Most Questions ARE Stupid
So Stop Answering Them…
Business Analysts, Researchers, and Strategists spend a considerable amount of time answering questions. These questions come from the business, clients, customers, and partners. And despite a few adages to the contrary, most of these questions are stupid.
Playing the semantics game for just a moment. Stupid is defined as “lacking intelligence”. Intelligence is define as “the ability to acquire and apply knowledge”. So a stupid question is one that lacks the ability to acquire and apply knowledge. Sadly, most questions fit this definition.
Asking an Intelligent Question
This article is too short to guide you in crafting intelligent questions. I have an entire series of articles called Analyst Interrogative to help you do that. The emphasis needs to be on the applicable component of the definition. I favor questions that start with “How”. These lend naturally to developing plans of action or general models, both excel in the area of application.
Asking intelligent questions is why you employ analysts. It is likely their most important role in your company. So unless you are the analyst in your business, you need not worry so much about forming the perfect intelligent question. Though understanding what one looks like is definitely worth a little time.
So, Can I Ask A Stupid Question?
You not only CAN, you SHOULD (sorry more semantics). Stupid questions have great value. They just aren’t meant to be answered. Stupid questions allow one party to express their need for applicable knowledge, often in a poorly formatted and somewhat misleading fashion. Intelligent organizations listen to these questions and convert them.
If this feels a little snooty, just calm down. It takes years of study and plenty of discipline to structure questions properly. There is also an art to how deeply you want to go and how much resource to put behind the question. This isn’t anything new. Not everyone can make a great wine, build great cabinets, or design a compelling marketing pitch. Just because everyone knows how to ask a question, does not mean they are all good at it. Everyone also knows how to sing…
So ask your question, but recognize it is going to need some refinement. In fact, if the strategy team doesn’t ask for refinement, or the analytics group, or even the market research division — you are likely over paying them. You did your job, but they are not doing theirs.
Finally, Ask Yourself A Few Stupid Questions
Once you’ve accepted that your question is stupid, you can focus on what really matters. What are you trying to learn? What are you trying to do? What do you expect success and failure to look like? These derivative questions are very important. You have expressed a need for applicable knowledge, but you are also responsible for judging whether that is achieved.
If your question doesn’t start a dialogue, this process really did get snooty. Your research teams should not take it upon themselves to run off and do this without you! After all, they can’t possibly have enough information. It was just a stupid question.
Intelligent companies have intelligent teams that work together to ask intelligent questions and provide intelligent answers. Some teams are tasked with inspiring that work, others with implementing it, and, of course, there should be those tasked with translation and structure.
So ask your question. Accept that it is probably stupid. Then work with others to turn it into applicable knowledge that will set your company and your team apart. Leveraging everyone’s specialties will go a long way to making this a competitive advantage for your organization.
