Using Effective Questions Powerful Questions Effective Questioning Techniques

Using Effective Questions

Powerful Questions Effective Questioning Techniques Welcome to Using Effective Questions Asking effective, powerful questions gives you tremendous opportunity to improve your conversations and gain more complete and accurate information so that you can make better decisions. • You can improve your relationships by allowing your conversation partners to feel heard and understood more completely – the subtext becomes “this person really cares about me”. • You will be able to come to agreements faster and easier by eliminating the “noise” that comes from erroneous assumptions, prejudices, and miscommunication. You will be able to co-create options and solutions that would have otherwise gone uncovered.

Objectives By the end of the course members will be able to: • Use a variety of questions in conversations • Know when to use open ended vs. closed ended questions • Articulate at least three questions from each of three categories The measurable Define open ended and closed ended questions. competency covered To articulate three questions in each of three key categories. in this session is:

Components Effective questions come from a mindset of curiosity. . . The components to asking effective questions are: • Know when to ask open-ended rather than closed questions • Ask questions that define specific positive outcomes • Ask questions that clarify the situation • Define a problem and possible solutions • Guide the conversation toward solutions • Help the customer choose between available options.

Open vs. Closed Ended Questions For information gathering, and understanding, ask open-ended rather than closed questions An open-ended question is designed to encourage a full, meaningful answer using the subject's own knowledge and/or feelings. • Open-ended questions tend to be more objective and less leading than closed-ended questions • Closed-ended questions encourage short or single-word answers. They can also be used to encourage a choice between limited options • Open ended questions start with: what, how, or why • Closed end questions start with: is, do, are, or which

Open vs. Closed Questions Example Closed If you are discussing a “Which time works better specific time, you can ask: for you 1: 30 or 4: 00? ” Questions start with: Is, do, are or which Answer Features: Short Single-word Leading Open “What time works best for you? ” What, how, or why Objective Full, thoughtful Opens conversation up to discovering additional information. Open ended questions open the conversation up to discover more information. They encourage thought and understanding. Closed ended questions encourage choices and are best used for narrowing options and checking for agreement.

Think About It. . . What is your impulse when you are asked a question? Sometimes the underlying assumptions in questions are better examined so that the answer has appropriate meaning. Asking Open Ended Questions Asking open ended questions can help you determine the other person’s assumptions about a situation, and their emotional state connected with it. Continue asking open ended questions until you are confident that you have a clear understanding of the situation as your conversational partner perceives it.

Positive Outcomes Ask questions that guide toward positive outcomes Open ended questions help define ideal outcomes: Questions that fill in the blanks toward an ideal outcome What would be your ideal outcome in this situation? What do you need from this situation to consider it a success? What are the most important outcomes that you are looking for? Closed ended questions can help move toward a decision: Questions that direct toward available options I can get that for you in blue or yellow, which do you prefer? Do you have time to wait, or would you prefer that I call you back when I have the answer for you?

Useful Open Ended Questions Clarify Outcomes • What is the desired outcome? • What is your: Ø First step? Ø Next step? Ø Final step? • What resources do you need? • Who will be affected by the outcome of this situation? • What are the pros and cons of doing this? • What can we learn from this?

Useful Open Ended Questions When there is a problem • What is the problem and why is this a problem? • How might your perception be shaping or affecting the actual problem? • If you were on the other side, how would you handle the situation? • What would be the ideal way to handle this problem? • How might this problem be solved ideally? • What can we do to reach that potential? • What are possible delays in this process and how can we avoid them?

Informational Responses

Practice Regimen Make a list of open and closed ended questions that you use regularly. Practice breaking the habit of always answering every question right away. Stop and think if there is a clarifying question you could ask instead.