A teacher who says “good question” is telling the whole room it’s safe to ask.

Those two words are aimed at more than the person who asked. Rooms learn quickly what happens to people who admit confusion, and one dismissive sigh is enough to teach thirty of them to stay quiet, while one welcome reopens it. Everybody is watching how the first asker gets treated. The phrase is less praise for the question than a signal about the price of asking.

If you have ever been the asker, notice who made it easy and tell them so. In any group where you have a say, meet the first question warmly. Asking first is a service to everyone sitting behind you.