A good question can expose certainty built entirely on assumption.

One well-aimed question can reveal that an elaborate certainty was resting on something nobody had ever confirmed. How do we know that, where did that number come from, who checked. These are simple to ask and rarely asked, because the whole structure is presented as settled and questioning the base can feel like obstruction.

Ask the basic question in a room where everyone seems to agree. Do it without accusation; you are asking, not challenging. Often you will find that the assumption was inherited from someone who is no longer present and was never verified by anyone.