I feel empowered today as I have realized the power of asking questions.

It’s dawned on me how easy solutions are dished out. Everyone has an answer for you.

Even before you open your mouth you have been told what you should be doing. It’s get so ridiculous sometimes you stop discussing the original concern – the reason you sought help in first place – and start debating the wrong solution.

Is may be the times we are living in. We see rude TV chefs, cruel judges and sarcastic business leaders. Are they the right role models? It seems we have squeezed out the people who remind us of the need to show humility.

The church voices seem so far away, and the vocal Islamic voices seem too shrill.

We have overvalued short term results and performance over the longer term humanity.

The lack of personal humility in our society has an eroding affect.

The ability to ‘ask’ and not ‘tell’ is important is a multicultural setting.

Asking the right question is often much more important than giving advice.

I just wonder why the realization has taken me so long. It’s seems so simple – firstly by asking someone you empower the other person, secondly by making yourself vulnerable by admitting you might not know the answer you show a degree of humanity provided the basis for a stronger relationship.

What we ask, how we ask it, where we ask it, and when we ask it all matter. We should be inquiring from an attitude of interest and curiosity.

It implies a desire to build a relationship that will lead to open communications.

Even an understanding silence can get the other person to talk even when we have said nothing.

Perhaps we should take heed in this complex, interdependent, and culturally diverse town we live in to listen to each other.