There is No Such Thing as a Silly Question by Manjit Bansal

Manjit Bansal is a Project Management Apprentice working at the London Borough of Newham and is writing for the Community Blogging Team.

"Being dyslexic with sensory dysfunction to having an article shared for all to read, I wish to bring some inspiration to fellow apprentices to have the courage to step into the world and let yourselves be seen. I hope my articles can help eradicate the niggling gremlins of fear and allow you to take the leap to grow and build on your confidence."

There is no such thing as a silly question.

We have all been told at some point in our learning lives whether at school, college, university or work that there is no such thing as a silly question, but how do we pluck up the courage to ask that question in mind in the first place? Now, that’s the real question. 

For me, on a personal level, I don’t always understand things the first time around. I require a little more clarification, whether it be on a new process, language, instruction, or anything new, having that clarification on answering my uncertainty can make the difference between success and failure.  

We tend to be our own biggest self-critics, harsh judges issuing out unforgivable penalties, allowing infestation of fear in our minds like poison ivy creeping up in a garden lurking ready to suffocate the roses. If you notice the ivy but do nothing about it, it soon overwhelms - tangling and winding in between the other plants taking them down one plant at a time. The same applies to fear, if you leave it to grow it will disable your positive thoughts
and your insecurities grow stronger and fiercer.  So, how do we break the barrier, the chain of thought and plough through, how do you ask the question, that question that others may also be thinking to ask but also fear from doing so?

Well, it is quite simple once you practice and know-how.  Pre-empt the negatives. Most commonly we believe if we ask a question others might laugh at us so we do anything to save the embarrassment. So, state the obvious, they say if you laugh at yourself then no one laughs at you. Same applies.  Start off by stating I know this may sound like a silly question but…..?, or, ‘I am sorry, it may be just me but can you maybe explain that point one more time by phrasing it differently, please.’ Confidently owning your own vulnerability prevents others from laughing at you and helps them see their own vulnerabilities. 

Asking questions is how we learn. Recall back to when you were a child or if it feels so terribly long ago then observe a child; all children ask questions, questions to absolutely everything, usually for adults that dreaded question is always ‘Why?’ Why do I have to do that? Why do I have to go to bed? Why is the sky blue? I bet you sometimes still ask yourself why the sky is blue.

On that note, smile, breathe and let that inner child still grow and learn, keep fear in a box and go out to play, and always keep asking questions.

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