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Asking The Right Sort of Questions

Guest post by: Martin Haworth

Article Overview: To create great conversations, we need to engage fully with those we want to talk with. There are tactics that anyone can use to draw out the information that is so valuable, as well as showing an interest in the individual on the other side. It's not that difficult...

Asking The Right Sort of Questions

There are several sorts of questions that you need to be aware of. You may already understand these and naturally have a talent for using them in the right places, as some people do. Some of the questions are simply no-go areas, as they will serve you little purpose. As a hint, listen to radio interviewers as they are often really good examples of how not to do it!

The key is to create conversations that will engage and enthuse your people, building confidence in their own abilities as well as encouraging a healthy, strong and close relationship with you as their line manager.

This is not as tricky as it might sound and simply requires an understanding of the ways you can leverage the unique opportunities you have, with people around you that you can develop your working style with.

One of the best ways to create a conversation is to as what are described as 'Open' questions.

Typically these start with the 'W' letter, Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? (well, it has a 'w' in it!) and are the keys that unlock a conversation.

These are undoubtedly the questions that encourage discovery of information. That's why they are sometimes called 'discovery questions'.

When you are coaching (which, as a manager, is much of your time, right?), these will form up towards 80% of the questions you ask - and more.

Interestingly, other tactics can be described as 'open' in this context. For example, other favorites are:-

'You mentioned the delay on the project, tell me more about that...'

You could vary this a little as you get used to it, by saying something like:-

'Say more about the solutions you found...'

Over time, you will get easier with your own favorites that work well for you, in the context of the conversation you are having with the person you are coaching.

The beauty of 'open' questions are that they show an interest in the other person, who, most often, will be only too delighted to talk more about themselves.

Then, using your excellent listening skills you 'hear' and get the ongoing contextual clues that will lead you - and them - forward along the self-discovery path, through the next question - and so on.

Remember, as a coaching manager, you are helping them find out about what they can contribute - not what you can fix for them.

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Article Tags: building conversations, employee engagement, management development, questioning skills, team building



Related Forum Posts
Search and Sort - The Search and Sort is a great idea. Will make a great research tool if anyone needs to use it for background research.
Re: Quote of the Day - "Don't be embarrassed about asking "stupi - One of my favorite requests when leading a class, workshop, lecture, interview, whatever... There are no Stupid Questions, don't be afraid to ask - someone else has the same question, but is afraid to ask On the other hand - try anticipate the questions Back to the first hand - Some People ARE dummer than a ROCK
Re: Marketing ideas? - Questions will set you free... And make you Rich [quote="KH_Global":349pds7c]Just ask ask ask. That is it.[/quote:349pds7c]
Psychics & horoscopes! - I have never sought the help of a psychic and I deffinately do not believe in horoscopes. Although I do believe "some" psychics could hold a special gift (like the ones that help police) occassionaly, but horoscopes are not believable in my book. I I believe the power of suggestion (reading a horoscope) is the real power there. You read or hear how things should go for you and the power of that suggestion could make it happen. Your mind believes it will happen, so it does. It's Sort of like how if you fully believe you are sick (when you are not), your body reacts as if it really is, therefore developing symptoms.
Re: Contact Information - Another idea would be to have an email form in place to accept "ticketed" inquires (if people are afraid of spammers seeing their email address). However, I hate how some sites try to persuade you out of sending an email by bombarding you with lists of "Frequently Asked Questions & Answers" as I find they're rarely helpful.


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