Recently, I was at a function and noticed something I’ve experienced before. We were with a group of people, and I realized no one had asked me a single question the entire night. People were focused on what was happening around them and they were paying attention to the food they were eating, the points they wanted to make, and what was on their mind.

A few hours and not a single question.

Last month I was fortunate enough to launch my new radio show. It’s called Naturally Curious and it airs on Sunday nights at 7 pm on Radio IQ — the NPR affiliate for much of Virginia. (It’s also available wherever you listen to podcasts under the same program title.) The purpose of the program is to dig deep with leaders, actual influencers, and people to ask them the questions we think will spur more interesting conversations.

This project started almost a year and a half ago, but what drove it, as the title suggests, is my desire to better understand people and what drives them. It’s compelling radio if I do say so myself, but more than that, it’s a timely reminder for us in commerce and human services.

How2Take Some Simple Steps for Improvement

Use a question to learn more and to build a connection.

Early in my B2Seed history, I wrote about the power of asking good questions. Now, almost 17 years later, it’s an important time to reinforce that undervalued tool. Ask good questions, get helpful answers, and use that information to ask more and better questions. That’s the format of Naturally Curious, and it’s the formula for better sales processes, employee relationships, team leadership, and medical care.

You may have the answers and know what you want to do but pause for at least a moment and ask a question. When you get stuck in a relationship with a client, a patient, or an employee, you know what to do. Ask a question. Don’t be that person so intent on passing along their wisdom and impressing others that they are sharing content and not gathering valuable information. It’s the gathering information part that drives the best solutions and really helps you get to the heart of what someone needs. Spend time sharpening that skill and make it your mission to really understand where your clients, prospects, employees, supervisors, and patients are coming from.

The “smartest person in the room” is often the one asking the most questions.

To listen to Naturally Curious on Radio IQ, tune in here at 7 pm on Sundays. The program is also available wherever you listen to podcasts. To listen in on the Apple Music Podcast platform visit here.