, I think. So I don't know how Vark is going to resonate with experience. Go ask a pig...he's rolled in it already, so has tons of experience....bwahahahahahah Hahahahah! A "vark" is a pig in one of my countries official languages, Afrikaans, as well as in Dutch, I think. So I don't know how Vark is going to resonate with experience. Go ask a pig…he's rolled in it already, so has tons of experience….bwahahahahahah

]]> By: acheter http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/12/15/underrated-career-skill-asking-questions/comment-page-2/#comment-221295 acheter Sun, 21 Feb 2010 14:52:04 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=4510#comment-221295 The second most underrated skill is not asking any questions. Do your job and let's other ask you questions. The second most underrated skill is not asking any questions. Do your job and let's other ask you questions.

]]> By: melissa spiotta http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/12/15/underrated-career-skill-asking-questions/comment-page-2/#comment-221127 melissa spiotta Thu, 18 Feb 2010 06:05:52 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=4510#comment-221127 Hi Penelope, if you are an ENTJ, that is the reason you aren't great at asking questions. ENTJs answer questions and weigh in on what other put out there. Asking Qs is what Ps do best. I don't have Asberger's but am an ENTJ and asking questions is not my greatest strength. Rob Toomey, on the other hand, is an ENTP and he asks great questions. Hi Penelope, if you are an ENTJ, that is the reason you aren't great at asking questions. ENTJs answer questions and weigh in on what other put out there. Asking Qs is what Ps do best. I don't have Asberger's but am an ENTJ and asking questions is not my greatest strength. Rob Toomey, on the other hand, is an ENTP and he asks great questions.

]]> By: Ken http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/12/15/underrated-career-skill-asking-questions/comment-page-1/#comment-220727 Ken Sat, 13 Feb 2010 16:43:10 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=4510#comment-220727 I just discovered vark.com, thanks to Google's recent purchase of them. Rather than searching websites, vark finds people online with skills related to your question and asks them directly. What a great tool to practice asking good questions! Google is the king of finding details, (Where is the nearest walmart?) but vark is great for the type of questions you can only ask people with real experience. I just discovered vark.com, thanks to Google's recent purchase of them. Rather than searching websites, vark finds people online with skills related to your question and asks them directly. What a great tool to practice asking good questions! Google is the king of finding details, (Where is the nearest walmart?) but vark is great for the type of questions you can only ask people with real experience.

]]> By: Simon http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/12/15/underrated-career-skill-asking-questions/comment-page-1/#comment-218777 Simon Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:03:35 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=4510#comment-218777 If I ask a question about someone's interests/preferences in life, I usually follow up with "How important is that to you and why?". That question usually provides me with a lot of deep meaningful information and gets to the heart of what the person is about. Simon bestbusinessangels.com If I ask a question about someone's interests/preferences in life, I usually follow up with "How important is that to you and why?". That question usually provides me with a lot of deep meaningful information and gets to the heart of what the person is about.

Simon
bestbusinessangels.com

]]> By: Ben http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/12/15/underrated-career-skill-asking-questions/comment-page-1/#comment-217873 Ben Tue, 12 Jan 2010 14:28:18 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=4510#comment-217873 Funny. I <i>am</i> a therapist, but I suck at small talk. Funny. I am a therapist, but I suck at small talk.

]]> By: Nigel http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/12/15/underrated-career-skill-asking-questions/comment-page-1/#comment-216791 Nigel Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:23:31 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=4510#comment-216791 Ah, this makes the time off work I spend with gifted kids so worthwhile because one of the main things I teach is "How to ask good questions." It simply isn't taught in schools very well, especially religious schools. If there is one thing kids should know when they leave school is how to ask a good insightful question that will truly add to the conversation. After many years of being involved in the skeptical movement watching the wheels spinning as society appears to be getting dumber I decided the best contribution I could make was teaching kids *how* to think, not what to think. And the key point to this approach that I chose was how to ask good questions. And one of the best questions in this day and age would be "What would it take for you to change your mind about ...". Soon sorts out who's a good thinker and who isn't. Ah, this makes the time off work I spend with gifted kids so worthwhile because one of the main things I teach is "How to ask good questions." It simply isn't taught in schools very well, especially religious schools. If there is one thing kids should know when they leave school is how to ask a good insightful question that will truly add to the conversation.
After many years of being involved in the skeptical movement watching the wheels spinning as society appears to be getting dumber I decided the best contribution I could make was teaching kids *how* to think, not what to think.
And the key point to this approach that I chose was how to ask good questions.

And one of the best questions in this day and age would be "What would it take for you to change your mind about …". Soon sorts out who's a good thinker and who isn't.

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