Here’s the One Question You Need to Ask at Work

During your work life, you are almost guaranteed to encounter a work project that you do not want to do – which can send you into a panic. It doesn’t matter what the reason is; we often see with Minnesota jobs that employees don’t want to partake in a new project or task, not because they don’t want to – but instead because they are confused.

If this has ever happened to you at work, you are in luck – you are not the only one, and this isn’t the end of the world. A solution to avoid this scenario is merely asking the right question; you can get a lot of information without having to directly say that you are confused or not want to do something. Here’s what you need to ask when something at work confuses you.

What is the Greater Goal?

At first glance, this question doesn’t seem like it will give you the answers you directly, but believe it or not it is incredibly useful. Here is what asking this type of question does for you.

Making Connections-

First and foremost, asking this question makes you look like you are actively trying to make connections on how your job fits into the bigger picture of the company. Ultimately this shows your co-workers, boss, and company that you are someone who is continually thinking about the long-term and overall value.

Creating Conversation-

Secondly, it opens an opportunity for conversation with critical individuals in the company to help you to gain essential insights.

In most instances,  managers take time to consider this question before responding. What you are doing is asking you leaders to context to the purpose of the project. If your manager doesn’t entirely know what the greater goal is, it will make your unwillingness to work on the seem appropriate. If this happens, then you have room to ask more questions, giving the opportunity for conversation that helps provide you with expectations or priority.

How This Question Helps-

This one question gives you the chance to understand better why the project is essential to your company. Once you know how it contributes to the larger goal of the company, you may find that getting on-board with something isn’t as challenging.

This approach ultimately helps you make better and well-informed decisions – helping you understand what aligns best with the higher goal of you and the organization.

Are you actively trying to discover the right job opportunity for yourself? Let our hiring team help you gain the clarity you need to find the best job that fits your experiences, skills, and goals. Contact our team today to start your job search in Minneapolis – St Paul metro areas. Looking for others topics of When Work Works – visit or blog for more career tips and tricks.