The smart way to ask ‘dumb’ questions

A good question can make you look sharp, collaborative, and strategic. Here’s how to improve your question game.

You’re in a meeting, the slides are rolling, people are nodding, others are fiddling on their phones, and then it happens. You have a question. You want to be seen as engaged, so you open your mouth, and words start to tumble out . . .and the room goes still. Silence.