Asking More Effective Questions Tips and Hints

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Asking More Effective Questions Who questions much, shall learn much, and retain much. Sir Francis Bacon

Reality Check I am on track if:

• I am encouraging people to share their thoughts and opinions

• I approach conversations with a sense of curiosity

• I notice what is said – both verbally and non-verbally

• I paraphrase, summarise and check my understanding

Warning signs are if:

• I am doing all the talking in a conversation. Questions help to get other people talking…

• I am doing more telling than asking. There is a time to tell and a time to ask, however awareness and responsibility are better raised by asking than by being told

• I am interrogating people! Don't fire off too many questions at once. What the experts say about effective questions… What does a good question look like?

• It’s simple – people can focus their energy on forming their response rather than trying to understand the wording of the question

• It has a purpose – without an implied sense of judgement, or outcome • It is influencing without being controlling – ie it doesn’t imply a right or wrong

answer, or narrow down options Why ask questions? To get people talking!! Think about why you are asking questions, and the sort of response you want. This can influence whether you choose open or closed questions.

Types of Questions Closed questions typically could be answered with a Yes / No answer.

• They are useful to confirm information, move the conversation along, or close a conversation down.

• They often start with words like 'did you…', 'would you …', 'can you…'will it…', is that …' or 'are you…'

Open questions typically encourage conversation; they help illicit information and encourage participation.

• They can be initiating questions (starting an exploration) or clarifying questions (to validate understanding or find out more information)

• The most effective questions often start with What, When, Who, How much, How many

o What did you… Who would… o How can we… When will it… o What are the …

• Why questions can sometimes imply some judgment, so are often better expressed as “what are the reasons…?”

• How questions are sometimes better expressed as “what are the steps…?”

ClosedYes / No answers

Openencourage more

talking, information, participation

Asking More Effective Questions Tips and Hints

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Themes & Formats for Questions The themes or format of our question can reflect our different intentions, for example :

• Fact finding questions are targeted at data or information that can be verified. "e.g. What kind of mobile device are you using?"

• Feeling finding questions encourage more subjective information such as another person’s opinions, feelings, or beliefs. e.g.“How do you feel about the effectiveness of the device?”

• Best or Least questions help you understand potential opportunities or downsides in the present situation. e.g.“What’s the best thing about receiving this new mobile device?”

• Magic wand questions let you explore people’s true desires. They help to temporarily remove obstacles from a person’s mind. e.g.“If time and money were no obstacle, what sort of a mobile device would you select for the department?”

• Third Party questions help uncover thoughts in a less direct manner. They’re designed to help people express sensitive information. e.g.“Some people find that this device is too complicated to use. Can you see any truth in that?"

• Tell me more…although not actually a question : this response to can help you find out more about what the other person is saying. The concept can also be expressed as a question…e.g.“Tell me more about ….” “Can you elaborate on that?”

• When you say… another response that can help you understand clearly what a person means by something they have said, or a term they have used. e.g: “When you say ‘the equipment was in poor shape’, what do you mean?”

Example problem solving questions you could ask to encourage discussion

• What things are challenging you at the moment? • What isn’t working right now? • What do you think might be holding you back? • What needs to change to get back on track? • What might you be doing (unintentionally) that might be contributing to this

situation?

Fact findingWho, what, when,

where and how much

Feeling findingHow do you feel…

What do you think…

‘Magic wand’If time and money were no obstacle…

Best / leastWhat is the best /

worst thing…

Third PartySome people …What

Are your thoughts?

Tell-me-moreTell me more…

Can you elaborate?

‘When you say’…When you say XYZ…

GROW Coaching ModelClassic coaching questions

• What would you like to happen that is not happening now?• What problem are you trying to resolve?• What could we work on that would make a big difference at work?

• So what is happening now? What have you done about it so far?• How is this impacting you, others? How does this make you feel?• If things don’t change, what is likely to happen?• On a scale of 1-10, how badly do you want to achieve this goal?

• What would the ideal outcome look like? What difference would this make?• What ideas do you have to achieve this? What else could you try?• Who else could give you another perspective? • What actions have you taken in similar situations?• What are the pros / cons of these options? What option are you most drawn to? • If the preferred option isn’t possible, what would be the next best thing?

• What do you think is the next step? What are you going to do? When?• What obstacles might you face? How can we overcome them?• What support might you/we need?• What is the best way for us to follow up on this?

oal

eality

ptions

rap-up

Asking More Effective Questions Tips and Hints

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7 Killer Questions that Fundamentally Shift a Conversation We have a blog that explores the impact of effective questions. Here are 7 questions that can fundamentally shift a conversation:

1. What do you mean by that? 2. How did you reach that view?

3. What are you trying to achieve?

4. Upon what assumptions is that based? 5. Would you be willing to engage in a conversation where you might

change your mind?

6. What are the potential unintended consequences? 7. How might person X* view this situation?

* Person X being anyone or any group that could be involved in the issue or even a respected person completely independent of the situation. For further information on this blog, visit: http://www.discoveryinaction.com.au/latest-news/dia-discoveries-7-killer-questions-that-fundamentally-shift-a-conversation/

Other effective questions: • What would a 'wise' person do in this

situation? • What's the 'right' thing to do here? • What's one small thing that can make a big

difference? • What do you fear most about that?

Effective Questions and Active Listening are skills that go hand in hand. Things I can do to improve my questioning and active listening skills:

• Make a personal commitment to ask more effective questions and to actively listen in the situation. Consciously make the choice. Be deliberate and more conscious when forming your questions and demonstrate your intention to listen intently by removing distractions.

• Be curious, asking infrequent effective questions. Determine whether open or closed questions may be more effective. Ask only one question at a time. Focus on asking a few effective questions, rather than lots of questions. And be careful not to interrogate the other person!

• Face the person speaking. Turn your body towards them, or sit up straight or lean forward slightly to show your attentiveness through your body language. Maintain an appropriate distance and maintain eye contact. Don’t stare at them, but keep a level of eye contact that you both find comfortable.

• Respond appropriately to show that you understand. Do this with the odd “uh-huh” and nod your head. Smile. Raise your eyebrows. Keep an open posture. Say words such as “really,” “that is interesting,” as well as ask clarifying questions, such as “What did you do then?” and “What did she say?”, “And then what happened?”

• Offer attentive silence. Listeners often talk too much! Don’t worry about the pause. Let them fill the space. Use silence positively.

• Determine if this is a time to ‘tell’ or a time to ‘ask’. What are they looking for in this conversation. A chance to make sense of something, or advice? Try not to think you must solve things or offer your own opinion too quickly. Quite often the answer/s lie within the speaker; then may just not know it yet! Draw it out with questions. Awareness can emerge within the speaker through the process of story-telling.

• Try not to think too hard about what you are going to say next. Focus on what the speaker is saying. This can be difficult, but rest assured that the conversation will have a logical flow once the speaker has been able to make their point. (If necessary, jot key words down to jog your memory at a later time)

Asking More Effective Questions Tips and Hints

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• Stay present! Keep a check on your ‘internal voice’. If find yourself getting distracted remind yourself of your intention. Re-focus your attention on the speaker. Take mental notes. Listen for key words.

• Try to keep an open mind. It is tempting to try to ‘guess the end’ or recommend the ‘answer’. Try to wait until the speaker is finished before making up your mind. And try not to make assumptions about what the speaker is thinking. If in doubt, validate this by asking them a question.

• Give feedback to the speaker. Share observations about what you are noticing – both the feelings and facts. Paraphrase what you have understood in your own words.

Some other tips and useful information about questioning and listening • Don’t be afraid of silence in a conversation. It can actually be a powerful

technique in situations requiring active listening. Active listening encourages the person speaking to share their thoughts and ideas and “fill the space” created by the “silence”. Don’t be tempted to fill it first…

• Deliberately try to hold back from asking too many questions early on, especially if the ‘talker’ has begun to tell their story. When we do most of the talking, we diminish our ability to draw information from others. We also have less ability to process the information and therefore respond to it. It can also set the tone for the conversation; is this a time to tell or time to ask & listen? If the latter, ‘bite your tongue’…

• Be aware and deliberate during the actual conversation. Consider your language, tone and body language and how this is being received. Ask both open and closed questions to get the person talking. Listen to the responses you get.

• Listen for key words. We are often taught how to ask questions, but we don’t necessarily know what to do with the answers. Listen for ‘beacon’ words - these “flash” at you and suggest there is something further to explore (these are contextual words – typically around problems, opportunities, performance). Also listen for ‘fog’ words – which suggest there is something else there behind the “cloud”, and perhaps you should delve further… (sometimes, maybe, often…). People may not go into detail until you prod a little more.

More information Visit this blog to see the impact can be of being more of a teller than an asker: http://www.discoveryinaction.com.au/latest-news/dia-discoveries-do-you-want-to-be-the-smartest-person-in-the-room-or-the-wisest/