Asking questions and giving opinions both have their place in problem-solving meetings. But we have all been in meetings where everyone is sharing their opinion. That is our default mode. Try being curious and ask questions instead. Research suggests that asking questions can often be more beneficial. Here are some key benefits of asking questions, along with relevant sources:
1️⃣ Promotes critical thinking and deeper understanding
Asking questions encourages participants to think more deeply about the problem and consider different perspectives.
Source: A study published in the Journal of Educational Psychology found that students prompted to ask questions during learning activities demonstrated improved critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of the material (King, 1995).
2️⃣ Fosters creativity and innovation
Questions can spark new ideas and approaches to solving problems.
Source: Research published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology showed that asking questions led to more creative solutions in problem-solving tasks compared to making statements (Galinsky et al., 2015).
3️⃣ Improves decision-making quality
Asking questions helps gather more information and consider various aspects of the problem before making decisions.
Source: A study in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes found that teams who asked more questions made better decisions and were more likely to identify optimal solutions (Schrah et al., 2006).
4️⃣ Enhances team collaboration and engagement
Questions can encourage participation from all team members and create a more inclusive environment.
Source: Research in the Harvard Business Review suggests that leaders who ask questions are perceived as more effective and approachable, leading to better team collaboration (Wiseman & McKeown, 2010).
5️⃣ Reduces cognitive biases
Asking questions can challenge assumptions and reduce the impact of cognitive biases in decision-making.
Source: A study in the journal Thinking & Reasoning demonstrated that asking “why” questions helped participants overcome confirmation bias and consider alternative explanations (Lord et al., 1984).
6️⃣ Improves learning and retention
Asking questions promotes active learning and better retention of information.
Source: Research in the Journal of Educational Psychology found that students who generated questions about a topic had better recall and understanding than those who simply read the material (Rosenshine et al., 1996).
7️⃣ Engages more diverse brain regions and promotes greater cognitive flexibility.
The brain processes opinions and questions differently. A study published in Neuropsychologia compared brain activity during opinion expression and question-asking. It found that more brain regions were engaged when participants asked questions. (Dumas et al., 2016).
While giving opinions can be valuable in certain contexts, research supports the benefits of asking questions in problem-solving meetings. Next meeting: Be curious by asking questions instead of defaulting to giving an opinion, and see what happens.
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Steve Morgan
stevermorgan.com 
Wow. I love the reasons why question-asking is so vital. Opinions are merely opportunities to present a personal focus–it doesn’t necessarily embrace truth. Question asking, on the other hand, brings out more information with the chance of honing in on a truthful resolution and a more well-rounded perspective. This is stellar, Steverino. I especially appreciate the opportunity to enhance team collaboration and engagement–so many introverts or deep thinkers need others to ask them the questions they won’t readily give their thoughts on. Well done, friend.
Thanks Dayle. As we say in MBTI, “If you don’t know what an extrovert is thinking, you aren’t listening; If you don’t know what an introvert is thinking, you haven’t asked.” Asking questions helps extroverts who like to process out loud, and it give introverts the space to contribute also. Every voice counts, right? Thanks for your comments, Dayle.