When we are new in a team or a group, assuming that we are the most intelligent person in the room can be a mistake. Being courageous and curious at the same time is a skill not many people have. 

Asking questions that can make you look or feel intelligent in everyone else’s eyes can be an excellent strategy to develop trust and bonding. However, our identity and reputation are usually at stake when we ask questions that seem to be trivial. 

There is a famous saying that there are no dumb questions. 

Everything we ask from the learning mindset turns up in our favour if we believe that the information is essential for our success. 

We must remember that if we don’t have complete clarity of the topic we are participating in, our contributions will always be less than 100%. 

There are no dumb questions, and we have to remember that such inquiry can sometimes reveal the elephant in the room. 

In a group setting, it’s always good to note that asking a question helps the person who poses it, and the answer also provides clarity to everyone in the room part of the conversation. 

People often hesitate to ask questions and make assumptions about the answers, which can backfire in the long run.

If you are focused on contributing to a conversation or a solution, ask questions that satisfy your curiosity. Ask questions starting with “why”, “what”, “when”, “where”, and “how”. 

Asking dumb questions needs lots of courage and belief. We have to keep our ego at bay and show others that we are more interested in getting clarity and contributing than focusing on our image. 

Remember that the only way you can achieve success is by asking questions.