To Ask Or Not To Ask, That Is The Question
EmPower Research
August 12, 2007
By Nandita Sen
As a mother of two boys (who are now in their teens), I have - as most parents - been faced with their inquisitive minds. Their inquisitiveness was often squelched by a tired (blame it on the career-family juggling act) and sometimes an irritable mom, who would tell them that they asked too many questions. They expect me to provide the “right” answers. Now that the boys are in their teens, they seem to be capable of only asking questions to which the answer is an inevitable “No”, for the most part!
Eventually, as adults - especially at workplace - how confident are we in asking the right question, at the right time in order to get a right answer? The “right” answer that will provide us with the information we need to make accurate and sound decisions. Here are a few pointers to help determine the best approach to gathering important information.
What One Needs To Know:
How to get back on track?
Typically, in a long meeting either face-to-face or even via teleconference, when someone alludes to something, it triggers a series of thoughts that causes our minds to wander. It is always a good idea to have a designated team member take down the minutes of the meeting, in order to confirm the team’s understanding. This not only serves as a reminder later on, but also helps clarify any misunderstandings at an early stage.
How best to cut to the chase?
This happens when someone is taking too long to make his or her point. Ask a series of closed questions to clarify the point the speaker is trying to make. The listener could preface his/her question with “I need to check my understanding on...”
How to ensure I get the right information?
Sometimes, a coworker will answer a different question to the one I ask. Here, some sensitivity will be required, but one needs to be assertive to stop the person going down the wrong path. A good idea is to interject with a comment like “That’s very interesting, but I wonder if I could direct you to answering the question…”
How to find the right person to ask?
Our best bet is to find a person to answer that question. – someone who has a wide network and clear understanding of the organization’s hierarchy and environment. Get his or her opinion about who to approach for a specific kind of information.
What One Needs To Do:
Know the different types of questions
One needs to choose the type of question that best serves the purpose or determine a sequence of questions one needs to ask. Before delving into the heart of the matter, one can begin with a closed question. For instance, “I understand that you think we should do more market research before releasing the product…Would you please explain why you think this is necessary?”
Closed Questions – Closed questions are useful if one wants to clarify a situation or confirm understanding of something that was said. They do not lead to conversations or discussions.
Open Questions – These are tell-me-more questions, “Who”, “What”, “Where”, “When”, and “How?” These elicit a great deal of information and open the forum to exploring the views and opinions of others. Open questions encourage team members to think creatively and often invite imaginative responses.
Factual Questions – Typically used in the research and scientific branches of organizations to elicit information in situations where everyone in a group shares opinions or beliefs.
Naïve Questions – On the surface, naïve questions tend to disturb the equilibrium and are therefore often ignored. These questions may be treated as those that are often a deliberate attempt to get to the core of an issue. The longer these are ignored, the greater the collusion of ignorance. Typically, the naïve question is “Why?” followed by another “Why?” and yet another “Why?”!
Questions That Pass Information – In some cases, questions may be a great way to give rather than get information. A typical scenario – an interviewer fails to ask an interviewee a question that could show the interviewee in a good light. One can then prompt the interviewer to follow up, simply by asking a question like “Would you like to hear about my work experience overseas?” This technique can be used effectively in meetings or if a team member is trying to influence the outcome of a negotiation.
Provocative Questions – Caution! Such questions are contentious and can not only stir up a debate, but also touch off a bitter argument. An example, “So, you are saying the ends justify the means?” Questions like these generally relate to values, focus on rational inconsistency or have an emotional element to them. On one level, these questions seek a closed answer, on another, they warrant a debate.
Leading Questions – Questions such as these are used to clarify that one has understood properly what someone has said. One may ask, “Did you mean…?” and follow up with one’s interpretation of what the person said. Another way to clarify a doubt using a leading question would be to ask, “Would you explain how you came to this conclusion?”
The Three Do’s
Do consider the context:
Ask your questions in the physical surroundings that best suit your purpose. Can your question be shared in an open forum, or does it elicit some privacy? One can get different responses depending on the timing of the question too. One should best decide the greatest chance a question stands in yielding the most complete information – or creating the most impact.
Do ask questions the right way:
The best rule of thumb is to ask one question at a time and wait for the respondent to answer before jumping on to the next question. Asking multiple questions simply confuses the respondent, who may not know which question to answer first, and while answering one may even forget to answer the other. This becomes even more challenging when having a conversation via a teleconference. It is a good idea to have one pre-designated team member ask the questions in a systematic and lucid manner.
Try not to formulate questions that will put the other party on the defensive. For example, instead of asking “Why did you make these mistakes on the report?” one needs to ask a series of questions which will give him/her a better idea of the reasons behind the situation. A neutral ground to start such a conversation would be “So, how do you feel about the quality of this report?”
Do listen to the answer:
Once “right” questions are asked, it is equally important to listen to the answers! If one anticipates someone’s response, one risks filtering out information that goes against one’s expectations. It is generally a good idea to withhold any comments or subsequent questions until one has fully heard and understood what has been said.
What to Avoid:
You don’t know exactly why you are asking the question:
Before thinking how to ask a question, one needs to think why one is asking the question. Ask yourself what is the purpose of the discussion and what kind of information you are expecting to obtain.
You don’t make it clear what information you need:
Brevity is the soul of a good question too! It is extremely important to articulate one’s question clearly and unambiguously. Plan before hand, keeping in mind the circumstances, environment, time constraints and the type of question that will best extract the information you are seeking.
You assume that you know how the other person will respond, so you don’t listen:
This is a very common mistake. If one asks a question, one must listen to the answer. It is prudent to suspend disbelief or judgment and allow the person to finish before following up with another question.
You argue:
Yet another very common mistake. If one disagrees with what is being said, it does not mean the other person is wrong. Nor does it mean that he or she needs to agree with you. Sometimes others simply see the world very differently from you!
You don’t ask the question because you don’t want to show your ignorance:
This can actually work against you. It is better to ask the question and be considered foolish for a few minutes than to make a mistake that can cost you big time later.
References
Books: Browne, Neil and Stuart Keeley. Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking. London: FT Prentice Hall, 2006.
Finlayson, Andrew. Questions That Work: How to Ask Questions That Will Help You Succeed in Any Business Situation. New York: AMACOM, 2001.
Web Sites:
Steve Pavlina, Personal Development for Smart People: www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/02/asking-the-right-questions
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association—Asking the Right Questions in the Right Ways:
www.asha.org/about/publications/leader-online/archives/2003/q2/f030429b.htm
As a mother of two boys (who are now in their teens), I have - as most parents - been faced with their inquisitive minds. Their inquisitiveness was often squelched by a tired (blame it on the career-family juggling act) and sometimes an irritable mom, who would tell them that they asked too many questions. They expect me to provide the “right” answers. Now that the boys are in their teens, they seem to be capable of only asking questions to which the answer is an inevitable “No”, for the most part!
Eventually, as adults - especially at workplace - how confident are we in asking the right question, at the right time in order to get a right answer? The “right” answer that will provide us with the information we need to make accurate and sound decisions. Here are a few pointers to help determine the best approach to gathering important information.
What One Needs To Know:
How to get back on track?
Typically, in a long meeting either face-to-face or even via teleconference, when someone alludes to something, it triggers a series of thoughts that causes our minds to wander. It is always a good idea to have a designated team member take down the minutes of the meeting, in order to confirm the team’s understanding. This not only serves as a reminder later on, but also helps clarify any misunderstandings at an early stage.
How best to cut to the chase?
This happens when someone is taking too long to make his or her point. Ask a series of closed questions to clarify the point the speaker is trying to make. The listener could preface his/her question with “I need to check my understanding on...”
How to ensure I get the right information?
Sometimes, a coworker will answer a different question to the one I ask. Here, some sensitivity will be required, but one needs to be assertive to stop the person going down the wrong path. A good idea is to interject with a comment like “That’s very interesting, but I wonder if I could direct you to answering the question…”
How to find the right person to ask?
Our best bet is to find a person to answer that question. – someone who has a wide network and clear understanding of the organization’s hierarchy and environment. Get his or her opinion about who to approach for a specific kind of information.
What One Needs To Do:
Know the different types of questions
One needs to choose the type of question that best serves the purpose or determine a sequence of questions one needs to ask. Before delving into the heart of the matter, one can begin with a closed question. For instance, “I understand that you think we should do more market research before releasing the product…Would you please explain why you think this is necessary?”
Closed Questions – Closed questions are useful if one wants to clarify a situation or confirm understanding of something that was said. They do not lead to conversations or discussions.
Open Questions – These are tell-me-more questions, “Who”, “What”, “Where”, “When”, and “How?” These elicit a great deal of information and open the forum to exploring the views and opinions of others. Open questions encourage team members to think creatively and often invite imaginative responses.
Factual Questions – Typically used in the research and scientific branches of organizations to elicit information in situations where everyone in a group shares opinions or beliefs.
Naïve Questions – On the surface, naïve questions tend to disturb the equilibrium and are therefore often ignored. These questions may be treated as those that are often a deliberate attempt to get to the core of an issue. The longer these are ignored, the greater the collusion of ignorance. Typically, the naïve question is “Why?” followed by another “Why?” and yet another “Why?”!
Questions That Pass Information – In some cases, questions may be a great way to give rather than get information. A typical scenario – an interviewer fails to ask an interviewee a question that could show the interviewee in a good light. One can then prompt the interviewer to follow up, simply by asking a question like “Would you like to hear about my work experience overseas?” This technique can be used effectively in meetings or if a team member is trying to influence the outcome of a negotiation.
Provocative Questions – Caution! Such questions are contentious and can not only stir up a debate, but also touch off a bitter argument. An example, “So, you are saying the ends justify the means?” Questions like these generally relate to values, focus on rational inconsistency or have an emotional element to them. On one level, these questions seek a closed answer, on another, they warrant a debate.
Leading Questions – Questions such as these are used to clarify that one has understood properly what someone has said. One may ask, “Did you mean…?” and follow up with one’s interpretation of what the person said. Another way to clarify a doubt using a leading question would be to ask, “Would you explain how you came to this conclusion?”
The Three Do’s
Do consider the context:
Ask your questions in the physical surroundings that best suit your purpose. Can your question be shared in an open forum, or does it elicit some privacy? One can get different responses depending on the timing of the question too. One should best decide the greatest chance a question stands in yielding the most complete information – or creating the most impact.
Do ask questions the right way:
The best rule of thumb is to ask one question at a time and wait for the respondent to answer before jumping on to the next question. Asking multiple questions simply confuses the respondent, who may not know which question to answer first, and while answering one may even forget to answer the other. This becomes even more challenging when having a conversation via a teleconference. It is a good idea to have one pre-designated team member ask the questions in a systematic and lucid manner.
Try not to formulate questions that will put the other party on the defensive. For example, instead of asking “Why did you make these mistakes on the report?” one needs to ask a series of questions which will give him/her a better idea of the reasons behind the situation. A neutral ground to start such a conversation would be “So, how do you feel about the quality of this report?”
Do listen to the answer:
Once “right” questions are asked, it is equally important to listen to the answers! If one anticipates someone’s response, one risks filtering out information that goes against one’s expectations. It is generally a good idea to withhold any comments or subsequent questions until one has fully heard and understood what has been said.
What to Avoid:
You don’t know exactly why you are asking the question:
Before thinking how to ask a question, one needs to think why one is asking the question. Ask yourself what is the purpose of the discussion and what kind of information you are expecting to obtain.
You don’t make it clear what information you need:
Brevity is the soul of a good question too! It is extremely important to articulate one’s question clearly and unambiguously. Plan before hand, keeping in mind the circumstances, environment, time constraints and the type of question that will best extract the information you are seeking.
You assume that you know how the other person will respond, so you don’t listen:
This is a very common mistake. If one asks a question, one must listen to the answer. It is prudent to suspend disbelief or judgment and allow the person to finish before following up with another question.
You argue:
Yet another very common mistake. If one disagrees with what is being said, it does not mean the other person is wrong. Nor does it mean that he or she needs to agree with you. Sometimes others simply see the world very differently from you!
You don’t ask the question because you don’t want to show your ignorance:
This can actually work against you. It is better to ask the question and be considered foolish for a few minutes than to make a mistake that can cost you big time later.
References
Books: Browne, Neil and Stuart Keeley. Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking. London: FT Prentice Hall, 2006.
Finlayson, Andrew. Questions That Work: How to Ask Questions That Will Help You Succeed in Any Business Situation. New York: AMACOM, 2001.
Web Sites:
Steve Pavlina, Personal Development for Smart People: www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/02/asking-the-right-questions
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association—Asking the Right Questions in the Right Ways:
www.asha.org/about/publications/leader-online/archives/2003/q2/f030429b.htm