Questions: Substance and Form

To wonder is to be human. At the heart of wondering is questioning. As an individual and a collective, encouraging people to ask questions is one of the most important things we can do. Start with your children or young people around you. Encourage them to question you. Try to answer them honestly. If you do not know the answer, explore the answer with them. Emphasize that no answer is complete and is subject to revision upon new evidence and ideas.
In my opinion, this process is the safest training you can give them as an adult and help them become informed citizens.

Along the way, teach them two things: 1) how to formulate a question and 2) pay attention to the tone of the question they ask.

Formulating a good question is a challenging task and requires iteration. Iterations mean patience. So, asking a good question is a training in patient thinking. Discourage rushing through. That does not mean the upper time bound is infinite. This means you shouldn’t settle for the default question. Question the question.

Next is the tone of the question. It is the tone which determines the intention of the question. If your intention is grounded in humility, curiosity and transparency, you will have a better chance of obtaining an answer. A question asked in a condescending tone generally discourages people from answering, even if their intention is not to conceal.

Of course, these are not general rules but guidelines that may be useful.

Conclusion:
Pay attention not only to the substance of your question but also to the form of your question. A questioning mindset can be extrapolated to your everyday thinking. Gradually, it will become a way of life.
Learning is more important than ego. When you realise this, questions become a great tool to explore the world.