Questioning Techniques
Questioning Techniques
The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.
– Albert Einstein
Introduction
Gathering information is a fundamental human activity — we use it to learn, to assist us in solving issues, to aid in our decision-making processes, and to help us communicate more effectively with one another. Interpersonal communication might fail if there is no questioning. Questioning is a necessary component of effective communication; we all ask and are asked questions throughout a discussion.
We find questions and responses intriguing and amusing — politicians, reporters, entertainers, and entrepreneurs are often successful due to their ability to ask the correct questions at the right moment and also to effectively respond (or not respond). While the majority of queries are vocal in nature, they may also be non-verbal. Raising the brows, for example, might be seen as a question, “Are you certain?” At various times and in various circumstances, facial expressions may pose a variety of nuanced questions.
Good questioning skills are another building block of successful communication. Tony Robbins, a motivational speaker, famously said, “Successful individuals ask better questions and thus get better answers.” And there is no question that he is correct. When we ask the incorrect questions, we will not get the necessary information. This is inefficient and may lead us on a wild goose chase. The correct questions have the opposite effect. They provide us with the information we need at the time we want it. Appropriate inquiries open rather than close doors. We constantly ask questions, regardless of who we are or what we do. We utilize them to get a better understanding of our work, responsibilities, and the world around us. Additionally, we utilize them to get a deeper understanding of individuals. As a result, understanding how to ask effective questions is a critical communication skill. There are various tactics and ideas that may assist you in doing this.
We have already encountered several possible scenarios where questions helped us gather information, clarify facts, and communicate with others. In this lesson, we will look closer at these questioning techniques that you can use throughout the communication process.
Brief check
How you answer questions can be as important as the answers themselves.
Why Should We Ask Questions?
Although not complete, the following list summarizes the primary reasons why questions are asked in regular circumstances.
To Acquire Data: A question’s principal purpose is to elicit information — ‘What time is it?’
To assist you in regaining control of a discussion: While you are asking questions, you are in charge of the discussion; assertive individuals are more likely to take control of talks by inquiring and seeking to get the information they need. (We will cover the art assertiveness in the following lesson.)
Demonstrate an interest in the other person: Questioning enables us to learn more about the responder; this is advantageous when striving to establish rapport and demonstrate empathy, or when just getting to know the other person.
To emphasize a point: In communication, questions are often used to clarify a speaker’s statement. Clarification questions are critical for eliminating misunderstandings and resulting in more effective communication.
To elucidate the other person’s characteristics and/or challenges: Questions are used to elicit information about the respondent’s emotions, beliefs, views, ideas, and attitudes. They may also be used to help another person better comprehend their own difficulties – for example, when a doctor is attempting to diagnose a patient.
To ascertain knowledge: Questions are used in a variety of quizzes, tests, and exams to determine the respondent’s knowledge. For instance, ‘What is the capital of France?’
To elicit more thinking: Questions may be used to get someone to think more thoroughly about something. Questions may be phrased in such a manner that they compel the respondent to consider a subject in a fresh light. ‘How come you believe Paris is France’s capital?”
In circumstances involving groups: In group circumstances, questioning may be very beneficial for a variety of reasons: to involve all members of the group, to stimulate further debate of an issue, and to maintain attention by asking questions without notice. These examples are readily applicable to a classroom of elementary school pupils.
How to Ask Effective Questions
Effective communication has a lot to do with the manner in which questions are posed. Motivational speaker Tony Robbins once stated, “Successful individuals ask better questions and, as a consequence, they receive better answers.” And there’s no doubt he’s right. When we ask the incorrect questions, we don’t acquire the information we need. This wastes time and might end up taking us on a wild goose chase. The appropriate questions do the opposite. They provide us the knowledge we need, when we need it.
Appropriate inquiries open doors, instead than shutting them. No matter who we are or what we do, we ask questions all the time. We utilize them to learn more about our work, our responsibilities, and the world around us. We also utilize them to understand individuals better. So, understanding how to ask excellent questions is a vital communication skill. There are various tactics and ideas you may utilize to assist you achieve this.
First of all, after establishing the aim of the inquiry, you should ask yourself the following:
Is the question relevant to the individual/group?
Is this the appropriate moment to pose the question?
How do I anticipate the respondent’s response?
When asking questions – particularly in more formal contexts – some of the mechanics to consider include the following:
Brief check
Using silence is an effective way of delivering questions.
Being Organized
In most circumstances, if there is some structure to the conversation, the relationship between the questioner and reply will proceed more smoothly. Examples of such a circumstances are (a) While doing research or working in a profession that involves data collection, it may be essential to ask many questions. (b) When people are aware of and capable of accepting the kind of questions that are likely to arise, such as “In order to assist you with your insurance claim, I will need to ask you about your automobile, your health, and the circumstances surrounding the accident.”
Utilizing Silence
Silence is an effective method of communicating inquiries.
As with other interpersonal encounters, pauses in speaking may assist emphasize points and provide a brief opportunity for both parties to collect their thoughts before continuing.
A three-second wait before a question might serve to emphasize the significance of the query. A three-second delay immediately after a question may also be beneficial; it prevents the questioner from quickly asking another and signals to the reply that an answer is expected.
Pausing again after an initial response might entice the responder to elaborate on their response. Less than three-second pauses have been shown to be ineffective.
Sustaining Participation
Leaders often seek to include as many individuals as possible in group discussions or debates.
This may be accomplished in part by posing questions to individual group members.
One method to maximize the advantages of this strategy is to deflect a question from an active member of the group to one who is less active or less likely to respond without being directly asked. Caution should be used in such circumstances, since some individuals find public speaking very stressful and may quickly become uncomfortable, humiliated, or awkward.
Encourage but do not compel the group’s more reserved members to participate.
Let us explore some common questioning techniques, and when (and when not) to use them.
Open Questions
We discussed open questions a bit when exploring the STAR model earlier. Open questions get their name because the response is open-ended; the responder has a wide range of options to choose from when answering it. Open questions are like going fishing with a net – you never know what you’re going to get!
Open questions are great conversation starters, fact finders, and communication enhancers. Use them whenever possible. Open questions are also considered more effective, because it encourages the other person to provide more information. For instance, asking a colleague, “What did you cover during the meeting today?” is an open question. This is because you’re asking him to give you a longer, more detailed answer.
Open questions use one of six words as a root:
- Who?
- What?
- Where?
- When?
- Why?
- How?
Open questions elicit longer answers. An open question asks the respondent for his or her knowledge, opinion or feelings. “Tell me” and “describe” can also be used in the same way as open questions. Here are some examples:
- What happened at the meeting?
- Why did he react that way?
- How was the party?
- Tell me what happened next.
- Describe the circumstances in more detail.
Open questions are good for:
- Developing an open conversation: “What did you get up to on vacation?”
- Finding out more detail: “What else do we need to do to make this a success?”
- Finding out the other person’s opinion or issues: “What do you think about those changes?”
Closed Questions
Closed questions are the opposite of open questions; their very structure limits the answer to yes or no, or a specific piece of information. It is important to know when to ask the closed questions. A misplaced closed question can kill the conversation and lead to awkward silences, so are best avoided when a conversation is in full flow. A closed question is one that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no,” or with a very short statement. For instance, if you ask a colleague, “Did the meeting go well?” you’re using a closed question, because she can only answer “yes” or “no.” And then the conversation finishes.
Some other examples include:
- Do you like chocolate?
- Were you born in December?
- Is it five o’clock yet?
Although closed questions tend to shut down communication, they can be useful if you are searching for a particular piece of information, or winding a conversation down.
If you use a closed question and it shuts down the conversation, simply use an open-ended question to get things started again. Here is an example:
- Do you like the Flaming Ducks hockey team?
- Who is your favorite player?
Closed questions are good for:
- Testing your understanding, or the other person’s: “So, if I get this qualification, I will get a raise?”
- Concluding a discussion or making a decision: “Now we know the facts, are we all agreed this is the right course of action?”
- Frame setting: “Are you happy with the service from your bank?”
Interrogative Questions
In addition to the basic open and closed questions, there is also a toolbox of probing questions that we can use. These questions can be open or closed, but each type serves a specific purpose.
Clarification
By probing for clarification, you invite the other person to share more information so that you can fully understand their message. Clarification questions often look like this:
- “Please tell me more about…”
- “What did you mean by…”
- “What does … look like?” (Any of the five senses can be used here)
Completeness and Correctness
These types of questions can help you ensure you have the full, true story. Having all the facts, in turn, can protect you from assuming and jumping to conclusions – two fatal barriers to communication.
Some examples of these questions include:
- “What else happened after that?”
- “Did that end the …”
Determining Relevance
This category will help you determine how or if a particular point is related to the conversation at hand. It can also help you get the speaker back on track from a tangent.
Some good ways to frame relevance questions are:
- “How is that like…”
- “How does that relate to…”
Drilling Down
Use these types of questions to nail down vague statements. Useful helpers include:
- “Describe…”
- “What do you mean by…?”
- “Could you please give an example?”
Summarizing
These questions are framed more like a statement. They pull together all the relevant points. They can be used to confirm to the listener that you heard what was said, and to give them an opportunity to correct any misunderstandings.
Example: “So you picked out a dress, had to get it fitted three times, and missed the wedding in the end?”
Be careful not to avoid repeating the speaker’s words back to them like a parrot. Remember, paraphrasing means repeating what you think the speaker said in your own words.
Brief check
Rhetorical questions are often humorous and don’t require an answer.
Funnel Questions
Another useful questioning technique is “funneling.”
This technique involves starting with general questions, and then drilling down to a more specific point in each. Usually, this will involve asking for more and more detail at each level. Detectives taking a statement from a witness often use it:
“How many people were involved in the fight?”
“About ten.”
“Were they kids or adults?”
“Mostly kids.”
“What sort of ages were they?”
“About fourteen or fifteen.”
“Were any of them wearing anything distinctive?”
“Yes, several of them had red baseball caps on.”
“Can you remember if there was a logo on any of the caps?”
“Now you come to mention it, yes, I remember seeing a big letter N.”
Using this technique, the detective has helped the witness to re-live the scene and to gradually focus in on a useful detail. Perhaps he’ll be able to identify young men wearing a hat like this from CCTV footage. It is unlikely he would have got this information if he’s simply asked an open question such as “Are there any details you can give me about what you saw?”
Police detectives often use it when they want witnesses to remember specific events or details. This strategy involves starting with general questions, homing in on each answer, and then asking for more and more detail.
You can use funneling to gain the interest or confidence of someone you’re talking to, or to get more information about a specific topic. For instance, imagine you want to find out how a meeting went between one of your colleagues and a potential client. You can use the funneling technique to get the information you need.
So, you begin by asking your team member, “Did you meet with the client?”
She answers, “Yes.”
Then you ask, “Did they seem interested in the product?”
And she says, “Yes, but they wanted to know more.”
Next you ask, “What was the client’s body language like while you were talking?”
Your team member thinks for a moment, and says, “It was pretty open and engaged. He looked me in the eye, and I didn’t see him fidgeting while I was speaking. He seemed to pay attention the entire time.”
You finally ask, “Is the client happy to schedule a follow-up meeting?”
And then your team member says, “Actually, he is. He wanted to know if we’d be able to meet a tight delivery deadline, and I told him we could.”
Because you used the funneling technique, you know that your team member did a great job during the meeting, and that your organization will likely get an order from this new client.
Funnel questions are good for:
- Finding out more detail about a specific point: “Tell me more about Option Two.”
- Gaining the interest or increasing the confidence of the person you’re speaking with: “Have you used the IT Helpdesk?” “Did it solve your problem?” “What was the attitude of the person who took your call?”
When using funnel questioning, start with closed questions. As you progress through the tunnel, start using more open questions.
Probing Questions
Asking probing questions is another strategy for finding out more detail. Sometimes it’s as simple as asking your respondent for an example, to help you understand a statement that they have made. At other times, you need additional information for clarification, “When do you need this report by, and do you want to see a draft before I give you my final version?” Or to investigate whether there is proof for what has been said, “How do you know that the new database can’t be used by the sales force?”
An effective way of probing is to use questions that can help you quickly get to the root of a problem. Use questions that include the word “exactly” to probe further: “What exactly do you mean by fast-track?” or “Who, exactly, wanted this report?”
Probing questions are good for:
- Gaining clarification to ensure that you have the whole story and that you understand it thoroughly.
- Drawing information out of people who are trying to avoid telling you something.
Leading Questions
Leading questions try to lead the respondent to your way of thinking. They can do this in several ways:
- With an assumption– “How late do you think that the project will deliver?” This assumes that the project will certainly not be completed on time.
- By adding a personal appeal to agree at the end– “Lori’s very efficient, don’t you think?” or “Option Two is better, isn’t it?”
- Phrasing the question so that the “easiest” response is “yes”– Our natural tendency to prefer to say “yes” than “no” plays an important part in the phrasing of questions: “Shall we all approve Option Two?” is more likely to get a positive response than “Do you want to approve Option Two or not?” A good way of doing this is to make it personal. For example, “Would you like me to go ahead with Option Two?” rather than “Shall I choose Option Two?”
- Giving people a choice between two options– both of which you would be happy with, rather than the choice of one option or not doing anything at all. Strictly speaking, the choice of “neither” is still available when you ask “Which would you prefer… A or B?” but most people will be caught up in deciding between your two preferences.
Note that leading questions tend to be closed.
Leading questions are good for:
- Getting the answer you want, but leaving the other person feeling that they haven’t got a choice.
- Closing a sale: “If that answers all of your questions, shall we agree on a price?”
Use leading questions with care. If you use them in a sel-serving way or one that harms the interest of the other person, then they can, quite rightly, be seen as manipulative and dishonest.
Rhetorical Questions
Rhetorical questions aren’t really questions at all, in that they don’t expect an answer. They’re really just statements phrased in question form: “Isn’t John’s design work so creative?”
People use rhetorical questions because they are engaging for the listener – as they are drawn into agreeing (“Yes it is and I like working with such a creative colleague”) – rather than feeling that they are being “told” something like “John is a very creative designer.” (To which they may answer “So What?”)
Rhetorical questions are good for:
- Engaging the listener.
- Getting people to agree with your point of view.
Rhetorical questions are even more powerful if you use a string of them. For example, “Isn’t that a great display? Don’t you love the way the text picks up the colors in the photograph? Doesn’t it use space really well? Wouldn’t you love to have a display like that for our products?”
Using Questioning Techniques
You have probably used all of these questioning techniques before in your everyday life, at work and at home. But by consciously applying the appropriate kind of questioning, you can gain the information, response or outcome that you want even more effectively.
Questions are a powerful way of:
- Learning: Ask open and closed questions, and use probing questioning.
- Relationship building: People generally respond positively if you ask about what they do or enquire about their opinions. If you do this in an affirmative way “Tell me what you like best about working here” you will help to build and maintain an open dialogue.
- Managing and coaching: Here, rhetorical and leading questions are useful too. They can help get people to reflect and to commit to courses of action that you’ve suggested: “Wouldn’t it be great to gain some further qualifications?”
- Avoiding misunderstandings: Use probing questions to seek clarification, particularly when the consequences are significant. And to make sure that you avoid jumping to conclusions.
- De-fusing a heated situation: You can calm an angry customer or colleague by using funnel questions to get them to go into more detail about their grievance. This will not only distract them from their emotions, but will often help you to identify a small practical thing that you can do, which is often enough to make them feel that they have “won” something, and no longer need to be angry.
- Persuading people: no one likes to be lectured, but asking a series of open questions will help others to embrace the reasons behind your point of view. “What do you think about bringing the sales force in for half a day to have their laptops upgraded?”
Brief check
As there are myriad of question types, so are possible responses.
Make sure that you give the person you’re questioning enough time to respond. This may need to include thinking time before he or she answers, so don’t just interpret a pause as a “No comment” and plow on. Skillful questioning needs to be matched by careful listening so that you understand what people really mean with their answers. Your body language and tone of voice can also play a part in the answers you get when you ask questions.
“Garbage in, garbage out” is a well-known adage often used in reference to computer systems: if you put the incorrect data in, you’ll get the wrong data out. The same idea applies to communications in general: if you ask the wrong questions, you’re likely to receive the incorrect response, or at least one that falls short of your expectations. Effective communication and information sharing are predicated on the ability to ask the correct questions. By asking the appropriate questions in the appropriate setting, you may enhance a variety of communication abilities. For instance, you may obtain more knowledge and learn more, strengthen connections, manage people more efficiently, and assist others in learning as well. Knowing when to ask the right question is an essential communication skill. You can use open and closed questioning, and funneling, to get essential information.
Practical Application
Debbie was conducting an interview with Andrew who is Debbie’s subordinate. He had been working in the firm for a number of years. She could sense he was a bit anxious, but she wasn’t sure how she could put him at more ease. After a few minutes of talking with him, she remembered the questioning techniques she had recently learnt during her communication skills class. She decided to make use of funneling questions as it is used to gain the interest or confidence of someone you’re talking to, or to get more information about a specific topic by making the person more relaxed.
This technique involves starting with general questions, and then drilling down to a more specific point, so Debbie started by inquiring as to his favorite work that he has completed so far. She noted how animated he got and asked him to tell her about a time when he and his colleagues collaborated to overcome a difficult production challenge. When she saw how comfortable he was feeling now, she encouraged him to share his story with the group. She encouraged him to draw out the good features of his prior assignments and to see if he could spot a pattern emerging from his responses. Debbie saw that he had similar characteristics in all of his work and that he has a diverse skill set as a result of his experiences. She conveyed her gratitude for sharing his experiences and expressed delight at seeing him finally smiling. In the end, they agreed with what he had to say, and happily clocked off work with a solution to be implemented the following day.
