Page 120 - Becoming a Successful Manager

Mastering the Art of Asking Questions 111

Echoes are a handy tool for probing when a person talks in
generalizations or abstractions. Try it the next time someone falls
back on a generalization when talking to you. All you have to do
is echo, “Always?” or “Never?” See how it works in response to
generalizations such as “John’s attitude is terrible” or “Mary is
so irresponsible.” Just say, “Terrible?” or “Irresponsible?” You’ll
probably get more information than you ever expected. Another
reliable alternative is to reply, “Tell me more.” Then stand back
because the new information will come in waves.

Follow-Up Questions

This last technique is a variation of the fi rst three, but it is used to
gather data, evidence, and support of an initial comment. Here,
you are following up on something the person said to round out
your information on the subject in which you’re interested. For
example, “Earlier you said, . I’d like to discuss this in a
little more detail.”
That sentence, “Earlier you said, ,” does something
else for you and your staff: it demonstrates that you listened. When
you communicate that to your staff, you also demonstrate that you
value them; you value what they have to say, and you want them
to tell you more.
This harks back to the chapter on the value of listening. Once
you ask a question, be ready to be an active listener. Here is a
guiding rule: If you don’t plan to listen to the answer, don’t ask
the question! You’ll just be wasting everyone’s time.

Match Your Delivery to Your Questions

All of the five major questioning techniques described are useful,
as long as the person with whom you’re talking interprets what