We’ve all been in groups where the speaker says “does anybody have any questions?” and usually nobody has any questions.
Speakers aren’t that good at explaining things. Bosses aren’t that good at explaining things. The group is usually afraid to ask the question, and sadly, the more somebody needs to ask a dumb question, usually the more they feel uncomfortable to ask the question.
The feeling is that you’ll be found out to be a fraud, an amateur, or the low man on the totem pole. We don’t want to look bad in front of others. We care too much about not looking like a fool.
However, isn’t it better to appear to be a fool today so you may be wiser tomorrow than to just secretly be a fool your entire life?
The next time you feel that guttural heave, that pause, that feeling of “will I look dumb if I ask?” those are all reasons why you should ask. Ask away and damn the torpedoes. You’re getting smarter!