I was in the clinic the other day and there was this auntie who approached the nurse and threw questions after questions.

“This doctor can or not?”

“Why ask me to come here when that doctor not around?”

“How long have to wait?”

“So many patients one, so how long ah?”

…and all the while, the nurse was on the phone with another doctor.

We’ve seen this multiple times be it in a meeting, in an interview, during a presentation, in the operation room, etc. But bombarding the other person with questions after questions is useless if you don’t at least let that person time to think how to answer you. Or worse, not enough time for the person to even give you an answer.

And if there’s no answer, what’s the point of asking questions in the first place?

So if you really want to get some explanations or some proper answers, please respect the other person and give that person some time to reply you. Unless, the sole purpose of your questions is to make the other person feel stressed up – some interviewers do use this technique. Otherwise, you should always refrain from being so impatient.

Ask – respect – be patient – wait – get the response – and ask your next question.

Oh, and the auntie, she didn’t really get her answers back. She asked more than 5 questions but the nurse only heard 1 of them. But kudos to the auntie, she was actually bringing her elderly mother to see the doctor. For this, I respect her and I think a lot of young people should learn from her.