How to ask questions at work (script + examples)

Exact wording for asking questions without sounding clueless — and without wasting someone’s time.

Being new means you’ll have questions. That’s not a character flaw — it’s the job.

The move is learning how to ask in a way that signals three things:

you did some homework,
you respect other people’s time,
you’re trying to get to a decision, not just “talk it out.”

In the book’s language, this is basic professionalism: listen actively, ask clarifying questions, and be prepared with talking points or questions.

This post gives you wording you can copy/paste, plus the logic behind it.

If this is you

You’re trying to be competent… but you also don’t want to be That Person who pings 12 times a day with “quick question.”

This is a very real workplace tension (and it shows up in real letters/threads, not just advice columns):

“Am I annoying my coworkers by asking for a ton of context on everything?” — https://www.askamanager.org/2019/04/am-i-annoying-my-coworkers-by-asking-for-a-ton-of-context-on-everything.html
“My employee interrupts me with unnecessary questions and updates” — https://www.askamanager.org/2019/03/my-employee-interrupts-me-with-unnecessary-questions-and-updates.html
“Asking good questions is hard (but worth it)” — https://jvns.ca/blog/2016/08/31/asking-questions/

Questions are normal. The upgrade is asking them in a way that makes you easier to help.

The principle: questions are not interruptions — surprises are

Most managers don’t get annoyed by questions. They get annoyed by:

vague questions (“What should I do?”)
late questions (asked after you already built the wrong thing)
drive-by questions that force them to do the thinking you should’ve done

A good question is basically a mini status update:

Here’s the goal.
Here’s what I tried.
Here’s what I think.
Here’s what I need from you.

That structure makes you look competent even when you’re missing context.

The 60-second question script (use this verbatim)

When in doubt, use this template. It works in Slack, email, or in-person.

1) Frame the goal

Start by telling them what you’re trying to achieve.

“Quick question — I’m trying to make sure I do this the right way before I go too far.”

If it’s time-sensitive:

“I’m blocked on X. If I can get 2 minutes of direction, I can keep moving.”

“Here’s what I understand so far: the deliverable is ___, and the audience is ___.”

If there’s a constraint:

“Deadline is Friday and we’re trying to keep scope small.”

3) Show what you tried (your homework)

You don’t need to write a novel. Just show you took a swing.

“I checked the docs / old tickets and found ___. I tried ___, but I’m still unclear on ___.”

4) Offer your best guess (recommendation)

This is the part that upgrades you from “junior asking for help” to “teammate making progress.”

“My current plan is to do ___ because ___.“

5) Ask a specific question (yes/no, A/B, or ‘what’s the standard?’)

“Is that the right approach?”

Or:

“Should we do Option A or Option B? I recommend A because ___. Any objections?”

Or:

“Is there a standard template / example you want me to follow?”

6) Confirm the next step (close the loop)

Repeat back the decision.

“Got it. I’ll do ___ by ___ and send you an update.”

That’s it.

Make your question easy to answer (quick checklist)

Before you hit send:

Is my question answerable in one message? If not, propose a 5-minute call.
Did I include the goal + deadline?
Did I propose a plan?
Did I make it safe to correct me? (“I might be missing context…”)

Examples (with exact wording)

Example 1: unclear deliverable (“draft” means 4 different things)

“I want to make sure I’m hitting the bar. When you say ‘draft,’ do you mean a rough outline for feedback, or something you’d be comfortable forwarding to stakeholders? I’m planning to do an outline + 3 key slides today. If you want a more polished version, tell me and I’ll adjust.”

Why it works: you defined the ambiguity and proposed a default.

Example 2: asking for context without sounding lazy

“Is there a previous version of this I can use as a reference so I don’t reinvent the wheel? I found the Q3 deck in Drive — is that the latest, or is there a more recent one you’d recommend?”

Why it works: you already searched and you’re confirming the best source.

Example 3: blocked by access / permissions

“I’m blocked on finishing ___ because I don’t have access to ___. I requested access in Okta about an hour ago. Is there someone on your side who can approve it, or should I route through IT? If I can get access today, I can still hit Friday.”

Why it works: it’s operational, not emotional.

Example 4: you think the request is wrong (without being difficult)

“I might be missing context, but I want to sanity-check the approach. If we do ___, it’ll take about 3–4 days. If the goal is just ___, I can do Option B in one day. Which outcome matters more?”

Why it works: you’re offering tradeoffs, not resistance.

Example 5: you made a mistake and need to recover fast

Own it. Move fast.

“Quick heads-up: I misunderstood ___ and built it as ___. I see now the correct requirement is ___. I can fix it by ___; new ETA is ___. Anything you want me to do differently before I proceed?”

Why it works: no drama, just clarity.

When to ask (early beats perfect)

A common beginner trap is trying to “figure it out alone” for too long because you don’t want to bother anyone.

That sounds noble. It’s also how you waste 10 hours.

A better rule:

If you’ve been stuck 20–30 minutes, ask.
If the work is large (multi-day), ask before you start building.
If you’re about to send something external (client, exec, other team), ask for a quick review.

The book’s point about check-ins applies here: sometimes a five-minute discussion prevents days of misplaced work.

Slack vs. meeting vs. email (what to use)

Slack: quick decisions, clarifications, A/B choices.
Meeting / huddle: complex topics where you need back-and-forth.
Email: formal decisions, longer context, or when you want a paper trail.

If you’re not sure, default to Slack with a clear question and offer a 5-minute call:

“Happy to hop on a quick call if that’s easier — I think 5 minutes would unblock me.”

Copy/paste question templates (shortcuts)

Template: yes/no

“Goal: ___. Context: ___. My plan: ___. Quick check — is this the right approach?”

Template: A/B

“Two options: (A) ___ or (B) ___. I recommend A because ___. Any objections?”

The closer: questions are a career skill

You don’t get promoted because you never ask questions. You get promoted because you make good decisions, and good decisions require good inputs.

So ask the question — just ask it like a professional:

brief context,
a recommendation,
a crisp ask,
and a clear next step.