Robert blogged about the power of asking “what do you think?”
It brought up memories from my formative years when grown-ups had also given me the gift of this question. I don’t know how children elsewhere had it, but these were rare departures from the “grown-ups know best” norm that prevailed in my corner of the world at the time.
Mind you, these weren’t the “let’s see what the silly kids think” routine that inevitably comes up at family gatherings. We would have been discussing a topic in earnest, or solving a problem, or mulling over a decision. The stakes may not have been high, but they were real, and that made all the difference.
“What do you think?” invited me to participate rather than to merely observe. It showed me that I could contribute meaningfully. Instead of striving to be heard, the challenge was to form an opinion that was worthy of the hearing. Imagine what a rush it would have been, as a child, for your view to be acknowledged; more so, for it to be tested and sharpened on its merits; to say nothing of seeing a sliver of it in the final outcome, however small.
Every one of these interactions built my confidence and shaped the life I have today. I’m grateful to the people who gave me these gifts, and take this as a reminder to pass it on to those around me.