Asking the question…
“Is that normal?”
We’ve all heard the phrase, “there’s no such thing as a stupid question” and most of us would sign up for that. Yet still most of us hesitate, if not pass altogether, to ask questions if we think there’s a slightest chance that asking a question could make us look… well, stupid.
The brutally cold temperatures most of the country has been experiencing, including us, took a weak battery in my son’s car over the edge. So, the other day we got it jumped and over to the auto parts store to get it tested and eventually replaced. I had to get to an appointment so my wife drove my son’s car and I drove separately. On the way, the “check engine light” came on. Well, the store had a gadget for that, too. The fault had something to do with air and something I didn’t understand. They showed me the part I would need for a DIY (yeah, right) but said it was OK to drive until we could get it checked out. With that, the technician was going to change the battery while my wife waited and I was off to my appointment. And then I hear her call my name.
As it turns out, she’s standing there while the battery was being changed and noticed a hose that had come loose, leaving a gap between it and a section of the engine - and she asks the question, “Is that normal?”
Neither the tech nor I had noticed it as we were focused on the battery. Clearly, the answer was, “No, that’s not normal.” They reattached the hose, tightened the hose clamp, et voila…. the fix was in place without an expensive and unnecessary trip to a garage.
At least 2 things stand out here:
There are occasions when we as leaders are so focused on one part of the business, a problem, or opportunity, that we fail to see something that matters.
It can often take someone a bit less removed or simply with a different perspective to notice something that matters. The question becomes whether they feel compelled to say something.
If you’re like me, you’ve been in situations when someone didn’t ask the question and matters got worse. And while there’s some ownership in the person who didn’t ask, I had to look in the mirror and ask myself what was I doing (or not doing) that created an atmosphere where the person didn’t ask.
It might do all of us some good to think about what we should be doing now so that when the time comes, our people will indeed, ask the question.