The Power of Not Knowing
Why humble inquiry makes you a better researcher, interviewer and thinker
This article is part of a collaboration with Isabella Ranieri of My Ph.Diary. Here, we explore the principles of Humble Inquiry and how they apply in a research context (and beyond). In her publication, we discuss Isabella’s experiences and see the power of Humble Inquiry in action. Take a look at her article when you’re done reading below!
If Medium is your go-to reading spot, you can catch this post there too! Just click here.
"I don't actually know the answer to that - do you?"
It's a phrase rarely heard in professional settings. We have been conditioned to project certainty, expertise and control. But admitting you don't know something often unlocks the richest insights.
This is the essence of what Edgar Schein calls humble inquiry: the deliberate practice of asking genuine, curious and open questions, free from hidden assumptions or agendas. Rather than confirming what you already suspect, humble inquiry embraces uncertainty to create space for deeper truths.
Why does this matter? Because asking better questions is about becoming better observers of the world. Humble inquiry strengthens your ability to uncover what people actually think and do, rather than just capturing what you hope or expect to hear. It helps you listen before interpreting and understand before intervening.
In a world of increasing complexity, humble inquiry is a skill that belongs in your everyday practice.
Why Subtle Differences in Questioning Change Outcomes
Think about your typical conversation, interview or feedback session. Often, the questions we ask come pre-loaded with assumptions or expectations. We don’t do this maliciously or on purpose - we’re just wired this way.
What happens in many cases is that questions can unintentionally place others on a predetermined path. People sense what the "right" answer is supposed to be, and they adapt accordingly, often without even realising it. This is why well-intentioned questions can yield superficial or misleading insights.
And humble inquiry is the opposite of leading questions or interrogations and avoids jumping to conclusions or subtly reinforcing one’s own authority. Instead, it invites others to share what they know, feel or perceive. This creates psychological safety and deeper understanding.
The whole point is to take a step back and invite people to share fully and honestly. You do this by signalling that you're genuinely curious about their experience, without preconceived judgments or expectations.
Practicing Humble Inquiry
How can we practically implement humble inquiry? Here are four concrete shifts you can make:
🔎 Move from confirming to discovering: Instead of asking "How stressful was the recent restructuring?" try "What was your experience during the restructuring?" The former assumes stress, while the latter invites storytelling.
😬 Express genuine uncertainty: It's powerful to openly admit when you're unsure. Try: "I'm not exactly sure how this process works from your perspective. Can you walk me through it?" This empowers respondents to teach rather than simply answer.
🤗 Invite elaboration without guiding it: Instead of "Do you find this feature helpful?" ask "How does this feature fit into your workflow, if at all?" You acknowledge it may or may not be relevant, freeing respondents to explain their actual usage rather than confirming your assumptions.
😳 Acknowledge discomfort openly: If a conversation feels stuck, name it. "I feel we're not quite getting to the heart of what's important to you. What would make this conversation more useful?" Such candor often shifts the tone instantly.
By practicing these adjustments, you can create a context in which others feel genuinely seen and heard.
Humble Inquiry in a Research Setting
In job interviews
Before you even get into research, humble inquiry can transform the dynamic of your interviews - whether you're applying for a PhD, postdoc or other research role! While the format might suggest you’re there to present yourself, the most engaging interviews feel like two-way conversations.
Asking open, thoughtful questions, especially about the research group’s priorities or the Principal Investigator’s current challenges, signals preparation but also intellectual engagement and a desire to collaborate. For example, you might ask, “What lines of inquiry are you most excited about exploring next?” or “Where do you see the biggest unanswered questions in this project?”
These kinds of questions invite the interviewer to share their perspective, and, in doing so, they can reveal more about what the role truly involves. You’re no longer just auditioning in such a case: you are probing and showing that your interest goes beyond the surface.
When developing research questions
When we enter a new research space - whether it’s a field site, dataset or theoretical framework - we do so with assumptions. These give us a direction but, left unchecked, they can also steer us away from what’s actually there to see.
Humble inquiry counters this risk. It asks us to loosen our grip on what we expect to find and instead get curious. Not curious in the abstract, but curious in practice. That means asking questions like:
What’s really going on here?
Whose voice isn’t being heard in this data?
What would challenge our interpretation?
How does this research fit into the context of what has already been discovered?
This leads to more grounded, inclusive and insightful research, especially in qualitative or interdisciplinary contexts.
During fieldwork and interviews
In qualitative research, such as ethnography, case studies or interviews, humble inquiry helps build trust and rapport:
It signals that the participant’s knowledge is valuable.
It encourages them to share freely without fear of being judged.
It reduces researcher bias by resisting premature interpretations.
For example, instead of asking “Did this intervention improve your outcomes?”, you may ask “How did this intervention affect your daily work?”
In the laboratory
Humble inquiry in the lab means resisting the urge to diagnose problems too quickly and instead creating a space where thoughtful troubleshooting can emerge. It’s especially powerful during technical or experimental challenges, where stress or uncertainty can easily shut down open dialogue.
Rather than jumping to fix what went wrong, researchers can ask:
What were your observations during the experiment?
What steps might have gone differently than expected?
Can you walk me through exactly what you did?
These questions shift the tone from blame or oversight to curiosity and shared learning, supporting a reflective research culture. They encourage the other person (whether a colleague, student or team member) to slow down, retrace their thinking and possibly spot patterns they hadn’t noticed.
As you carry out data analysis
Humble inquiry in analysis means staying open to surprises, contradictions and uncertainties rather than trying to confirm hypotheses. It invites discussion of findings with others, including participants or other disciplines, to broaden perspectives.
A great way to keep yourself honest is to publish a registered report before you start your projects. This is then peer reviewed and shifts the focus from “producing the most beautiful story to the most accurate one."
In supervision and mentoring meetings
In the context of supervision or mentoring, humble inquiry shifts the dynamic from a top-down model to one of mutual learning and growth. A mentor who practices humble inquiry creates an environment where students or mentees feel empowered to think critically and take ownership of their ideas.
Through active listening, mentors can spot the moments when a mentee is on the verge of deeper insight and make space for it to emerge. This doesn’t just mean hearing the words, but tuning into tone, hesitation or the questions behind the questions. Often, when a mentor listens closely and reflects back what they’re hearing, the mentee sometimes even starts asking and answering their own questions. In these moments, the dynamic shifts: the mentee isn’t just receiving advice but actively leading their own learning.
In practice, instead of simply providing answers or solutions, such a mentor asks questions that encourage self-reflection and problem-solving.
Example: A mentor might say, “What challenges are you facing with your current project? How do you think we could address them together?” rather than immediately offering a solution. This approach shows that the mentor values the mentee's insights and encourages a collaborative approach to overcoming obstacles.
This style of mentoring helps mentees develop critical thinking skills, confidence and independence, knowing that they have a safe space to express doubts or explore new ideas. It also models a growth mindset, reinforcing that learning is a continual process of discovery, not just the accumulation of correct answers.
Other Areas Where Humble Inquiry Makes a Big Difference
Obviously, humble inquiry isn’t just helpful in research.
If you’re a pilot landing a plane, or a surgeon in the middle of an operation, open-ended curiosity isn't what you need. But in complex, ambiguous situations (those involving people, choices, trade-offs or values) it can be transformational.
Consider these examples:
In leadership: Rather than asking "Are you on track to meet your goals?" a leader might ask, "What do you need from me to succeed this quarter?" The second question implies support and shared responsibility.
In user research: Instead of "Did you find this feature easy to use?", you might ask, "Tell me what you were trying to accomplish on this screen." This helps you understand the user's intent and context, not just their reaction.
In team conversations: Rather than asking "Do you agree with the plan?", try "What part of this plan gives you pause?" It assumes there might be uncertainty and gives permission to express it.
In conflict resolution: Instead of saying "Why did you do that?", you might ask, "What was going through your mind when that happened?" A subtle shift that invites empathy over defensiveness.
These aren’t just polite tweaks of course! They do fundamentally alter the dynamic. You shift from seeking validation to seeking meaning - and people can really tell. You are moving from "I already know" to "Help me understand."
From Expert to Learner
At its core, humble inquiry transforms your role and interactions. You move from being the expert who extracts answers to becoming a learner actively seeking understanding. This shift doesn’t diminish your expertise; rather, it elevates your ability to empathise and engage with people on a deeper level.
This shift might feel uncomfortable at first. There’s something inherently challenging about stepping away from the need to control a conversation and allowing uncertainty to shape the dialogue. But it’s exactly this discomfort that signals growth and progress. Embracing the unknown will help you create a space where real insights can emerge. When you embrace humble inquiry, you stop assuming you know the answers and start discovering them alongside others.
A simple shift in how we ask questions can unlock a more profound understanding, whether in research, leadership or our daily interactions. It invites collaboration over compliance and brings genuine discovery to the forefront.
Because, ultimately, the best insights don’t emerge when we project certainty. They emerge when we pause, genuinely curious, and dare to admit:
“I don’t know the answer, but I think you might.”
I'm Andrea, a management consultant with over a decade of experience across industry and academia. I work with commercial, non-profit, academic and government organisations worldwide, helping them capture meaningful insights through mixed methods research.
I write about practical frameworks to help you discover what others miss. My main goal is to translate complex concepts into techniques that readers can use immediately.
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Beautiful article. Thanks for sharing 🥂