Page 116 - Becoming a Successful Manager

Mastering the Art of Asking Questions 107

Match the Question to the Need

You have a variety of methods at your disposal to gather and
exchange information. The following sections outline fi ve tech-
niques for results-oriented communication: closed questions, open
questions, probing questions, echoes, and follow-up questions.

Closed Questions

Closed questions are useful when you want to confi rm information
or when you want a straightforward answer, with no elaboration, to a
straightforward question. These kinds of questions do not engender
discussion. Furthermore, they might even hinder a free exchange of
information because they often seem to be an interrogation.
Closed questions produce short, usually one-word answers and
do not leave much room for discussion. This category includes que-
ries that begin with “Can,” “Do,” “Is,” “Will,” “When,” “Who,”
and “Did.” Note the ways such closed questions can be answered:

Question Beginning with Typical Answer
Can Yes or No
Do Yes or No
Is Yes or No
Will Yes, No, or Maybe
When Tuesday
Who Charlie
Did Yes or No

Frequently, simple answers such as these are not satisfactory if you
are looking for explanations, reasons, and examples. If you are
asking a question to get information, the person of whom you’re
asking the question must be persuaded or encouraged to share