Is there really no dumb questions, or do people just say it to not sound stupid as they're asking it?
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7 Answers to "Is there really no dumb questions, or do people just say it to not sound stupid as they're asking it?"
Posted by FredTrellis Dec 16th, 2009 at 2:13PM
If you are in a meeting, you will often have to say "There are no dumb questions" - because that is the biggest barrier to people asking questions - they don't ask, because they don't want to appear dumb. So you reassure them, they should ask questions even if they are worried about looking dumb. If they don't ask the question, they leave the meeting ill-informed. Better to reassure them no-one will consider them dumb by the simple statement -"There are no dumb questions".
But yes, of course there are dumb questions.
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Posted by Brieks07 Dec 16th, 2009 at 2:41PM
Often, it's not the person asking the question but the person to whom the question is directed who says there is no such thing as a dumb question.
The only dumb questions are the ones intended to be dumb or asked out of complete willful ignorance. But anyone sincerely asking a question to know the answer.....how can the quest for knowledge be dumb?
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Posted by ShadowofDoubt Dec 16th, 2009 at 1:04PM
there are a lot of dumb/stupid questions!
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Posted by lickitysplit Dec 16th, 2009 at 1:03PM
Yes and No!
If a question is asked seriously and honestly, there are no stupid questions. People who ask the same questions over and over, get, and reject the right answer because its not the answer they want are stupid. Many questions that are not seriously and honestly asked can be stupid questions.
People learn through at least two separate mechanisms. By observing how others do things or by being taught and by asking questions. People who do not know the answer may be ignorant of the answer, but at least they are attempting to learn. Ignorance is not the same as stupidity.
Unless it is extremely obvious that a question is stupid, I try my best to take the question as honest and serious and to provide an honest and factual response.
I have spent most of the last 17 years as a management consultant getting paid relatively good money. The secret to my success as a consultant is my willingness to ask "stupid questions" that no one in my client's organization is willing to ask because they do not want to appear stupid. There is an entire universe of things I do no know and of which I am extremely ignorant. By having the courage to ask "stupid questions" I cause people to think of things they otherwise would not have considered and to discover problems they otherwise may not have recognized. That is what is thought of as "Out of the box" thinking.
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Posted by robyn Dec 16th, 2009 at 12:49PM
this IS a dumb question.
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Posted by Egoberd Dec 16th, 2009 at 12:45PM
People say it to try and prevent accusations and insults. I totally understand why someone would qualify a question before asking it. There are many people who can't wait to pounce on other people and call them dumb, or gross or perverted or whatever.
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Posted by Thequestioner Dec 16th, 2009 at 12:43PM
there are no dumb q, just dumb people asking them
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