An essay by John Melonakos
Question Asking
For crucial conversations, sales, hiring interviews, teaching moments, marketing surveys, managerial moments, and a host of other situations, great question asking is a powerful tool. Great question asking leads to effective listening, establishment of understanding, and forward progress in any conversation.
Here are some thoughts on question asking:
- Avoid yes or no questions, unless you are seeking a specific commitment.
- If you are seeking a specific commitment, ask a yes or no question starting with, “Will you…?”
- Plan your questions in advance if possible. Ask careful questions that tactfully advance the conversation or relationship.
- Keep them short.
- After asking a question, don’t second guess it. If silence occurs, let it. Give the responder time to respond. Great questions will cause a pause because the responder will need to think. Don’t be afraid of moments of silence.
- Before crafting a question, think about the possible responses. If all possible responses do not yield meaningful or actionable information, then the knowledge-generating value of the question is low. For instance, when crafting surveys avoid asking questions that are interesting to know but would not actually lead your organization to do anything differently. Opportunities for question asking are limited so make them count.
What are your tips for great question asking?