Page 118 - Becoming a Successful Manager

Mastering the Art of Asking Questions 109

“Why” questions are especially tricky. While they are as legitimate
as others, you have to be particularly cognizant of how they might be
perceived by your employee. This form of question can do much more
than ask for reasons. It can be interpreted as a request for informa-
tion or as accusatory and entrapping. For example, here is a “why”
question that, clearly, simply seeks information: “I was wondering,
why did you choose option X rather than Y?” It may, however, sound
judgmental, implying, “Why would you do such a foolish thing?”
Don’t ask “why” when there is nothing the responder could say
that would be acceptable to you. Those are trap questions, which place
the person on the defensive. For example: “Why did you submit this
sloppy report?” or “Why did you buy such an ugly tie?” No answer
to either of those shots would satisfy the questioner. There is no way
the responder can win or can infer that the questioner really wants
information. Such questions are obviously accusatory. Here again,
you can see how the framing of the question determines the answer.

Probing Questions

Probing questions dig more deeply into an area already established
by either a closed or an open question. They prod responders to talk
about what is important to them. The objective of using probes is
to obtain additional detail about the subject being presented to you.
When you use either an open or a closed question, it is you who iden-

tifies the area for discussion. An appropriate question of either type

will prime the pump; information will start to flow, but it might stop

abruptly. There is an easy way to keep it flowing, and you don’t have
to work hard to think up new questions. All you have to do is call on

a short list of standards that will fit almost any situation. Try these:

“What gives you that impression?”
“Can you help me understand . . . ?”
“What makes you say that?”