Asking The Big Questions

There is a general rule amongst attorneys in the courtroom that you don’t ask the witness a question that you don’t already know the answer to.

The logic is that you don’t want to introduce testimony that might push your case sideways—every breadcrumb must carefully lead to a pre-determined conclusion.

Surprises are to be avoided.

It’s the opposite for those building authority.

It’s the ability to ask big questions and be comfortable with—or at least not panicked by—not knowing the answer that will push you to explore new territory in your field.

Some of your most interesting—and marketable—findings, research and intellectual property will come from asking the big questions that your peers may shy away from.

And your most interesting client engagements—the ones with outsized transformations, may well come only when you ask them the big questions too.